Just ask 26-year-old Sheyanne Mahy and her husband, who briefly became homeless in March after their landlord sold the property where they rented a home. So they turned to their fellow States for help. Waiting years for public housing would leave them hanging by a thread.
The couple had just been given the heartbreaking news in their search for permanent housing. They discovered that there was a year-long wait for public housing. Instead, they were recommended to seek settlements in the private market, where they’d receive greater benefits. Once in town, Sheyanne Mahy soon found that the rental market in the private sector was “way out” of her price range.
In what she calls an incredible blessing, Mahy and her husband were able to secure a winter let. They rented it—originally painted by Lorraine Lane—for about ten weeks. In her last years, Mahy did consider herself lucky.
“I got extremely lucky and was able to stay in a garden shed with my dog with my gran and was there for the duration,” – Sheyanne Mahy.
Mahy herself eventually found a degree of security, her husband would remain in a far more precarious situation. He jumped around to various cities and crashed on friends’ couches. Otherwise, he primarily stayed at the homes of just three or four people.
As the couple searched for a permanent place to stay, they found themselves confronted by the harsh reality of housing in the area. There are at least 40 applicants on hold for one public housing unit, for a one-bedroom unit, with a wait time of close to two years. For one of their two-bedroom properties, 17 applicants are currently on the list, experiencing a wait of at least 15 months. The figures for larger lodging options are no less frightening. Currently, nine people are waiting for three-bedroom homes, and they’re looking at an average one-year wait.
Ed Ashton, our director of operations for Social Security, Housing & Inclusion, provided his perspectives. He provided an important perspective on the crisis surrounding housing in the region. He stressed that access to accommodation depends on properties leaving the market.
“We want to house people as soon as possible; however, being able to provide accommodation relies on a property becoming available for them,” – Ed Ashton.
The mounting housing challenges in a region where many families can no longer afford to live have clearly taken their toll. Lorraine Lane typically would not have rented out her home during the off-season. She was disheartened to discover so many of her fellow islanders facing the same crisis.
Jane St Pier commented on the pressing housing situation, stating, “Everyone is being forced into a very tight funnel.”
After two weeks living in the winter, Mahy and her partner were able to find themselves full-time rented housing. Their experience shines a light on what many in the community are enduring. Meanwhile, they struggle with housing insecurity as demand outpaces supply.
