A mother and daughter with disabilities in Fredericton faced a housing crisis when their landlord pulled out of New Brunswick’s rent subsidy program, jeopardizing their much-needed apartment repairs and almost rendering them homeless. Lisa Young, 32, and her mother Sandy White, 59, are now advocating for legislative changes to prevent others from facing similar situations.
According to Young, the lack of maintenance in subsidized units traps vulnerable individuals who have no alternative housing options. Julia Woodhall-Melnik, a housing issues expert at the University of New Brunswick, explained that landlords often exit the subsidy program to increase rent prices, allowing them to sidestep improving living conditions as seen in Young’s case.
Woodhall-Melnik emphasized the need for fixed-length subsidy agreements for private landlords, preventing them from unilaterally withdrawing early without addressing necessary improvements. Young and her mother had faced issues such as black mold, smoke smells, and broken amenities in their apartment since moving in four years ago. Despite filing complaints and a Public Health inspection confirming the problems, the landlord only took action when pressured by authorities.
After being informed that their unit would no longer be subsidized, leading to a significant rent hike, Young and her mother decided to move out due to financial constraints. Consequently, they had to end their prolonged battle for better living conditions as the investigation into their case halted upon their departure. Ability New Brunswick intervened on their behalf, securing a direct-to-tenant subsidy for the pair due to their disabilities.
David Hickey, the minister overseeing N.B. Housing, acknowledged the 60-day notice requirement for landlords opting out of the subsidy program but couldn’t discuss specific cases. He assured that Housing NB supports affected tenants in finding new accommodations and essential assistance. However, the direct-to-tenant program is currently oversubscribed, with over 13,000 households on the N.B. Housing waitlist, highlighting the pressing need for more resources and support in the housing sector.