7 | durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, July 21, 2022 "more desperate," yet there are fewer solutions, explained Bandola. The housing crisis is a perfect storm with contributing factors like soaring home/living costs. Then, there's the extensive lengths renters are going to in accommodating landlords' asks ... a challenge for many, added Bandola, noting such requirements may include employment confirmation and references, even if just for a room. This area is seeing more long-term tenants displaced. And there's growing concerns for older adults, who may need more help if they lose a spouse or experience a health change, explained Bandola. People are being asked for two to three months' rent in advance, sometimes more. The latest snapshot in July shows listings ranging from $1,250 to $2,700 per month plus utilities. Generally, prices increase moving west. Room listings go up to $850 (some plus utilities.) For someone trying to survive monthly on Ontario Works ($730-ish) or the Ontario Disability Support Program ($1,169-ish), it's a "disaster." Margaret Eskins volunteers through DARS to help people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in west Durham. In addition to advocacy work, Eskins and volunteers -- with support from the region and social services sector -- work to help with connections to services, housing and more. She, too, has expressed concerns with tenancy requirements -- and often calls landlords to advocate for people. Eskins has also gone house hunting with people, and, at times, "it disgusts me." There are basements being shared by four or five people and they're charging $500-$1,000 a room, with a shared bathroom and kitchen and no fire escapes, she said. "If we do find something, I always say it's the best of the worst." Lindsay Smith, a broker for Keller Williams Energy Brokerage, also hears of clients' struggles finding accommodations, bidding wars and people forced to look east for housing. Smith said in recent years rental prices have increased "dramatically," with part of that due to increasing property values and the investors being forced to increase rent to cover carrying costs. According to Durham Region, there were 8,307 applicants on the Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH) wait-list at end of 2021. Average wait times for RGI units vary by several factors, including priority and location, and can be hard to predict, but on average, non-priority applicants housed in 2021 were on the list for about 6.7 years and priority applicants about one year. Non-priority applicants were largely housed in senior units or outside DASH waitlist rules. As reported earlier by regional officials, in general, homelessness in Durham is increasing, with ongoing efforts by the region to look at long-term solutions. Bandola described the housing crisis as a "huge, multilayered, multi-tentacled problem and that it will likely take all the provincial ministries' involvement to remedy it, she said. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: As the housing crisis rages on, we checked in with area advocates and experts. NEWS Continued from page 1 'SOME LANDLORDS … TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A LOW INVENTORY RENTAL MARKET BY INCREASING THE RENTS ABOVE MARKET VALUE' SCAN THE CODE to read more Durham news online. Lindsay Smith is a broker with Keller Williams Energy Brokerage and has been working in real estate in Durham for more than 38 years. Peter Chatterton photo