Bryce Knudtson lives in a tiny house among tall cedars and firs next to a stream. It is an idyllic setting, quiet and peaceful and definitely affordable. He pays $650 a month for cushions, drainage and electrical hookups for the tiny house on wheels he and his father built in Saskatoon two years ago. Behind a cedar gate that closes to form a heart, Saige Lancaster, the owner of the two-acre Metchosin property just off Kangaroo Road, has created a micro-community of nine people who live in three tiny homes on wheels, an RV and a convertible bus. Lancaster said that with the ability to own or even rent a home out of reach for many people, providing an affordable housing space such as tiny houses seemed like a great idea. But on August 31, Knudtson and the others are kicked out of Metchosin County. Lancaster is in violation of district regulations, which allow one primary and one accessory dwelling per lot. She was initially given an eviction notice in January after Metchosin received a complaint. Two extensions were granted to explore options, but the third was rejected by the municipality and the August 31 deadline set. “The district is working with us on the extensions,” Lancaster said. “I think they’re happy to hear that we’re trucking water for cisterns on the property, not draining aquifers and composting toilets. But we’ve kind of hit a wall here.” Lancaster said she plans to make arrangements so that at least one of her tenants – parents with a young child – can stay. But the other tenants will have to move. Mayor John Rance said he shares the plight of Lancaster renters, but any question of whether to change the ordinance to allow additional homes will depend on the council elected in the Oct. 15 municipal election, and he’s not optimistic. If anything, he said, residents are pushing in the opposite direction, wanting to keep the ordinance as is. Rance said one of the options the council is considering is to allow trailer pads on properties as an alternative to a secondary fixed home, but not both. The mayor, who is in his eighth term as mayor and is not running for re-election, said the increasing density brings a number of costly challenges, including water, power, sewer and updated building codes. “It’s not as simple as changing the statute … there’s a lot to consider here.” Lancaster is asking for an emergency measure to prevent evictions until suitable housing can be found for its tenants, but that is unlikely to happen. Last June on Salt Spring Island, the Islands Trust passed a resolution preventing action on illegal housing until safer and more affordable housing is available. Lancaster said she is writing letters to municipalities and regional districts around Vancouver Island to adopt similar policies and move toward friendlier regulations that allow for tiny homes and mobile homes. “There is a housing crisis and this might be a solution to help at least part of the problem.” Knudtson, who has worked as a receiver at Whole Foods for the past six years, doesn’t know where he’ll go. He said tiny house pads and sites are scarce in the CRD, and the few spots he’s found are over $1,000 a month in both the Malahat and Cowichan areas. But he needs to act fast, as Lancaster could face fines of up to $100 a day if tenants aren’t out by the end of August. “It was tough on everybody,” Knudtson said. “We are some families who are frontline and care workers, teachers, grocery clerks and traders. “The truth is none of us can afford to rent or own a home in Victoria or anywhere else on the island during this recession and housing crisis.” One of the group is moving to South America and another to Saskatchewan, Knudtson said. “But the rest of us are saddled with houses and debt and we can’t just walk away. This is an emergency and I have no idea what else to do.” Knudtson said he had to have roommates to pay the skyrocketing rent before he and his father built the tiny house on wheels. Now he’s losing sleep over whether to put his tiny house in storage or sell it and return to a rental market considered among the most expensive in Canada. A report last month by Rentals.ca said renters in Victoria would need to earn $55,000 to $85,000 a year, depending on location, to pay for a one-bedroom apartment. Rentals.ca reported that the average one-bedroom in the area rents for $1,870 a month, up 14 per cent year-over-year, while a two-bedroom is averaging $2,900 a month, the third highest price for a two-bedroom bedrooms in Canada after Vancouver and Toronto. Lancaster and Knudtson have organized a social media group, BC Housing Crisis, and a petition calling on governments to act on affordable housing and a moratorium on evictions from illegal housing. “Families and individuals in the Capital Region are avoiding homelessness, finding safe and affordable housing in tiny houses and RVs on private land,” they say. “This safe and affordable housing solution is currently illegal in every TAP municipality. As long as no one reports them, they will be safe. Some speak out while others remain silent for fear of homelessness. Much has already been mentioned. If no action is taken, dozens of families and individuals will be evicted from their homes by the end of the summer.” [email protected]
