The spiraling cost of rent, food, and other basic necessities is putting the squeeze on many seniors around 91原创, and it鈥檚 putting some of them out of their homes.

In the last week of September, Wendy Rachwalski, manager of community services at 91原创 Seniors Resource Society, had a man come into the organization鈥檚 centre and tell her he鈥檇 just become homeless.

It鈥檚 becoming a more and more common story.

Seniors are living in cars or containers, Rachwalski said.

The main culprit is the high cost of rent, combined with evictions as older buildings are torn down to make way for new ones.

The poverty rate among seniors in 91原创 City is 19.1 per cent, compared to 14.3 per cent in Greater Vancouver.

鈥淭he struggle is huge right now,鈥� Rachwalski said.

Many of those seniors are living in older buildings, where the rent is low because annual increases have been capped for years by the provincial government.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e paying $700 a month where they are,鈥� Rachwalski said.

Then their place is torn down, and they can鈥檛 find anything for less than double or triple that.

For seniors whose total income is around $1,800 to $1,900 a month, that鈥檚 simply not affordable.

鈥淲hat we鈥檙e seeing is, people are giving up food,鈥� to afford rent, Rachwalski said.

They鈥檙e turning to local food banks and other charitable programs, including ones run by the 91原创 Seniors Resource Society.

Fraser Holland, program manager for the 91原创 Community Services Society, has worked with homeless and vulnerable people in a number of roles in 91原创 for years.

He agrees that a lack of housing and a lack of income is putting a special squeeze on seniors.

When rents go up for working-age people, they often have to bring in more income.

That can mean looking for a better job, or getting a second job.

But for seniors who are elderly or disabled, getting a part-time or full-time job may be almost impossible. If physical labour is not possible, there are a host of jobs they simply can鈥檛 take. Many older seniors also lack up-to-date computer skills that many jobs require.

Holland used to see a lot of clients in the small cottage-style houses that dotted 91原创 City, but those houses are being redeveloped at a rapid clip.

鈥淭hose places are gone, and in their place are condos,鈥� said Holland. The former cottage residents can鈥檛 afford the rent or purchase price of the new buildings.

Another way seniors can find themselves in housing difficulty is through a hospital stay. It鈥檚 not uncommon for a poor senior to go into hospital, sometimes for an extended period of time, and to return home discovering that they have lost their tenancy.

Rachwalski said one thing the 91原创 Seniors Resource Society can do for people is to at least ensure that they are getting the government funding seniors are eligible for.

Seniors may be eligible for Canada Pension PLan, Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplment, and in some cases for Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER).

鈥淲e work with them just to make sure they have all of the funds they鈥檙e entitled to,鈥� said Rachwalski.

The centre is also offering frozen meal packages, via coupons available at the centre. It鈥檚 part of a partnership with the United Way.

For seniors who have given up buying groceries because all their money is going to rent, resources like that are the only way they can eat.

Another issue Rachwalski sees 鈥� many seniors in dire financial straits simply don鈥檛 want to speak up publicly about it.

鈥淚n 91原创, we need more support for seniors,鈥� she said.

Rachwalski is currently working on a report to local MLAs about the situation and some possible solutions.