‘Prison cell’-sized apartment for rent for $550 in Hamilton

The rectangular-shaped room is fitted with a shower, a sink, and a toilet. There is one window, and a shelving unit above the latrine.

But this room isn't just any old bathroom. It's actually an apartment listed for rent in Hamilton's east-end.

Just steps away from the shower, there is a kitchenette with a handful of cupboards, what appears to be a toaster oven and a mini-fridge - no full kitchen.

To the back of the room, there appears to be space for a bed - as long as it is a small one. The whole apartment is 13 square metres (or 140 square feet - think of a 12 foot by 12 foot room).

The room, described as a self-contained" unit, is located on the third floor of a building on Melvin Avenue, just west of Woodward Avenue. It was posted to Kijiji earlier this week.

It includes utilities except for internet. There is no air-conditioning, parking or personal outdoor space, but some pets are allowed and there are laundry facilities on site, according to the listing.

The cost per month? $550.

It's not much bigger than a prison cell," said Tom Cooper, director of the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction, in an interview Friday. It doesn't allow for the type of living conditions we would expect in our society."

The Spectator was unable to reach the person who posted the unit despite repeated requests for comment. However, The Spectator was able to confirm the validity of the ad, its address and that it was located within an apartment building.

Cooper noted that despite being listed for the relatively low price of $550 a month, the room would still cost $160 more than the shelter allowance provided to folks on Ontario Works (OW).

It's simply not livable," he said. It demonstrates that landlords will go to any length to get as much as they possibly can for these very inadequate spaces."

The listing for the room comes amid a housing crisis in the city which has seen hundreds of tenants displaced by renovictions as well as a lack of affordable rental units on the market.

Earlier this month, Rentals.ca reported that the average price for a one-bedroom apartment in Hamilton was around $1,603, while a two-bedroom unit would cost renters around $2,055.

Cooper said for those living on social assistance who may have been evicted from their homes where their rent was still affordable, the room may seem like the only option available."

People will certainly take that sort of a unit, rather than face the huge challenges, safety issues and danger of becoming homeless," he added. There is so little that people can afford these days."

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com