A self-described “lifelong renter,” she says she’s cautiously optimistic that changes to British Columbia’s housing rules will make life easier for those unable to buy their own home, though she still has concerns about how those will work. rules.
Serina Egland, a nurse, says with the high cost of living in Metro Vancouver, she and her partner don’t see a future where they can afford to buy their own home.
“The reality of public sector wages won’t allow us to shop in Vancouver,” said Egland, whose partner works in education.
“We’ll be renting for the rest of our lives.”
Eagland took part in a panel with other tenants on CBC’s The Early Edition where they discussed Premier David Eby’s new housing plan announced Monday.
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Removal of age restrictions
Among the proposed changes is removing age restrictions on some rental properties, which prevent people with children or those wanting to start a family from living there.
The provincial government also wants to remove rules put in place in some buildings, townhouse complexes and duplexes that prevent homeowners from renting to other people.
BC Housing Minister Murray Rankin says there are too many unused housing units due to restrictive strata bylaws. (Mike MacArthur/CBC)
“Rules that prevent families with children from living in a home or prevent people from renting out a unit they own are no longer acceptable in our current housing market,” Housing Secretary Murray Rank said in a statement.
Bylaws restricting short-term rentals like Airbnbs will continue to be allowed, as will the ability for certain retirement communities to be age-restricted to those 55 and older.
The Rev. Carmen Lansdowne says trying to find rental housing for her family of four in Metro Vancouver has been “brutal.” (Ben Nelms/CBC)
The Rev. Carmen Lansdowne says she experienced firsthand the impact of the restrictions Ebby is trying to lift after her family of four was evicted this summer.
“As a renting family, trying to find a three-bedroom … was brutal,” Lansdowne told CBC’s The Early Edition on Wednesday. Her family currently lives in a 900-square-foot unit, smaller than the upper level of a house they previously rented.
While she is optimistic about the changes, she worries that the plan still depends on people who own multiple properties choosing to rent out rooms or units instead of focusing on building more specialized rental units.
Eagland agreed, saying she expects to be outbid on rents by speculators snapping up units to take advantage of the new rules.
“Eventually, we’re going to have more competition,” she said.
Owners and renters differ on changes
David Waldie, who owns a townhouse in Victoria, says people often consider rules limiting the number of rentals allowed in a particular complex when deciding where to live.
Now the province is taking that away.
“You have to think about the characteristics of the buildings,” he said.
“Some people don’t want to buy a building where some of the other people are going to be tenants … They want to buy a building where everyone is an owner and has an interest in the ownership of the building.”
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But Martin Merkley, who has rented space in the same Burnaby building for 12 years, says people should be more lenient with tenants, pointing out that his fellow panelists are people with well-paid jobs who can’t to afford a home.
“The tenants are not the great unwashed,” he said.
“We are hardworking people.”
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