The report said 47 percent of the nation's poor renters pay more than 70 percent of their income for shelter.

Mr. Hanratty said his organization is focusing on increasing the legal housing stock for poor and moderate-income renters.

Many seniors and poor renters are evicted from properties throughout the city, including Gastown.

The researchers reported that the typical poor renter was paying 16 percent more for housing now than in 1978, even after adjustment for inflation.

In 1985, 22 percent of poor renters lived in substandard homes, like those lacking reliable plumbing.

The study found that about 80 percent of poor renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on shelter.

The average poor renter not receiving a subsidy spends 77 percent of income on shelter.

Beginning in the late 1960's, landlords, faced with growing numbers of desperately poor renters, stopped making repairs to buildings.

It put at 47 percent the proportion of the nation's poor renters who pay more than 70 percent of their income for shelter.

But they were poor renters who did not - and legally could not - own the property where their houses lay.