Editor:
I’ve been part of the Sunshine Coast community for 13 years now, raising my family, supporting local businesses, taking advantage of the amazing natural surroundings we call home. In fact, I originally came to the Sunshine Coast when we were young, as it was an affordable place to live and raise my family.
I’ve recently had to sell my home and am finding it next to impossible to find somewhere to live for my two daughters and me. My current situation has exemplified what others have also been noticing – that the rental market seems to be primarily driven by profit rather than the provisioning of housing services for members of the community. I’ve noticed that so many homes, or people’s second homes (that other cabin dwelling on their property) are being used as Airbnb one- or two-night expensive moneymakers. In the houses that are available, rent is off the charts – $1,600 to $2,900 a month. How could I possibly afford that? The limited employment opportunities on the Coast don’t offer much hope in reaching a monthly income capable of paying these expenses. And there is the issue of the summer homes that sit vacant all winter. This is a concerning issue. What happened to supporting members of the community?
We are not asking for a charitable donation of a home or expecting a $500-a-month house, just a home that is affordable for the average family. If nothing else, perhaps the many of us currently in a similar situation can acknowledge each other’s presence and perhaps dialogue and create ideas and solutions that may help address these challenges.
Nina Bell, Wilson Creek
