Densifying Lower Sahali
Category: Market Rental | Author(s): Liam Marshall
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Location Address: Lower Sahali, Kamloops, BC, Canada
Subject
When it comes to the market rental housing theme when discussing the housing crisis in the city of Kamloops, the crisis can very much apply to students of all degrees who come to Kamloops to study.
Kamloops is a city that continue to grow and flourish. According to World Population Review, the population of Kamloops currently sits at 104,810 people. Of those people, Thompson Rivers University has roughly 27,000 students, of which, at minimum, has 13,638 students on campus, according to the headcount for the 2021-22 academic year. This number is subject to rising for the 2022-23 academic year, as more students have been returning to campus which lightened pandemic restrictions. With that average in mind, TRU students make up roughly 14-16% of the Kamloops population.
Crisis
In order for students to succeed, they need to have all their needs met, as a negative headspace and unnecessary stress can lead to poor schoolwork and poor grades. One of these crucial needs is suitable living space. Residential suites are a fantastic form of living, as it still gives students plenty of privacy for themselves and to do their work. However, the crisis is that there is not enough space for students to live, or it is too expensive, and too far from campus, which is a big problem for students. Students may not want to live on campus, or there may not be space on campus for them, so instead of turning to a hotel or crashing at a friend’s house, residential suites are the most suitable option – until they run into all the issues of actually getting into one.
As detailed in the image taken from the TRUSU Housing Registry, this is one of the only viable options for students to find residential suites. As shown, though, there are not a lot of options available for students, and the closest option to campus is a full one bedroom apartment for $2200 a month. This is not feasible in any way for any student, as there is no balance between location and cost. What’s noticeable, though, is that my hotspot, Lower Sahali, does not feature any options. Even when visiting Kijiji, another option for seeking out residential suites, there are very few spots in Lower Sahali to be found,unless people want to pay over $2000 a month once again. This is still not feasible.
In regards to the location concern as well, the City of Kamloops has a Residential Suite Registry on their website. This shows that the city of Kamloops has well over 80+ residential suites located in the city. However, Lower Sahali is noticeably missing out on this map. This is a concern for students who cannot drive and have to rely on things like the bus for transport, as the 7 bus in Kamloops will go through Bestwick, which is part of Lower Sahali, meaning it would be an easily accessible location to get to school. Compare this to Juniper Ridge, which has tons and tons of suites, or even out towards Brocklehurst, both on separate ends of the city. This means it takes much longer for students to get to school if they have to take the bus into town to Lansdowne Exchange, then the 7 or 9 to the TRU Exchange.
When speaking with Rod Martin, Planning and Development Manager of Kamloops, him and I discussed how TRU went from what was considered “temporary housing” with the West Gate Dormitories, to how now it’s still being used with official signage and all, but there is no agreement in any way with the city and TRU for proper development. It is not a conflict, as he stated, but there certainly needs to be better options.
Video Credit: Liam Marshall
Community Implications
If students are unable to find the housing they need off campus, and spend semesters in hotels or otherwise, or worse, need to return home because the crisis is deep enough to see that risk, it not only wastes the student’s time, but their money and efforts to come to TRU. This is also a bad look for the university themselves, because it gives the impression that they cannot sustain as many students as they’d like, which may damage their reputation with prospective students.
Working class people who have zero connection to the university, who are not professors, students, alumni, or otherwise, may not wonder what the massive issue is for the students. However, this should matter for anyone that has a stake in business in Kamloops, as an owner, worker, etc. Because students make up that 14-16% of the Kamloops population, the money we do spend will go towards businesses located within the city.
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A Way Forward
We recognize that no one suggestion will solve the housing crisis in Kamloops, but based on our research, here are some ideas that may help move us even slightly forward.
It’s not possible to just snap our fingers and hope that zoning changes instantly, but we at least now have an idea of where more off campus housing could be rezoned and built.
When I brought up my concerns and questions with Rod Martin, he mentioned some ideas. Those with current residential suites would potentially be able to sign a housing agreement – “You can put specific types of housing agreements on […] people residing on the union. We haven’t done it yet for students […]”. This option could be available to people who do have residential suites in Lower Sahali, as Rod has stated that despite what’s shown on the registry, people do have these suites available legally. These open the door for potential agreements that are centred around giving students access to basement suites, potentially for a set cost.
Rod also goes on to discuss that there is potential for more development in the College Heights area, which is near Lower Sahali, and that there is social housing in collaboration with BC Housing. While not exactly in Lower Sahali, this would allow for a shorter walk to the bus stop to take the 7 or 9 bus to TRU. While there isn’t a way to set a fixed cost yet either, it is not something out of the realm of possibiltiy if it is designated for students, some other type of agreement could be worked out there. Rod also feels that TRU should look to build as much housing nearby as possible.
Rod has also stated that the city is constantly looking at ways to improve the bus routes through the city to TRU.
Neither of these solutions are perfect, they have some caveats and may not fully balance cost and location. However, it is a step in the right direction to providing some much needed relief for students who want to better their future and learn without the stress of being stuck in a hotel or a space they do not want to be in, and can help the Kamloops economy thrive. If there was ever a concern that these suites wouldn’t be used, there are enough students and enough of a growing population that there’ll always be someone looking for a space such as this. Residential suites are the future of successful market rental housing for students.