Condo owner association goes NIMBY
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 by David Eby
Both mayoral candidates have recently suggested encouraging strata councils to rent out empty condo units being held for investment units to alleviate the rental housing crisis in Vancouver. No legislation, no rules, just "encouraging" through "incentives."
Some people are losing their minds in response.
Yesterday, on "On the Coast," where unfortunately Stephen Quinn was on vacation, the Executive Director of the B.C. Condominium Homeowners Association got a free ride while setting up straw-man arguments like (I'm paraphrasing): "Renting out condo units, given their purchase cost, isn't going to help the homeless, they'll be far too expensive..."
And today, in the Vancouver Sun, columnist Daphne Bramham suggests that encouraging strata councils to rent out units is likely to cause (I'm not paraphrasing) "unscrupulous investor-owners" to "add in renters with no financial stake in the building" which one would expect could end in "some very unpleasant results."
Because if you don't want "a crack house on your block, imagine what it's like stepping into an elevator with the dealer or his customers."
Of course, a dealer or a grow-op owner or a meth lab owner would never, ever own a strata unit, such people are only renters. Right? We certainly don't need statistics, or even anecdotes, to prove that. Everyone knows renters, especially those paying more than $1000 per month, are more inclined to crime.
Just look at the West End.
While Bramham is correct in that Strata councils will need additional powers to vet or remove potential renters, the province permitting strata councils to prohibit renters completely is creating a rental housing crisis in our city, and reactionary allegations about "renters" vs. "owners" as identifiable groups with distinct proclivities towards crime and disruption isn't helping us move the debate forward.
Let's have a serious discussion, without the fear mongering, about what to do about all of those empty units.
Some people are losing their minds in response.
Yesterday, on "On the Coast," where unfortunately Stephen Quinn was on vacation, the Executive Director of the B.C. Condominium Homeowners Association got a free ride while setting up straw-man arguments like (I'm paraphrasing): "Renting out condo units, given their purchase cost, isn't going to help the homeless, they'll be far too expensive..."
And today, in the Vancouver Sun, columnist Daphne Bramham suggests that encouraging strata councils to rent out units is likely to cause (I'm not paraphrasing) "unscrupulous investor-owners" to "add in renters with no financial stake in the building" which one would expect could end in "some very unpleasant results."
Because if you don't want "a crack house on your block, imagine what it's like stepping into an elevator with the dealer or his customers."
Of course, a dealer or a grow-op owner or a meth lab owner would never, ever own a strata unit, such people are only renters. Right? We certainly don't need statistics, or even anecdotes, to prove that. Everyone knows renters, especially those paying more than $1000 per month, are more inclined to crime.
Just look at the West End.
While Bramham is correct in that Strata councils will need additional powers to vet or remove potential renters, the province permitting strata councils to prohibit renters completely is creating a rental housing crisis in our city, and reactionary allegations about "renters" vs. "owners" as identifiable groups with distinct proclivities towards crime and disruption isn't helping us move the debate forward.
Let's have a serious discussion, without the fear mongering, about what to do about all of those empty units.
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We have a few empty units in our building. The owners would love to rent, but we have a bylaw only allowing 2 rental units in the building. Seems a bit silly to me, but... the only problem residents we've had in the past have been renters...
Perhaps if strata insisted on one of a few selected property management companies for landlords to use it could filter out potentially problematic renters?
Sure, renting out condo units won't help people who can't afford housing... but it will take the people who *can* afford those rentals out of competition for all the remaining rental stock. When I go out to rent a 2-bedroom and I'm up against 14 people, I have no chance. Whittle them down to 5 and maybe I'm doing better.
so now people who rent are compared to crack or meth addicts? this city is a joke....just when you think they cant treat average people like less of a piece of shit they go and outdo themselves by saying things like that...this cities young people will dissapear soon...im thinking of leaving....
So renters paying over $1000 a month rent are predisposed to crime? You wanna let me know where the rental suites are for under $1000 a month rent? Landlords in this City have become more greedy and not inclined to do any painting or carpet cleaning before you move in. You either take it as is for an astronomical price....or let it go to one of the other 20 desperate applicants that are hoping for housing. The middle class or average joe are being obliterated by the legacy of Gordon Campbell. That's okay....I'm sure there's an extra toasty place for him where he's going!