The Eyeopener — Housing Issue

5/28/2018 The Eyeopener Housing Issue

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6 Wednesday, March 19, 2014HOUSING

THERES NO

PLACE LIKEHOME

Finding a place to live is no easy task.

Were not in kindergarten anymore you

cant just build a house out of foam blocks

and expect to happily go about your day-

to-day life drinking apple juice out of a

fancy teacup.This is the real world and in the real world,

most people prefer to live in buildings made

out of bricks none of this straw-or-sticks

bullshit. But preferences aside, the search

for an apartment can be overwhelming and

cause unnecessary headaches. At times, opt-

ing for a nice, cozy box on the street may

even seem like a promising alternative.

But have no fear, The Eyeopeneris here

to give you the 4-1-1 on everything you

need to know about finding a place in

downtown Toronto.

Unlike other university towns in Ontar-

io like London or Kingston, Toronto isnt

exactly known for having a lot of readilyavailable housing students can actually af-

ford. This can make the search for a place

that much more difficult, as many build-

ings close to campus come with a price tag

high enough to make your bank account

weep.

But regardless of whether youre a

penthouse-suite type or a dingy basement-

apartment dweller, there is a place out

there suited for your budget and lifestyle

its just a matter of finding it. Lucky for

you, weve got you covered.

Need to know which neighbourhood

best suits your personality? No problem.

Theres a perfect spot for all you misun-derstood hipsters, tortured artists and Jer-

sey Shore wannabes.

Would you prefer not to share your

room with rodents and bed bugs? Well

give you the lowdown on which areas in

the city to watch out for (unless youre a

fan of odd pets, in which case well tell

you where to find them).

Do housing contracts make you want to

put your hand through a paper shredder

We can save you a trip to the hospital and

unnecessary pain by laying out the basics

Have a roommate whos made you con

sider leaving the city to pursue life as a

hermit? Theres an article for that too.We hope that this series of pages wil

make finding an apartment seem a bit less

daunting and prevent you from carving

out your eyes with a rusty spoon.

ByNicoleSchmidt

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: JESS TSANG

The Eyeopeners guide to finding a placeto hang your hat in the tangled mess that isdowntown housing


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Wednesday, March 19, 2014 7HOUSING


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THE WHOS WHO

OF TORONTO

NEIGHBOURHOODSThe EyeopenersArts and Life editor, Leah Hansen, gives you thedefinitive, student-tested descriptions of all the neighbourhoodsyouve heard of but havent been to

1. Church-Wellesley Village

Fondly known as The Village, the area

around Church and Wellesley streets is

home to Torontos LGBTQ community.

The area features a huge variety of inclu-

sive nightclubs, restaurants and arts ven-

ues. Its also the site of the annual Pride

parade, the largest event of its kind in

Canada. The area is popular with students

because of the wide range of housing

available theres a good mix of low-riseapartments, detached or semi-detached

Victorian homes and high-rise buildings.

2. Central Downtown

One of the most in-demand areas in the

city, apartments here go fast. Amenities

are always steps away and the most pop-

ular areas of the city such as the Dis-

tillery District, the Entertainment District

and City Hall are all within walking

distance. The downtown core is also the

hub of Torontos public transport system.

Living downtown is expensive, but if

youre willing to pay for the convenienceor to have a lot of roommates, its well

worth it.

3. Cabbagetown/St. James Town

Cabbagetown got its nickname from

Irish immigrants who moved to the

area in the 1840s and grew cabbage in

their front lawns. Its the largest area

of preserved Victorian houses in North

America and became a heritage con-

servation district in 2004. St. James

Town, while close in proximity to Cab-

bagetown, is actually one of Torontos

economically deprived neighbourhoods.Its the largest high-rise community in

Canada and the most densely populated.

4. The Annex

The Annex has a massive student popu-

lation the rent isnt sky high and its

proximity to big-name schools and con-

venient transit lines make it the best of

both worlds for cash-strapped under

grads. The tree-lined streets and beautifu

architecture dont hurt either. The area is

incredibly pedestrian-friendly, as its many

businesses and amenities cater to the stu-

dent residents. Young professionals andfamilies settle here as well, making the

area one of the trendiest in the city.

