At 90 going on 91, Paul Zwing茅 is still living independently, painting, and driving himself to shopping and errands around downtown Langley.

He害羞草研究所檚 also facing some tough choices, as his home of the last five years is about to fall to the wrecking ball, and he害羞草研究所檚 not sure where he害羞草研究所檒l find a new place to live.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 looking at either the end of February, or the end of March,害羞草研究所� Zwing茅 said. He害羞草研究所檚 waiting for a notice that he害羞草研究所檒l have three months to vacate the home he shares with his son on Langley City害羞草研究所檚 Eastleigh Crescent.

Right now, Zwing茅 and his son split a rent of $1,550 a month for the two-storey, three bedroom apartment. The building is older, but well kept up, and gives them a bit of a back yard, a carport, and easy access to the downtown.

Wherever he finds himself next, he害羞草研究所檒l likely have a smaller space, no yard, and be paying as much if not more in rent, even with government supports and non-market housing.

The rent he害羞草研究所檚 seeing for apartments he could share with his son is way out of his price range.

害羞草研究所淭wenty-four hundred, twenty-five hundred,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 nothing in the $1,800 bracket.害羞草研究所�

He害羞草研究所檚 been in touch with BC Housing, and they can put him on a critical housing list, but only once he gets the word that the clock is ticking on his building coming down.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very fortunate for 90 years old,害羞草研究所� he said.

He still drives and is very independent, and would like to stay close to the neighbourhood he lives in now.

But it doesn害羞草研究所檛 look likely.

Dubbed 害羞草研究所渄emovictions害羞草研究所� by housing activists, thousands of people have been forced to move because of the rapid wave of development that has swept over the Lower Mainland in recent years. Many older, relatively cheaper low-rise apartment blocks built in the 1960s, 害羞草研究所�70s, and 害羞草研究所�80s are being demolished in favour of larger new rentals or condo projects.

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Because B.C. has controls on how much rent can be increased for existing tenants, but few or no restrictions on how much it can be increased when a new tenant moves in, seniors and others on fixed incomes often face a huge rental increase shock.

It害羞草研究所檚 driving many seniors into homelessness, often for the first time in their lives.

A recent report by United Way, which had input from the Langley Seniors Resource Centre, noted that in Langley Township, 47 per cent of seniors pay more than 30 per cent of their total income on housing costs; in Langley City the figure is 58 per cent.

For some, things are even more extreme. A total of 21 per cent of seniors in the Township spend more than 50 per cent of their income on housing, 23 per cent in Langley City.

害羞草研究所淲hat we are seeing is that the income people are making, with the increasing rate of rental, it害羞草研究所檚 not matching up,害羞草研究所� said Wendy Rachwalski, manager of community services at Langley Seniors Resource Society.

Seniors who don害羞草研究所檛 have a pension from a company they worked for get by on any savings they may have, plus government programs like Old Age Security (OAS), the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), and their Canada Pension Plan (CPP) if any.

In addition, B.C. offers Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) which subsidizes the cost of rent.

But those programs are not increasing their payments at anything like the rate at which rent is climbing.

Rachwalski is hearing from desperate Langley seniors who can害羞草研究所檛 find any housing, including one man who came to the centre for assistance recently.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 living in his truck with his four dogs, because there害羞草研究所檚 nowhere to go,害羞草研究所� she said.

Another call was from someone trying to find help for a local man who is living in an unheated trailer in the yard of a home that害羞草研究所檚 about to be demolished. He害羞草研究所檒l have to leave.

害羞草研究所淲here is he going to go?害羞草研究所� Rachwalski asked.

There are projects that are helping, Rachwalski noted, pointing to Emmaus Place, built by Shepherd of the Valley Church on 72nd Avenue, and the almost-complete Jennie Gaglardi Place on 56th Avenue, built by Christian Life Assembly.

But they aren害羞草研究所檛 keeping up with the need.

害羞草研究所淚n Langley, we have so many buildings being torn down because they are being redeveloped,害羞草研究所� said Rachwalski.

Zwing茅 is luckier than some seniors in similar circumstances 害羞草研究所� he has a couple of possible non-market housing options.

But if the owner of his current apartment moves forward right away, Zwing茅 is worried that he害羞草研究所檒l have to find somewhere to stay for several months before one of them is available.

He doesn害羞草研究所檛 want to be a burden on his relatives, who have a house full of kids. He wants to stay close to downtown Langley City if he can.

In the meantime, Zwing茅 was hoping that high interest rates slow down development plans for his current home 害羞草研究所� and give him a few more months.