Eighty-year-old Joseph emigrated to Canada from Hong Kong in 1997. He moved to Canada to be closer to his family. Originally landing in Ontario, Joseph moved to British Columbia three years ago. His sister helped him secure a basement apartment in a house in Burnaby. His landlady, who lived alone, started having some serious health issues and could no longer live by herself. She needed to sell the house to move into care, unfortunately putting Joseph out of his home.

Joseph immediately started looking online for a new place to live. During one of his searches, Seniors Services Society of BC popped up on his screen and he booked an appointment with one of our housing navigators.

At his interview, the housing navigator assessed his situation and verified his finances and his ability to live independently. Based on this information, we reached out to Dania Home Society, confident that he would be a good fit for their new building built specifically for seniors. The timing worked out and they agreed with our assessment of Joseph. They had a one-bedroom subsidized apartment available that he could afford and he happily moved in. Joseph could not be happier.

The bathroom of the apartment is accessible, making it easier for him to use. He loves his south-facing balcony and open plan. He’s making friends with some of his neighbours and often pops over to Central Park to walk or jog. Most importantly, he isn’t far from his sisters and he’s thriving in his new community. He is grateful to both SSSBC and BC Housing.

What were the keys to Joseph’s successful placement?

1. He was proactively looking for a new place on his own.

2. He moved quickly by providing all the required documents.

3. He was open to living anywhere in the Lower Mainland.

Housing providers like Dania Home Society trust us to provide clients who are a good fit, because of our thorough assessment and navigation assistance. Luckily for Joseph, the society happened to have a subsidized unit available, just when he needed it. Now, its waiting list is long.

While not everyone will find a new home quickly, our housing navigators have advice for seniors to make the process easier: file your tax return every year by deadline. This ensures that you continue to be eligible for benefits and that you can get your hands on a record of your financial situation quickly. This is especially important when a vacancy for subsidized housing comes up. It goes without saying that being a good tenant, who pays rent on time and doesn’t damage their unit helps us be able to solidly recommend a senior tenant.

That being said, not everyone is ready for a new home immediately due to their own unique challenges. Clients may need help with their finances, physical or mental health (particularly if they are fleeing abuse) or other barriers. Housing navigators are here to help remove barriers. We work with our clients to build a plan with action steps that can be taken towards securing affordable and permanent housing.

We were thrilled to find Joseph a great home in a timely fashion and wish him continued success in his new community.