6. The Beaches

An incredibly popular tourist destina-

tion, the Beaches is located at the very

east end of Queen Street and is known

(and named) for the one long stretch of

uninterrupted sandy shoreline, which

runs approximately three kilometres. Its

arguably one of the most scenic areas of

the city with tree-lined streets, cottage-

like houses and wide-open views of LakeOntario. Its proximity to public transit

the 501 streetcar runs here all the way

from downtown make it an attrac-

tive option for students on a budget who

dont mind the commute.

7. Regent Park/Moss Park

Regent Park is technically a big housing

project one of Canadas oldest and larg-

est. Originally home to Torontos slum dis-

trict in the early 1900s, the current projects

were built to alleviate high crime rates. The

area is now known for a high rate of pov-

erty and unemployment and above-average

rates of crime and drug abuse. Moss Park is

also home to housing projects. Both areasare almost exclusively rented out. Due to a

city revitalization plan, the area is current-

ly undergoing a massive redevelopment

with the goal of creating a more mixed-

income neighbourhood.

8. Chinatown/Kensington Market

Kensington Market was designated

a national historic site of Canada in

2006. Its a Toronto landmark and one

of its biggest tourist destinations with

its large outdoor market, rich history

and European-esque pedestrian friend-

liness. Chinatown is also one of Toron-

tos most well-known neighbourhoods

its one of the largest ethnic Chi-nese enclaves in North America. Both

areas are incredibly student-friendly,

with their close proximity to ma-

jor schools in the area and excellent

budget-friendly shopping options.

9. Little Italy/Palmerston

Both Little Italy and Palmerston are

famously close-knit neighbourhoods

Theres a heavy Italian cultural pres

ence with numerous Italian restaurants

and businesses and an abundance of caf

patios. Since the 1980s, the area has be-

come popular with students and youth

for its vibrant nightlife many young

professionals have also moved into theareas Edwardian homes. If you like the

small-town feel, but need the conve-

nience of being near downtown, Little

Italy or Palmerston might be right for

you.

5. High Park

Primarily a residential neighbourhood, High

Park makes up in leafy greenery what it lacks

in amenities. Even though its not exactly down-

town, rent can still be fairly high simply because

of its proximity to the very popular park of the

same name one of the largest green spaces in

the city. During the summer, the area is especial

ly crowded with Torontonians looking to escape

the confines of skyscrapers and traffic. Living

near so much nature is sure to have its benefits

but be prepared to deal with the Toronto Transi

Commission on a near-daily basis.

Both Moss Park and Regent Park are dominated by community housing co-ops and row houses.

PHOTO: LEAH HANSEN PHOTO: JESS TSANG

Both Little Italy and Palmerston are known for their wide sidewalks and open-air cafs.

PHOTO: KATII CAPERN

A residential street in High Park.

PHOTO: JESS TSANG

A view of Church-Wellesley Village looking north from Church Street. An aerial view of Cabbagetown and St. James Town looking south toward Lake Ontario.

PHOTO: NATALIA BALCERZAK


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9Wednesday, March 19, 2014 HOUSING

BEFORE YOU SIGN...

A landlord must provide a lease, which is a contract that lets you (the ten-ant) stay in the property for a set period of time. It includes how much your

rent will cost and what it covers. They must fix anything that breaks or does not work properly (for example:

a broken refrigerator, a clogged drain or leaking pipes). Dont forget this bylaw they have to help you get rid of pests like mice,

termites and those dreaded bed bugs.

The landlords responsibilities

You must fix any item(s) you purposely break. Thatwall you punched in a drunken stupor? Better call acontractor.

If you need something fixed, write it down when youfirst move in. Give that sheet to your landlord, so thatthere is proof that you told the landlord of the damage.

CLEAN. Please. You do not want to deal with fruitflies or other pests just because youre too lazy to dothe dishes.

The further away you live from campus, the cheaperthe rent may be. However, that means that you mightneed to take transit to get to campus. A post-second-ary TTC metropass costs $108 and cash fare is $3 perride, so keep that in mind when looking for a place.

Your responsibilities

A landlord is NOT allowed to refuse you their proper-ty on the basis of race, gender, orientation, age, maritalstatus, family status or citizenship. If youre on socialassistance or have a disability, these are not valid rea-sons for a landlord to refuse you the chance to applyfor a lease.

