A walk-in closet advertised for $580 a month is highlighting the trouble university students face finding affordable rental housing in Vancouver.
The tiny space, which is described in the ad as a “den,” was posted to a Facebook group for international students this week. The door of the closet opens into a bedroom that’s rented by a couple, and another tenant is living in a separate room.
In total, four people are currently paying rent in the two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, though the ad does say heat and internet are included.
Unfortunately, the struggle to find decent and affordable housing in Vancouver is one many University of British Columbia students know well.
Master’s student Dario Garousian said he went to see an $850 bachelor suite in Kitsilano last weekend only to find a lineup of 40 people had beaten him there.
“As soon as I saw that, I immediately thought that, well, I don’t think I have a chance,” Garousian said.
Another student told CTV News she viewed roughly 35 places in her search for somewhere to live while pursuing her master’s in public health.
Though UBC has more campus housing than any other Canadian university, with 11,000 dorms, there are still 5,000 students on the waitlist.
And given that the surrounding Vancouver neighbourhoods are home to some of most expensive real estate in the city, many students are forced to find accommodations further away, forcing them to spend more on their commute.
“I’ll probably end up driving to school,” Garousian said.
UBC added 1,000 new spaces this year, and three more buildings with 1,400 dorms are expected to be completed in the next two years.
With files from CTV Vancouver’s Nafeesa Karim
