How to assist people affected by demovictions and renovictions as a result of redevelopment will be up for discussion at 琉璃神社 council鈥檚 meeting on Monday (Oct. 21).
The issue was highlighted in May this year when council deferred consideration of a rezoning bylaw related to a property on Mills Road in Rutland to allow construction of a townhouse development. The 20 existing rental units on the property will be torn down and replaced with 55 new purpose-built rentals, displacing several residents.
At council鈥檚 May 7 meeting, Councillors Rick Webber and Loyal Wooldridge voiced dissatisfaction with the tenant transition plan.
鈥淭hey got an extra month鈥檚 notice a list of agencies that may or may not provide affordable housing, and a list of potential moving companies they can hire,鈥� Webber said at the time.
Staff informed council that work was underway on options for a tenant relocation policy, which will be presented on Monday.
According to the city鈥檚 2023 Housing Needs Assessment, approximately 48 per cent of future housing demand is expected to be for rental housing and redevelopment of older rental stock is becoming more common.
鈥淲ithout regulations to assist existing tenants or replace redeveloped units, redevelopment can lead to a loss of affordable units and displacement of long-term residents,鈥� staff鈥檚 report to council states.
The Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) requires landlords to give tenants four months' notice to end tenancy for renovation, development, or conversion. However, staff鈥檚 report notes a lack of formal assistance beyond those requirements.
The report lays out three options for council to consider: RTA regulations only; developer relocation plan and RTA rules; or developer relocation plan, extended notification, relocation assistance, financial compensation and RTA regulations.
Staff is recommending the second option (developer tenant relocation plan and RTA rules) to council.
鈥淭his requirement would be implemented through a bylaw and would only apply when the vacancy rate falls below four per cent,鈥� the report states. 鈥淗istorically, 琉璃神社's vacancy rates have seldom exceeded four per cent.鈥�
