[dinosaur]

226 square feet for $850/month?

Ouch!

Global BC | 'Smallest rental units in Canada' to provide a tour (http://www.globaltvbc.com/smallest+rental+units+in+canada+to+provide+a+tour/6442545143/story.html)

[FerrariEnzo]

http://www.globaltvbc.com/uploadedImages/Global_BC/Photos/smallrentalunits.jpg?size=sw380nws
Doesnt look tooooo bad... good for low income single person

[El Bastardo]

Low income @ $850? Not likely.

[melloman]

Only way I'd live in that.. is if YOU pay ME $1000/month.

[dinosaur]

I like how they say $850 is low income....$1000 is too much.

Ummm, I'd pay $150 more for another 3-400 sq.ft. and a bedroom that doesn't come out of the wall.

[Manic!]

It is fully furnished thou, including a TV. I wonder if Cable, internet and utility's are included?

[Redlines_Daily]

$850 a month for someone who makes $10-$12/hour is ridiculous! If they want to provide low income housing it needs to be in the $500/month range. The problem is that these "low-income" rentals that are supposedly built to provide a service for the community are run by for-profit companies! Lets see some units that just take in enough money to be self-sustaining, that will truly be a service to the people who need them.

[FerrariEnzo]

it does come fully furnished.. could save alot from furniture..

[Great68]

Wow what a ripoff.

[penner2k]

lol @ this province

[taylor192]

Fully furnished units are typically more expensive, so factor that in before complaining. You can find 1-bdrm units in the west end for ~$1000/mn yet they are unfurnished.

Still think they are overpriced and cannot believe they rented so easily/quickly.

[RSXBoii]

10 bucks an hour is 1600 /month... so youve got 750 left for e v e r y t h i n g else?:okay:

[MWR34]

10 bucks an hour is 1600 /month... so youve got 750 left for e v e r y t h i n g else?:okay:

yeah taxes...

[Presto]

Still think they are overpriced and cannot believe they rented so easily/quickly.

They got snapped up by hipster baristas. If they're not working at the coffee shop, they're hanging out at the coffee shop. There's no need for a lot of space. That's not cool, you know.

[Manic!]

$850 a month for someone who makes $10-$12/hour is ridiculous!

Lolz at people who makes $10-$12 a hour and want to live in Vancouver.

[RiceIntegraRS]

i think its a step into the right direction atleast. And im happy that there not just letting homeless people live there for free. But at 850 a month is alil too much.

[artmotion]

That looks pretty awesome for the size but the price is pretty high. My girlfriend had a place in HK which was like 130 sq ft and she was paying almost 700 CAD a month but that's the ridiculousness of HK.

[penner2k]

That looks pretty awesome for the size but the price is pretty high. My girlfriend had a place in HK which was like 130 sq ft and she was paying almost 700 CAD a month but that's the ridiculousness of HK.

jokes on you... you are dating a girl that was paying $700 a month for a 130 sq ft place... at that point why dont you just live in your car?

[artmotion]

jokes on you... you are dating a girl that was paying $700 a month for a 130 sq ft place... at that point why dont you just live in your car?

Because the rent for a parking spot in HK alone might cost more than the price of the rent of an apartment here.

[Bahhbeehhaaaa]

is a big joke.. seriously 850? for low incomes..? that's VERY VERY expensive

[kuruuze]

lol @ The building has no parking spaces. “Most people don’t want it,” :fuckthatshit:

[dat_steve]

lol @ The building has no parking spaces. “Most people don’t want it,” :fuckthatshit:

they ride their sw8 fixies so no need

[bing]

"Each suite comes with basic furnishings, a built-in wall bed, fold-down table and flatscreen TV. Internet and cable-television service are included in the rent, which averages $850 a month."

[Lomac]

Lolz at people who makes $10-$12 a hour and want to live in Vancouver.

Without people working those $10-12 jobs, you'll have no one to make your Starbucks coffee, your pizza-by-the-slice on Granville, your McDonalds... Hell, most of the retail stores in Vancouver don't pay their employees much more than that. What's the point of people working in Vancouver if they have to spend a good chunk of their earnings on transiting into Vancouver from elsewhere?

