'It sucks': Former NFL player is struggling to find a home in Vancouver

Even professional athletes struggle to find housing in Vancouver.

A former NFL player who is now a cornerback for the CFL's BC Lions used social media to ask for help in his search.

Delvin Breaux vented his frustrations on Twitter Sunday, writing, "Boy it's hard looking for places in Vancouver!"

Breaux, who has also played with the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the NFL's New Orleans Saints, told CTV News he’s been looking all over Metro Vancouver for two months.

"It definitely tough and it sucks," Breaux said from Lions' training camp in Kamloops. "I just want a place to lay my head."

He’s not looking for anything fancy.

Breaux would like a two-bedroom home, somewhere in the $2,000-a-month range, and he "would love to have a balcony to oversee the beautiful city of Vancouver."

The athlete said he sent out dozens of inquiries, but very few landlords got back to him.

"I guess a lot of people are busy, if that’s the word I want to use," he said, describing how no one has picked up the phone. Instead, responses are always through email.

Despite his career as a pro athlete, Breaux’s struggle isn’t a surprise to Jill Atkey, CEO at B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association.

She said it just shows how difficult it is to find a place to rent all over the Lower Mainland.

"He’s got a better chance than most at finding a place, but his struggle is still real," said Atkey. "He is going to be competing with Amazon workers, tech workers, who are coming in and who are likely going to have a much higher income."

A few people responded to Breaux’s post over the weekend, one of whom suggested he give up and move back to Hamilton. Another suggested South Surrey or White Rock, and someone told him to move further east, to Chilliwack.

Boy it’s hard looking for places in Vancouver !!! Anyone in the areas of Surrey, New west minister , burnaby … I could use y’all help

— Delvin Breaux Sr (@Breauxshow24) May 29, 2022