Ali works in a professional office in downtown Stratford. As central as it is, Ali doesn’t have the option of walking or cycling to work. Instead, she drives because she lives in Woodstock, a nearby town where she rents space with her boyfriend Nathan and their dog Stella. Every morning, Ali gets in her car and drives to Stratford from Woodstock and back after the office closes. A 40-minute commute each way–an hour and half out of each day, it’s exhausting.

Ali and Nathan don’t want to commute daily–they commute because Woodstock is the only nearby town where they can find a place to rent at a reasonable price point. Ali says she loves Stratford and her job, she has worked here for a couple of years and wants to continue doing so. “I want to stay here and make Stratford home” Ali explains, “I don’t want to commute forever.”

Despite house hunting, the couple has been unable to find a suitable home. “It feels like nothing is available and the few options we did find were outside our budget.”

Ali and Nathan have chosen Stratford as their ideal place to start a family but finding a starter home with a yard for their dog is a significant hurdle in today’s housing market. In reality, finding their first home has become more of a nightmare than a dream. As a young professional, Ali says she feels “diminished and exhausted” by the struggle to find somewhere to live. Finding a foothold shouldn’t be so challenging. It’s a big undertaking, but the process should be exciting.

Unfortunately, Ali is not alone in her frustration, and many young people are struggling to find the time and money to figure it all out. If there had been more affordable housing options, they would already be living and working in Stratford, with an extra hour and a half each day to walk Stella and build their life.