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Yose Cormier
Northern News Services
That's how long the 38-year-old woman has been on the public housing waiting list, and she doesn't know when she will find her own place in Arviat, if ever.
Sulurayok is living with her parents, her sister's family and three other people.
Her sister is married and has two kids. They are also on the waiting list, but they may be getting a house soon.
That's 10 people living in a four-bedroom home.
"It's very crowded," Sulurayok said.
While her sister's hopes of finding a new home may be soon realized, Sulurayok's aren't very good, she said.
She said she may be waiting for another seven years for a house in Arviat.
Sulurayok has a common-law husband in Halifax, and she is contemplating joining him there.
She didn't want to before, because Arviat is her home. But it's hard to still be living at home.
Sulurayok is among 120 people and families on the Nunavut Housing Corporation's waiting list in Arviat.
Housing has never been a bigger issue in Nunavut than it is now.
Every community has a list of people waiting for housing. There doesn't seem to be much prospect for improvement.
As of May, 2003, the waiting list for housing across Nunavut stood at 967 families.
A new list is expected in September.
Patsy Owlijoot, the rental programs manager for Nunavut Housing Corporation in Arviat, thinks the numbers will likely be higher.
"I wish that we would have more public housing, that the programs would get a bigger push (from the government)," Owlijoot said.
"We only get a certain amount of money allocated to public housing. I would want more money concentrating on this but I am sure there are other issues (the government has to deal with)," Owlijoot said.
List not whole story
Peter Scott, the president of Nunavut Housing Corporation, recently said the waiting list doesn't tell the whole story.
"Just those eligible will be on a waiting list, which means there are a number of individuals who don't even bother applying for housing because they feel it's not worth the wait," Scott said.
For every one person on the list, there could be two more who also need housing, Scott said.
The housing shortage in other communities is not as bad as the one in Arviat, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
"It's not much different here than in other communities. Housing shortage is a problem," said Kolola Pitsiulak, the housing manager in Kimmirut.
Pitsiulak said there are about 10 applicants on the waiting list, but that the housing need is probably greater. In Resolute, where four families are waiting for housing, the situation may seem less dire, but the housing manager there doesn't think so.
For Erin Brosha, four families waiting for housing in a population of 200 is still significant.
"It's always an issue. There are no empty houses. We have 33 public housing units, and they're full. We try our best to accommodate people on our waiting list," said Brosha.
Every community but Resolute will see at least one new public housing unit being built this year.
Brosha hopes one is in the works for her community next year.
There are about 3,900 public housing units in Nunavut.
That doesn't include the 1,100 staff housing units that the government leases or owns.
Nor does that include the 500 mortgages the government holds for homeowners. The corporation spent $12.2 million this year to build about 48 units, and has been building new units every year since it was created.
Housing shortage by community
As of may 2003, 967 families were on Nunavut's Housing Corporation waiting list.
That number however, does not necessarily reflect the real shortage of housing as it does not include people who have not applied to be on the list.
Some people feel the waiting period is too long and don't bother applying.
Others, like young adults or single moms, decide to remain at home with their parents.
Anyone over 19 can apply for social housing, but a set of guidelines determines who will get the new units.
A local housing board then approves the applicant.
The president of the Housing Corporation has said that for every person on the list, there could be two people not on it but still looking for a home.
An updated list is expected in September.
