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Rental worries

Family can't find home in tight market

Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 08/00) - For Jennifer Bruce's family, including pets, finding an apartment in Yellowknife is getting desperate.

The owner of the trailer where they currently live is selling and they have to move by Nov. 15.

"On the 15th, we're homeless," says Bruce, who lives with her nine-month-old daughter, boyfriend Steve Legge, and two dogs.

"We can't find anywhere to live. Right now we're living in a hell-hole."

Bruce says the problem is compounded by the fact that their trailer in Northlands Trailer Court needs new furnace.

Bruce is also realizing Yellowknife apartment owners are not renting to people with dogs.

"We went to the Yellowknife Housing Authority. They said we would have to get rid of the dogs," Bruce said, adding "We're fourth or fifth on the (housing authority) list."

If Bruce has to live in an apartment that does not allow dogs she will have return the pets where she got them -- the NWT SPCA. One of the dogs had been abandoned and the other had been abused, she said. Bruce said the only accommodation she has been able to find for rent is out of her price range.

"My boyfriend's a stay-at-home dad. He's calling (for apartments) all the time."

Bruce said she would get a hotel room if necessary, but would still need to find a home, at least temporarily, for the two dogs. Her efforts to find an apartment come as vacancy rates are at their lowest levels in years.

According to a survey by appraisal firm Stewart Weir MacDonald, vacancy rates in the city have plummeted to 2.5 per cent from 11.6 per cent over the last two years. The survey, done over a one-week period in October, covered 1,277 apartments and 321 row-house units. The firm found 32 apartments available and eight row-house units.