Millennials 2.0: Young families feel the squeeze in Vancouver's housing market

There are many stereotypes around the millennial generation, often having to do with selfies and artisanal everything.

Butthe reality is many in this generation are now young parents who facesignificant economic challenges as they raise the next generation and one of the biggest obstacles is finding affordable housing.

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Shannon Grochowski, 30, and her family of five hasstruggled for years to find a place that fits their constantly changing needs.

Theycurrently rent an older brick home in Langley about an hour from the heart of Vancouverwhichworks for them now, but it's been a struggle to get there.

"I think this is about our fourth home in the past sixyears just because our family grew," said Grochowski, who gave birth to their newest addition, Margaret, on Mar. 20.

"We would be in a basement suite and that would be too small for us, so then we'd have to upgrade, and then that would be too small for us. We're just kind ofsick of moving."

While their house right now has a good amount of space for the kids to play in, she expects the owners to sell it eventually and they want a place her family can call their own.

But she says saving up for a home has been a case of moving one step forward andtwo steps back. Unexpected bills are a big set-back.

"You feel like you're getting ahead and then something major happens. Recently, our transmission just went on our van,so we had to take all our resources that we had set aside for other things.

That repair cost the family $3,000.

"I think it's such a challenge for us because pricing has gone up so crazily. I honestly don'tknow if we can do it."

Housing strategy misses mark

For the typical 25-34 year old parent, that anxiety is all to commonaccording to UBC public policy professor Paul Kershaw, who's also the founder of the campaign, Generation Squeeze. A recent report from the group found the disparity between earnings and the price of a home is worsein B.C. than any other province.

"It used to take 5 years to save a 20 per centdown payment on an average home in this country."

"In British Columbia today, it takes over 19 years, just think about that. Despite putting in more effort... they're losing ground anyhow."

While Kershaw applauds the federal budget for introducing a national housing strategy, he says the annual one billion dollars earmarked for housing doesn't adequately recognize how much younger generations are affected by the housing squeeze.

"It's fundamentally different to raise a family in a one bedroom condo where you send your kid to play in a balcony, than it is to have slightly more space where you can say, yeah, go play in the backyard."

Outgrowing apartments

In the heart of Mount Pleasant Jessievan Rijn, 35, and her husband, Stephen Greenfield, 34, are sittingon the floor of their one bedroom apartment, playing with 11-month old baby Edgar and their schnauzer, Gotham. A bookcase just barely fits behind the couch and theirsmall dining table hasa box with toys for the baby and the dog tucked beside it.

They love their neighbourhood, liveacross from a community centre and are in aneasy spotto get to their jobs. Steven is an actor and theatrical music director, and Jessie is themanaging producer at Electric Company Theatre.

The couplehave dreams of having another child, but the idea of finding a space to grow their family is anxiety-inducing.

"It feels like it's going to feel very small very quick."

They've scrolled through real estate listings, only to feel like nothing is within reach, so Jessie is considering packing up and leaving the city to return to Alberta.

"Being able to look at real estate there comparatively has been disheartening. For what we can afford, we could get a three-to-fourbedroom house. Here, we can't even get a one-bedroom. If push comes to shove, we would go."

Financial stress affecting kids

Kershaw points to studies from the provincial governmentthat show one in three children in B.C. startskindergarten lacking in language skills and social and emotional development.

He attributes this to the financial stress young families face to stay in the city.

"It absolutely requires younger Canadians to adapt, they're doing all the adapting right now. They're willing to live smaller. They're not needing homes with yards. These are all major adaptations. What we need is the world of politics to meet them partway."

Kershawsays it requires a fundamental shift in policy throughout government.

As van Rijn considers leaving Vancouver, inLangley,Grochowski is coming to the realization she may have to settle for another temporary nest.

"And the next place we move to might not be our dream home, it might just be a home that we can afford for that time," Grochowski says.

With files from the CBC's On The Coast

To hear the full interview listen to audio labelled Millennials 2.0: young families feeling the squeeze in Vancouver's housing market