[van-announce] Community forum on rent increase

[resist admin]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "SIKLAB" <siklab at telus.net>
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 10:46:33 -0700
Subject: Community forum on rent increase

SIKLAB Press Release


Rent increase could mean more poverty for Filipino community:  Filipinos in
Vancouver to hold community forum



April 14, 2003 -- For over a year now, SIKLAB, an organization of overseas
Filipino workers in B.C. has been decrying the horrid housing crisis
penetrating the growing Filipino community in the Lowermainland.



Already the Filipino community in B.C. suffers from overcrowded living
conditions with two families crammed into a one-bedroom basement suite, from

being victimized by racist and unscroupolous landlords in Vancouver's
low-income neighborhoods, and from being denied an equal chance to
affordable housing because of their immigration status.  Now, with the B.C.
government latest move to deregulate rent increases, the organization of
over 200 members anticipates that the community will be thrown deeper into a

housing crisis.



They are holding a community housing consultation on the issue, April 19,
Saturday, 2:00 p.m. at the Kalayaan Centre (451 Powell Street) in Vancouver.




In the Winter of 2003, the B.C. government annouced its intention to
de-regulate rent controls, allowing landlords to raise rents annually by, at

the most, 4 percent plus the current rate of inflation.  In effect, this
would mean that renters could suffer up to 7 percent in rent increases per
year.  To add even more hardship to renters, these rent increases would be
retroactive, putting renters in an extremely vulnerable position and at the
mercy of landlords.



These possible rent increases would spell disaster for the Filipino
community in B.C.  The Filipino community is made up of largely low-waged
workers, with a large concentration of Filipinos in domestic work,
janitorial services, service-sector work, and factories.  Already, on
average, over 60 percent of their family's monthly incomes go into paying
rent for substandard and low quality housing in the Eastside of Vancouver.
For families paying $650/month for a one-bedroom apartment, by next year
they may be forced to pay $700/month.



"A possible 7 percent rent increase would plunge our community deeper into
poverty," maintains Ana Cagas, chairperson of SIKLAB, "Our community is
already struggling to survive and make ends meet each month, how will we
find the extra money to provide decent housing for our families.  This is
nothing short of rent goughing!" adds Cagas.



SIKLAB asserts that affordable housing is a human right and such a rent
increase would further strip the community of this basic right by making
decent housing even more unaccessible has the private market tightens its
grip on housing in B.C.



As these types of neo-liberal policies of globalization tear away at the
livelihood and quality of life of the most marginalized in Canada, SIKLAB is

firm in its resolve to continue to expose the housing crisis in the Filipino

community and oppose their communitys inequality and lack of affordable
housing.