A group of tenants is facing rising rents and uncertain circumstances as the Capital Regional District plans to redevelop the Village on the Green (VoG) community at 1132 Johnson St.
“What am I supposed to do? Who is going to help us?” said Kym A. Hines, a VoG resident and longtime housing and anti-poverty advocate.
The project aims to demolish the current 38-unit VoG development this spring to make way for 160 new affordable units. As a result, current tenants must sign new lease agreements when they are relocated, with terms that differ significantly from their existing ones.
In late November, residents were notified that the project was underway, and the Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) would begin working with them to facilitate their relocation.
The VoG community is made up of people with disabilities, seniors, and families on a variety of affordable housing plans, including rent-geared-to-income (RGI) agreements, subsidized housing, and affordable market housing.
When Hines moved to VoG, he signed an RGI contract, agreeing to pay 30 per cent of his income toward rent. Hines, who is on disability and receives government assistance, said the changes have been challenging.
“I’m on disability. I get like $1,300 or $1,400 a month. I’m on a fixed income, and I’ll be on a pension soon. I’m about to move into a wheelchair,” he said.
Hines said his rent recently increased by $125 to $419 a month when BC Housing reduced his subsidy, leaving him to pay more out of pocket.
Under BC Housing’s current policy, residents with supplemented incomes are no longer eligible for RGI housing contracts and are instead subject to the province’s flat rate, which changes annually and is currently $500 a month.
“I have to sign under duress,” he said, adding that he will lose the 30-per-cent-income contract when he moves out.
Hines said CRHC’s ability to address tenant concerns is limited by BC Housing’s policies.
“BC Housing is strong-arming CRHC, making us believe there’s nothing we can do,” he said. “People are being pressured. It’s not cool.”
One resident currently renting through affordable market housing said they would face a steeper increase if they remained in the same housing category.
“They’re going to increase my rent by $500 minimum, up to $1,100, on top of my current rent,” said the resident, who asked to remain anonymous.
The resident added that tenants had initially believed their existing agreements would transfer to their new units with no rent changes.
“I was very upset,” she said. “They didn’t disclose their intention for the rent hike until the last minute. Who can prepare to pay another $500?”
Andy Orr, the senior manager for corporate communications at the CRD, confirmed that new agreements would be required.
“Tenancy agreements are a legal contract for a home. They aren’t transferable, and therefore, yes, everyone will need a new tenancy agreement,” said Orr.
Some tenants no longer qualify for affordable market housing and will have to apply for subsidized housing.
“The only people who have had to do any kind of application are those moving from affordable/market tenancies to rent-geared-to-income tenancies,” said Orr. “This should be a massive advantage as they go from not having a subsidy to having a subsidy. Typically, there is a years-long wait for RGI.”
While tenants acknowledged they might face a smaller rent increase if they switched to subsidized housing, some are reluctant to do so.
“Before moving into VoG, I was in subsidized housing in Caledonia Corner. That was really bad. There was graffiti inside the building,” said one resident. “I didn’t like living there.”
Hines is also concerned about finding accommodations that meet his needs. And some tenants question why the redevelopment is necessary at all.
“I was a bit surprised because I thought our building was being taken care of,” said Hines. “We just had the roof replaced, which was a lot of money, and then suddenly, we hear about redevelopment.”
An email from BC Housing stated they were not actively involved in the project and directed questions to CRHC. However, the statement did point out the benefits of the project. "To help people with a range of incomes, redeveloping properties is one of the ways housing providers can replace aging units with modern affordable homes, which creates stronger and healthier communities."
In a letter to residents, the CRD stated the site was identified for redevelopment due to the age and condition of the buildings, its location near employment and services, and the City of Victoria’s 2016 community plan encouraging multi-unit residential development. The redevelopment would also allow for a substantial net increase in affordable housing units.
The Village on the Green project has a conceptual budget of $81 million and is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2025, with completion projected after 30 months.