Fully furnished units are typically more expensive, so factor that in before complaining. You can find 1-bdrm units in the west end for ~$1000/mn yet they are unfurnished.

Still think they are overpriced and cannot believe they rented so easily/quickly.

But really, how much is furniture? You can buy a decent mattress set at The Brick or somewhere for cheap when they're on sale (which is always), and pick up a second hand desk/couch/dining table/everything else on CL, garage sale, hand-me-downs, etc. You're basically paying a a $2-300 premium for furniture that you theoretically would have paid off before your first year of tenancy is over.



I dunno. Not a fan of it. I like the concept, but I feel it's overpriced for what it is. I've been in dormrooms that were bigger than these places...

[Great68]

But really, how much is furniture? You can buy a decent mattress set at The Brick or somewhere for cheap when they're on sale (which is always), and pick up a second hand desk/couch/dining table/everything else on CL, garage sale, hand-me-downs, etc. You're basically paying a a $2-300 premium for furniture that you theoretically would have paid off before your first year of tenancy is over.


And you get to keep it when you leave...

[dinosaur]

The only reason they are renting them furnished is that "normal" furniture probably won't fit.

As someone who rents out places for a living, having your potential tenant's furniture fit is half the problem.

And, like others have said...furnishing a place does not cost a lot. B/w craigslist, ikea, etc...you can furnish an apartment for super cheap.

Like Lomac said, the concept is interesting and I like it in theory, but there is just something that doesn't seem right about it.

[maxxxboost]

I think if it suits your need, then go for it.

Its new, close to downtown and if it suits your lifestyle, then this isn't so bad. Sure the price is a bit high, but you're living in DT Vancouver! We'll see how well these do.

[Manic!]

Without people working those $10-12 jobs, you'll have no one to make your Starbucks coffee, your pizza-by-the-slice on Granville, your McDonalds... Hell, most of the retail stores in Vancouver don't pay their employees much more than that. What's the point of people working in Vancouver if they have to spend a good chunk of their earnings on transiting into Vancouver from elsewhere?




That's life. Many people commute to Vancouver daily. You can rent a one bedroom in Surrey for $500 everything in or you can spend $850 for a tiny bachelor suite in van.

[Liquid_o2]

$850 a month and 250 sf units equals $3.40 per s/f. That is absolutely ridiculous, and just shows how out to lunch Vancouver's housing market is right now.

Yes these people who rent the units probably cannot afford a larger place which will lower their price per s/f, but they are getting the short end of the stick on this deal.

[Bahhbeehhaaaa]

i read somewhere that for sustainable living in vancouver .. we must earn $18.50/h

[SpartanAir]

Hilarious, that's my friend Andrea who is interviewed in the clip. She's been there for several months. She really likes it there, and it's all the space she needs.

For a brand new apartment and a simple lifestyle, I don't see a problem.

[7seven]

CTV did a story on this yesterday, haha I went to school with the resident they interviewed. photo gallery of a suite here, CTV British Columbia - Questionable price tag for tiny Vancouver rentals - News Photo Gallery (http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/gallery/html/bc_tiny_unit_gallery_20111219/photo_0.html) thats a tiny washroom


They say its about size of maybe 2 parking stalls, maybe a bit more, $850 a month sounds about right for 2 parking stalls lol, considering the monthly parking at my office building is $350 to $400 a month.

The thing I don't understand, if you absolutely need to be living downtown, why not just go the roommate route, you can rent a 2 bedroom in Yaletown for $900-$1100 a person, not that much more than $850 in these tiny suites, even cheaper in the West End. I suppose some people rather live in a tiny confined space than with a roommate.

[Hehe]

I think people who rent this kind of place underestimate the psychological strain that small place puts on people.

There is a reason why Claustrophobia exists. Being confined in a small place that simply isn't designed for human is bad for your mental health.

I wouldn't live in one even if they pay me 1000 a month.

[falcon]

I'm paying 380EUR/mo for 23sq/meters.

Thats $511CAD for 250sq feet. In a tiny town in Bavaria Germany. And I got a good deal. Average apts. like this go for 500-600eur a month.

