On the Brink: Housing Vulnerability in Vancouver
Homelessness is by no means a new societal problem. What is new is the speed at which the rate of homelessness is growing and that many people, despite being fully employed, are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with housing costs. Like many metropolitan areas in Washington, Clark County has experienced a surge in homelessness during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no simple solution to this problem, but most citizens agree it is time to do more to prevent people and families from becoming homeless and to help those living on the streets to find stable housing. The reality is that many of us are on the brink—one missed paycheck, unexpected bill, or house sale away from being in an unstable living situation.
A New Move
Local resident Jane Brosseau and her family would fall in this category. Brosseau and her husband lived with their 10 children, who currently range from 3-18 years old, in northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., for 16 years before moving to Clark County. “Prior to COVID, I had thought we could never move. We could never pick up our huge family and move across the country,” she recalled. “Then COVID hit, and we had all of those months in quarantine to think about what we really wanted.”
While they loved Virginia, it was very fast-paced and competitive. “We had been running on that hamster wheel for so long and really wanted a lifestyle change,” Brosseau explained. Some friends had moved to Portland a few years ago and recommended that the family look into Camas. “One friend kept telling me ‘I think it would be a good option for your family. They have great schools and activities [and] lots of outdoor stuff.’” She started researching the area.
“We wanted to see if the grass was greener on the West Coast,” Brosseau said. “We wanted something different. We just made a huge leap of faith. We packed everything up and drove across the country, with 10 kids and a dog.” The family arrived in August 2020 and found a rental that seemed like the perfect fit as their new home. The house had originally been for sale, but due to the quarantine, the owner could not sell it and changed it into a rental. The Brosseaus shared with the owner their desire to buy the house, as soon as the closing logistics of their previous home in Virginia were settled.
“It was such a great home for our family. It was within walking distance of the elementary school, super nice neighbors, just a great fit,” Brosseau said. “We had to wait until around January or February 2021 for everything to be settled before we could apply for a mortgage. The owners were aware of all of that.” Then, unexpectedly, housing prices increased dramatically with more people moving to Clark County than ever before. “We naively didn’t get [our arrangement] in writing, and we should have,” Brosseau shared. “In spring of 2021 they said ‘Hey, unless you are willing to pay $200,000 more, we’re putting the house on the market . . . and you need to get out as soon as you can.’”
Read the rest of this article in the full digital issue below.
Shelter and Housing Assistance Resources in Clark County
Council for the Homeless/Clark County Treasury Rent Assistance
