Moonhee is a low-income tenant who received subsidized rent from BC Housing in a building owned by a large non-profit. But when she finds toxic mold in her apartment, getting anyone to care about her safety becomes an impossible task. The first segment of the episode, titled “I Cannot Die in My Apartment,” is focused on Moonhee’s story and the particular difficulties of tenants living in social housing in British Columbia.

The second segment, produced by Yijia Zhang is titled “Leaving is Not an Option.” What can a tenant do when their home is falling into disrepair but they are scared of landlord retaliation that will leave them at the whims of an inflated rental market?

Afterwards, Sydney Ball at the Vancouver Tenants Union updates us on some tenants in social housing here in Vancouver who are fighting to get their elevator fixed after being down for more than six months. This episode underscores that poorly maintained housing is not 'good enough' for anyone, and great social housing can be for everyone!

Transcript [in progress] at docs.google.com/document/d/1WhuBs…/edit?usp=sharing

This project was part of a mentorship and skills development program. Thank you to the Vancouver Tenants Union for oral history support, Sydney Ball for supplemental scripts and commentary, and VIVO Media Arts Centre/BC Arts Council for equipment and financial support.

Segment Credits: “I Cannot Die in My Apartment” produced by Helena Krobath with extra writing and commentary by Sydney Ball. “Leaving is not an Option” produced by Yijia Zhang.

Thanks to VIVO Media Arts Centre, BC Arts Council, Vancouver Tenants Union organizers, and tenants who shared their stories

Episode links/resources:

“Class Struggle in Chinatown: Ethnic Tourism, Planned Gentrification, and Organizing for Tenant Power” by Nat Lowe themainlander.com/2019/07/16/class…or-tenant-power/

“If Landlords Renovate, Must You Vacate?” by Sean Condon in The Tyee (all the way back in 2008) thetyee.ca/News/2008/09/25/Evictions/