[falcon]

That's actually not bad after watching the video... you don't really need THAT much more than that. People here in Germany and in Japan have been living like this fro a long time.

[NNT]

I think the idea is pretty good. it help people saving up for down payment for their first place. I paid appox $600 15 years ago when i first move out for a studio unit less then 500 sq/ft in downtown. 850/month sounds about right today
and these day in downtown a newer apartment goes for $1200/month and up for a single bedroom and above 2K for a 2 bedroom unit. you can probably find something a bit cheaper in westend if the unit is older than 20 years

[cheapskate]

I think this is a great idea. A lot of posters in this thread seems to be missing some key points:

1. You cannot compare suburban rental prices/space with downtown rental prices/space, you're comparing apples to oranges. If you like big and cheap, there's the suburbs.

2. These suites are fully furnished, that alone will add a few hundred bucks to any rental.

3. THESE UNITS ARE NOT FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE, there is a separate housing program for that. These are for working class people who want to live near where they work at an affordable price. There are a lot of people who work in the DT area who want to live there but don't have $400,000+ to buy their own place. There is clearly a niche for these kinds of apartments and its a win/win for everyone involved, I don't get why there is so much hostility in this thread.

[subordinate]

I hope they allow deep fryer's on the balcony, because that's the only way these guys/gals are going to have a turkey dinner.

Swanson's doesn't count.

-------

Yeah, there are some individuals that like to live alone rather than have a roommate. It's understandable.


Jesus....that shower stall looks like a gym shower stall. That sucks.

[dinosaur]

I dig what they are doing in theory...

It is nice to see developers/city starting to focus on the "middle class". It always seems to be about low-income housing or super pricey developments DT.

I just don't like how people like me only have the choice of living in the suburbs or in a small (although really nice) converted single occupancy "hotel" in a shit-ass neighbourhood. WHy do I have to be either super poor or super rich to live in a decent condo DT?

[jackmeister]

The size of that suite is a bit bigger than standard hotel rooms I think.

Its pretty good for people who don't need to have 55inch LCD w/ surround sound speakers, 6 stoves, an oven and dishwasher etc etc.

If people think they're expensive, they're not going to rent it. Obviously, some people think its worth it. No one is pointing a gun at tenants to force them to rent it.

[Nlkko]

It's not that bad compare to a bunch of 1br/2br suites shared by a bunch of people. Plenty of those on craigslist. At least you have privacy with these converted rooms.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Do what HK does seriously build a bunch of apartments with maybe 200 to 300sq feet each and let the low income single perosn live there.

Look I am sorry but if you are poor and needs the gov help, you really have no right to complain about person space. Lots of ppl in HK are doing this coz they are poor. They live in housing with only enough space for a bed, washroom, kitchen and living room reaall share between the 8 to 12 ppl shared.

[cheapskate]

I just don't like how people like me only have the choice of living in the suburbs or in a small (although really nice) converted single occupancy "hotel" in a shit-ass neighbourhood. WHy do I have to be either super poor or super rich to live in a decent condo DT?

I don't get why everybody can't drive Ferrari's? :confused:

[asian_XL]

like what other people above said, no one is pointing a gun at your to rent this place.

$850 for a 200sq ft is small, but hey, some people would prefers a smaller place to live that he/she can walk to work than a large barn out in Chilliwack.

me and my fiance live in a 460sq ft place in HK, current market rent is around $1200-1500cdn, 3 minutes walk to subway and 10 minutes to where I work. We save at least $500 together from taxi money. Are we happy? hell yeah. It sucks to take an hour stuck in traffic every morning and evening.

[asian_XL]

Do what HK does seriously build a bunch of apartments with maybe 200 to 300sq feet each and let the low income single perosn live there.

Look I am sorry but if you are poor and needs the gov help, you really have no right to complain about person space. Lots of ppl in HK are doing this coz they are poor. They live in housing with only enough space for a bed, washroom, kitchen and living room reaall share between the 8 to 12 ppl shared.

HK public housing is a fail public policy in general.
Rent for HK public housing is around $200cdn per month, which is around 1/5 of an average salary of a low income family ($1000cdn per month). It is very reasonable and sometimes they get exempted to pay rent twice a year.

If a Honger makes let's say $1200, then you are not entitled to apply public housing, you will have to pay pretty much your whole damn salary on rent. $1200 for a 400 sq ft for example.

What's the impact? The policy is not encouraging people to make more income. Hongers always hear university graduates prefer to keep a mininum paid job in order to apply public housing, which is fucked up.

If you read about the Singapore and China housing policy, I would say they are fucking genius. No foreign investment in local property to keep the overall price as low as possible. Why can't our govn't do the fucking right thing for us :yuno:?

[LiquidTurbo]

is a big joke.. seriously 850? for low incomes..? that's VERY VERY expensive

Two low income people?

Come on.

[asian_XL]

Two low income people?

Come on.

If the rent includes management fee and heat, then $850 is not too bad.
My buddy is living in a dirty old 350sq ft basement in burnaby by himself and he's paying $650 cash with no furniture, no microwave, no internet, no fridge, and of course no TV. Walking to the nearest skytrain is around 20 minutes.

[jeffh]

5$ says half the people in here saying they wouldnt live there, still live with their parents
haha

[shawn79]

5$ says half the people in here saying they wouldnt live there, still live with their parents
haha

Its economical for people to still live with parents here. Housing are just too unaffordable for our generation...

Why do people still want to come to live in Vancouver? For $850 a month you can find a world class city to live in.

[Mr.HappySilp]

If you read about the Singapore and China housing policy, I would say they are fucking genius. No foreign investment in local property to keep the overall price as low as possible. Why can't our govn't do the fucking right thing for us :yuno:?

I wish.... it would be easier to purchse your own house. I wouldn't say the price will go down by 50% or more but I do see a 15 to 25% price drop.

[Gridlock]

I wish.... it would be easier to purchse your own house. I wouldn't say the price will go down by 50% or more but I do see a 15 to 25% price drop.

Yes, and everyone with: investment holdings, a house they've treated like an atm or even just a house goes nuts because they've lost that value.

At a 25% drop across the board, a lot of the investments go under water, a house attached to a large LOC goes with them, and the people with just a house get screwed.

Therefore, no change in policy.

[falcon]

3. THESE UNITS ARE NOT FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE, there is a separate housing program for that. These are for working class people who want to live near where they work at an affordable price. There are a lot of people who work in the DT area who want to live there but don't have $400,000+ to buy their own place. There is clearly a niche for these kinds of apartments and its a win/win for everyone involved, I don't get why there is so much hostility in this thread.

Yeah most people don't get this. One of the guys in the video clearly says "these are for working middle class" not low income.


At the end of the day the term "low income" is bullshit anyways. You're "low income?" Go find a new job, do some training, advance in something rather than whining for constant hand outs and cheap housing in one of the most expensive cities in N/A.

You want cheap/free/subsidized housing? Be prepared to move to Chilliwack... in my mind anyways.

[7seven]

You're "low income?" Go find a new job, do some training, advance in something rather than whining for constant hand outs and cheap housing in one of the most expensive cities in N/A.

You want cheap/free/subsidized housing? Be prepared to move to Chilliwack... in my mind anyways.

http://fringebowlteamblog.com/images/the_rock_clap_clap_gif.gif

Exactly how I feel, except I feel this way about the working middle class too that do nothing but sit on their asses and complain about costs and expenses and how they're not earning enough. There's lots of opportunities to make good money in Vancouver, just get motivated, improve your training/education & work harder.

[MindBomber]

Yeah most people don't get this. One of the guys in the video clearly says "these are for working middle class" not low income.


At the end of the day the term "low income" is bullshit anyways. You're "low income?" Go find a new job, do some training, advance in something rather than whining for constant hand outs and cheap housing in one of the most expensive cities in N/A.

You want cheap/free/subsidized housing? Be prepared to move to Chilliwack... in my mind anyways.

Thank you!

People in the GVRD feel as if they are entitled to living in close proximity to downtown and are resentful that they are unable to do so with a modest income, but living in Vancouver is not a right, it's a privilege. Regardless of whether an individual personally feels as if Vancouver is a world class city, the international real estate market clearly believes it is and prices are merely a reflection of that.

