Rally for Full Rent Control in SROs!

https://www.facebook.com/events/564169207751316/

5 PM – 6 PM

Vancouver City Hall

453 W12th, 

Rally with DTES residents, Vancouver Tenants Union, City Councillor Jean Swanson and other elected's who will be invited to attend if they support Swanson's motion!

RALLY - Wednesday, December 11
5PM sharp
City Hall - North Side
Rides from DTES: 4:15PM from 268 Keefer Street


Many SROs in DTES are for sale or kicking out tenants to raise rents (i.e. $450-$750/month), which means very low income tenants are at risk of homelessness. The motion put forward by Councillor Swanson (see below) asks the City to tie rent control to the units not tenants to remove the incentive for renovictions. Can you come to city hall on Wednesday to speak in support?

This is an important intervention considering the homeless count is at a record high this year and Oppenheimer Park needs fewer tenters and not more.

MOTION:

Slowing the loss of the last low income SROs in Vancouver

Submitted by: Councillor Swanson

WHEREAS

1. Single Room Occupancy Hotels are designated under the Single Room Accommodation By-Law (2003) which was enacted to discourage speculative investment and slow the loss of affordability in this critical low-income housing stock, 94% of which are located in the DTES.

2. Currently 180 SRO rooms in the DTES (The Avalon, St. Elmo, Pacific, and Arno) are offered for sale and are at risk of being gentrified by a new owner who may push existing low income residents out;

3. The city has already lost the affordability of hundreds of SRO units for low income people because new owner/investors gradually get rid of low income tenants, upgrade slightly, and increase rents by hundreds of dollars a month;

4. As the last rental home option before homelessness for many low-income Vancouverites, the loss of affordable SRO units through room and building closures and through increasing rents, is contributing to the inability of the City and partners to catch up with and reduce homelessness in Vancouver and the DTES

5. The City’s SRO Revitalization Action Plan and Housing Vancouver (2017) called for “a specific category in the Residential Tenancy Act for SRA-designated properties by tying rent increases to the room as opposed to the tenant in an effort to slow rent increases and tenant displacement” (https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/sro-revitalization-action-plan.pdf page 28)

6. By regulating rent changes, landlords would still be able to increase rent by the allowable amount every year and would still be able to apply under section 23 of the RTA regulations (http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/10_477_2003) for rent increases over the allowable amount due to unexpected costs; an

7. The province has not yet implemented the City’s recommendation and it is more urgent than ever.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

A. THAT City Council, through the Mayor and staff, urgently ask the provincial government to tie rent increases to the rooms, not the tenancy in SRO designated properties, in an effort to discourage speculative investment, slow rent increases, and discourage displacement of very low income tenants into homelessness.

B. THAT staff investigate alternate ways to meet the goals in A, such as using business licences and/or amendments to the SRA bylaw that the City Council could implement under their existing Vancouver Charter authority and report back by Q2, 2020.

PREPARE TO SPEAK OR SUPPORT:

1) If you are in Vancouver, please consider attending our meeting with Councillor Jean at noon-1:30PM on Thursday, December 5 in SRO-C’s office 203-268 Keefer.

2) Please also come to city council on Wednesday, Dec 11 as a speaker or supporter….. we don’t know the time yet, but will let you know. We need a HUGE crowd!

3) If you are not in Vancouver, please write a letter to council and encourage them to support this motion.

Email Mayor and Council:
CLRboyle@vancouver.ca; CLRbligh@vancouver.ca; CLRcarr@vancouver.ca; CLRdegenova@vancouver.ca; CLRfry@vancouver.ca; CLRwiebe@vancouver.ca; CLRdominato@vancouver.ca; CLRhardwick@vancouver.ca; CLRkirbyyung@vancouver.ca; CLRswanson@vancouver.ca; K.Stewart@vancouver.ca;

More information:

This Colliers Real Estate sale brochure for the Arno Hotel in Chinatown, which is for sale, is an example of the economic pressure that low income tenants are facing in SROs: (https://listingsprod.blob.core.windows.net/ourlistings-can/9c0b5f49-51a6-4f62-a7af-dca61e949457/06e164ca-7e62-4d79-b743-5cd8b1a5e439): "Chinatown has witnessed a resurgence in popularity as new restaurants and retailers have revitalized the neighbourhood. Due to the immediate proximity to Downtown, Gastown and East Vancouver, Chinatown’s central location has anchored the district as the new hub for entertainment and lifestyle. The subject property is strategically located to capitalize on the City’s tremendous growth, as just two blocks south will be the new $1.9-billion St. Paul’s Hospital in the False Creek Flats Plan – slated for construction on over 18 acres of land and will include commercial space, hotels, office, institutional and residential uses. Additionally, the planned removal of both the Georgia Street and Dunsmuir Street viaducts will generate an influx of development and, in turn, a rapidly growing population, additional community amenities, and increased livability…. Inevitable neighbourhood growth ensures this property is a secure and lucrative investment for both investors and developers alike.”

Date: 
Wednesday, December 11, 2019 - 05:00