Never Ending Battle

I'm not even sure where to start. I am the mama to 4 little girls and I would like to go back to school as soon as I can. Housing has become my every day nightmare. Almost 4 years ago we finally got the opportunity for our dream home. It wasn't anything extravagant, but it was all we needed. It was a 4 bedroom mini home, which was affordable, and we were going to rent to own. Well, things went a different way during my landlord's divorce settlement and she lost the home. The ex husband wanted to sell, which wasn't in the cards for us. So we had very limited time to find a new place to call home. So I had to take the first option available, a very small, top floor, two bedroom apartment. We have 3 of our girls in one very small bedroom, our 1 year old is in the room with my fiance and I. We aren't allowed to use to storage units here, so all of our belongings are in totes and taking up more space in the small apartment. There is one washer and one dryer, for 6 units, at $7 per load. Two of my electrical outlets don't work and I've had a broken window for almost two years now, the property managers do nothing about it.

In the almost 4 years I have been living here, I have gone and viewed 17 different homes with the space we desperately need. All of them have had one reason or another to deny us. We have been trying to save up, as we don't have the kind of money these landlord's are asking for. Between rental costs, groceries, utilities and other expenses, there is barely room to live, let alone save. As soon as I mention the possibility of subsidized rent or the fact that we are currently and unfortunately on social assistance. My fiance is a roofer and carpenter, with not having storage here we have to pay for a storage unit just for all my fiancé's tools and work supplies.

I am so exhausted, I am so frustrated, this is now affecting all of our mental health in our home. My oldest daughter (10 years old) is currently being tested for ADHD and tourettes, which her doctor has said is now greatly affecting her. She needs to be able to have her own space to escape to, and right now she is forced to share that space, that very small space, with everyone else.

I apologize for the length of this and unfortunately this is actually extremely condensed. I could honestly continue for another 2000 plus words.

Long story short, we can't afford these rental prices, plus full damage deposits in that same amount. Too many family homes are being rented out to groups of students so landlord's can get more money. We have been denied so many places simply for having children. I'm not sure how much longer my mental health will hold out with this battle. And I know this is a battle many, many, people in Fredericton are facing.