If my living costs were of no concern, I would be living in Kits. Living costs are a concern though, I'm not finished school and my income reflects that, so I made the tough choice of moving to Abbotsford. There's nothing I enjoy about living here, aside from cheap gas, and I drive into Richmond or Vancouver at least twice a week and often three times, thank god for the cheap gas. My rent is currently half what I paid at one point and I have an apartment, which will enable me to graduate without debt and a respectable portion of a down payment. It's about prioritizing and accepting that you have a Surrey budget, despite having Yaletown tastes.

[Ulic Qel-Droma]

I've been living in a 404sq ft studio the past 1.5 years now.

i "downgraded" from a 600sq feet, but im 2minute walk from richmond center, the skytrain, and work.

the place, i admit is crammed, i have two full speaker systems, a huge desk, 2 couches, and of course my bed, but i don't mind. the only complaint is i have no balcony, and i could use more closet space (there's not that much even for a guy lol).

i now only fill up my gas tank once every 1.5 months. i drive 2200km a year now (according to the odo).

i save a lot.

if you guys have been to any of the big cities, you'll know it's a normal thing. HK, tokyo, NY, you name it.

I'd rather live in my little studio, than something triple or quadruple the size, but out in surrey or further. fuck that shit man. time is money. i hate commuting.

anyways the fact is, 99% of my time spent at home is in front of the computer, on the couch, or on my bed. it's no different than living at your parents home, except you have a kitchen and washroom in your "room".

[spoon.ek9]

i'm glad to see this type of rental unit is being made. i think i have a few co-workers who would love to pay for something similar to this.

[ToneCapone]

But really, how much is furniture? You can buy a decent mattress set at The Brick or somewhere for cheap when they're on sale (which is always), and pick up a second hand desk/couch/dining table/everything else on CL, garage sale, hand-me-downs, etc. You're basically paying a a $2-300 premium for furniture that you theoretically would have paid off before your first year of tenancy is over.

My thoughts exactly. Also minus the flat screen because it's an unnecessary luxury. Personally if I am a student id rather not have a TV.

[Mananetwork]

I don't mind a small space as I'm living in one right now. For $850 though, that is not cheap at all!
I live outside the city, 10minute drive at night, 20 in traffic, 30 by transit and only pay half that!

[Gridlock]

I kinda dig getting paid to live here. Two bedroom penty with a view baby.

[asian_XL]

We will see cheaper house price only when interest rate goes back up to 6% for mortgage. sad.

[cheapskate]

I'd rather live in my little studio, than something triple or quadruple the size, but out in surrey or further. fuck that shit man. time is money. i hate commuting.



Thank god there are some reasonable and rational people on RS.

Big fat North Americans, with their gas guzzling SUVs and McMansions in the middle of nowhere (aka suburbia) always expect things to be SUPER-SIZED and above all CHEAP. Yet these bozos fail to see all the other qualitative costs of living their WAL-MART lifestyle.

James Howard Kunstler on Ted Talks on the subject: (Those who think his talk is aimed primarily at Americans think again. After WW2 most of Canada was built following american protocols (ie. sprawling suburbs, strip malls, big box stores, etc.) Vancouver is a rare exception in that our city founders designed our city following European designs (mix use city w/ abundant green space/no highways/etc.). This is one of the main reasons why real estate is so expensive here. No amount of money can buy you these amenities, the city either has them or it doesn't because it takes decades of concerted effort to build (just ask Portland, Seattle, etc. who are trying to emulate what in urban planning circles call Vancouverism).

James Howard Kunstler: The tragedy of suburbia - YouTube

[cheapskate]

I don't mind a small space as I'm living in one right now. For $850 though, that is not cheap at all!
I live outside the city, 10minute drive at night, 20 in traffic, 30 by transit and only pay half that!

You fail to mention the cost of transportation. For those who work/live/play in Vancouver, they don't need a car (that is, it's optional). Because of peak oil and the relentless demand from developing countries, gasoline costs can only go up.

