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In Vancouver, where slightly more than half of households are renters, many people have had rocky relationships with their landlords. But Debby Meyer is disappointed to have found herself in that situation when her landlord is, effectively, the City of Vancouver.

“They’re not answering the calls, let’s just say,” Meyer said. “They’ve ghosted us.”

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Meyer lives in one of the 4,000 or so co-op homes built on leased city-owned land. Like many of those residents, she’s been living with anxiety lately as many leases are set to expire.

Meyer’s experience in her building, where residents pay rent depending on their income, illustrates why many housing experts say co-op living is a model to be expanded. She lived on subsidized rent as a single mother of three and as a part-time student, then paid full rent while working as a teacher. Today, in retirement, her pension means she doesn’t need a subsidy. As Meyer’s children aged, she went from a three-bedroom unit, to two bedrooms then to a one-bedroom. All in the same building.