Before you move in to your new crib, your landlordwill ask you for the first and last months rent. You canonly start unpacking after you pay. If your landlordasks you for a damage deposit, you do NOT have togive it to them. That is illegal. Your last months rent

IS the damage deposit. Your landlord will probably ask for someone else, aguarantor, to cosign the lease. This way, if you dontpay the rent, the cosigner has to pay.

If you have a pet, a landlord can choose to not rent toyou. But if your landlord already knew of your pet(s)when you moved in, they cannot evict you on that basis.

Some contracts include utilities, but others dont. Utili-ties include heating, water, electricity, cable and inter-net. If utilities arent included, expect to pay around$200 for a unit per month on top of rent.

When your lease expires, you do not have to renew it.The original terms of the lease still apply, but it willnow be on a month-to-month basis.

Contracts

Sublets? A sublet is when you (the tenant) want to temporarily

lease your place to another person. Your landlord MUST be aware that you are subletting

the property to another person. If the subtenant moves in without the landlord

knowing, thats bad. If the landlord finds out within60 days, the subtenant can be evicted.

The landlord CANNOT deny your request to subletwithout a valid reason, such as a poor credit score.A credit score is a background check to determine howtrustworthy you are in paying back your debt.

The landlord CANNOT charge the subtenant anyextra fees.

Know your rights. For furtherinformation on landlord and tenantrights in Ontario, go to www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en.

Always beware of pests. In residen-tial areas, watch out for bed bugs.If you choose a place in a commer-cial area like Chinatown, the highamount of restaurants may attractrodents and cockroaches. Eitherway, clean regularly and things willbe easier for you.

PHOTO: FARNIA FEKR

By Erin Petrowand Lara Onayak


5/5

ROOMMATE SURVIVAL 101Everything you need to know about coexisting with a roommate

At times, living with another person can be challenging.PHOTO: JESS TSANG

By Olivia McLeod

Weve all heard roommate horror

stories: cruel practical jokes, petty

theft, bodily harm, suspicious dis-

appearances the list goes on.

Although there can be days where

pushing your roommate off a bal-

cony seems like the only solution,

it is possible to maintain sanity.

Valerie Bruce, Ryerson Student

Housing Services communica-

tions and residence service desk

facilitator, suggests creating a

roommate contract (look to TheBig Bang Theoryfor inspiration).

Having a contract, which [may]

sound silly, helps because its very

clear, Bruce said. If you make

that before you move in together,

then when there is a conflict and

a discussion around an issue, you

can use those as statements and ex-

press how youre feeling.

Although it might seem obvious,

being honest and straightforward

is key. Did your roommate eat all

of your cereal? Instead of seekingrevenge by peeing on their tooth-

brush, confront them. In some sce

narios, they might not even realize

they did something wrong. Ad-

dressing the issue (and by address-

ing I mean talking about it, not

leaving passive-aggressive Post-it

notes on the bathroom mirror) is

the best way to solve the problem

[Its like] making mountains

out of molehills. Theres a smal

incident, you could go talk to

them about it and deal with it

quickly. Instead, you leave it

you stew about it, a couple more

things happen and then you explode, Bruce said.

The root of a problem (or a so-

lution) can be dependent on who

you decide to live with. Just be-

cause youre good friends, that

doesnt always mean youll be

good roommates it varies de-

pending on personality type.

Samir Ballou, a second-year

radio and television arts student

lives with a close friend he met in

residence. For him, the experience

has been positive.

We both are very lenient, so

we put up with just about any an

tics, he said. All in all, the key is

sharing and putting up with [each

other] at our worst and being fine

with it.

But others, like second-year

business management student

Fiona Watt have found themselves

in the opposite situation.

Watt lives in a five-bedroom

house. In the past year, four peo-

ple have moved out. She attributes

clashing personalities as the rea-

son behind this.

Dont live with your best friend

because you wont be best friends

by the end of the lease, Watt said

I think it honestly comes down

to how you were raised and howyou lived your life before you met

these roommates.

To find replacements, Watt post

ed ads on websites like Craigslist

and Kijiji outlining the qualities

she wanted in a potential room

mate. After a few weeks, she

found suitable matches.

Finding a roommate and being

able to coexist with them is a chal-

lenge. But if you can make the es-

sential readjustments required to

keep everyone happy, there wil

be no need to curse the day your

roommate was born.

Check out www.theeyeopener

com for more roommate-surviva

advice and additional tips on how

to find a roommate.


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The Eyeopener — Housing Issue