The average North American spends about 20-25% of their income on their automobiles. This is an astronomical amount when you consider it not just in dollar terms but in terms of time working to service your car. In other words, all things equal, if you don't need a car, you can take an additional 2.5 months vacation time off every year for the rest of your working life! Or you can buy a nicer home, or you can retires YEARS earlier, or live in a nice city (ala Vancouver). AND you will escape HUNDREDS OF HOURS every year commuting and being stuck in traffic. Clearly, more and more people are choosing the optimal choice, just look at all the development in Vancouver. :)

[Gridlock]

Well, if you know your history, "Vancouverism" was kind of a cop out.

There was a plan to have a highway run from downtown to the #1. The plan was to level a neighborhood and be connected to the highway grid.

In fact, construction started. Ever wonder why the Georgia Viaduct is a 4 lane elevated highway that dumps you in the middle of nowhere?

They did manage to first level the bad area where all the black people lived, so it wasn't a total loss for the time(please read that as sarcasm-in the 1960's, it was cool to hate on the black people)

There was a major save stratacona(sp?) action by the residents and the project was cancelled.

All major cities went through the same thing in the 60's...more highways, more lanes. Boston just spent a couple billion dollars getting rid of their elevated highway, and in so doing, turned a blight in their city into an urban design dream. Suddenly, the ugly backs of buildings were facing brand new green space and the revitalization was amazing.

Halifax was doing the same thing. They as well managed to level the black part of town to build a bridge, which 40 years later people are still angry about. There was a plan to level the downtown and put in a highway but thankfully that was crushed, and instead the historic properties is the reason to visit Halifax...as there isn't much else. I would argue that in that case, they may have in turn killed Halifax's ability to be a hub of any kind.

I don't get the commuter lifestyle myself. I've never done it officially, but my brother in law did it for years from Abbotsford to Burnaby to work for Brinks. He finally got into the prisons as a guard, thinking finally his commute was over...and they sent him to Harrison, an hour and a half in the other direction! In retrospect, it made him kind of bitter because when they split up, he became very angry.

I think a 30 minute drive to work is nice. It's far enough away that there is a separation, when you have to take snow off your car it feels like its worth while and you can listen to more than one song on the drive.

[Great68]

I don't get the commuter lifestyle myself. I've never done it officially, but my brother in law did it for years from Abbotsford to Burnaby to work for Brinks. He finally got into the prisons as a guard, thinking finally his commute was over...and they sent him to Harrison, an hour and a half in the other direction! In retrospect, it made him kind of bitter because when they split up, he became very angry.

I think a 30 minute drive to work is nice. It's far enough away that there is a separation, when you have to take snow off your car it feels like its worth while and you can listen to more than one song on the drive.

When I first moved to the island I did the Malahat commute every day into Victoria for 6 months.

I actually enjoyed the drive on the highway part itself, the Malahat is a nice highway when the traffic is flowing well. It just sucks when you hit Colwood and it becomes bumper to bumper the rest of the way into town, and it got a lot worse once summer is over, or getting TO the highway after work.

Right now my commute is 6km, takes me 10 minutes of all city driving, 5th and 6th gear are pretty much useless, my car barely wams up to temp (I actually take an extra-long route so that my car has time to get more temperature in it). I hate it.

My work is moving in the new year 1/2 way out to the ferries, and I'm actually looking forward to a bit of a drive. It's only going to add maybe 5 minutes to my commute.

[Mananetwork]

You fail to mention the cost of transportation. For those who work/live/play in Vancouver, they don't need a car (that is, it's optional). Because of peak oil and the relentless demand from developing countries, gasoline costs can only go up.

The average North American spends about 20-25% of their income on their automobiles. This is an astronomical amount when you consider it not just in dollar terms but in terms of time working to service your car. In other words, all things equal, if you don't need a car, you can take an additional 2.5 months vacation time off every year for the rest of your working life! Or you can buy a nicer home, or you can retires YEARS earlier, or live in a nice city (ala Vancouver). AND you will escape HUNDREDS OF HOURS every year commuting and being stuck in traffic. Clearly, more and more people are choosing the optimal choice, just look at all the development in Vancouver. :)

I was giving an example that you can save half the money living a bit further (giving 3 options of transportation) If you're a productive individual, you'll find a way to do work while on the bus too