1731 replies to this topic

[Janion Fan]

Well said, DavidL. I, too, have written a letter as I can't make the meeting in person. I'm trying to stay positive but, I fight a sinking feeling that nothing is going to stop this steamroller.

[VicHockeyFan]

^ As I referenced about a month ago, the rental vacancy rate in the CRD hasn't changed substantially during the past decade. What has changed in the past 2 years is that housing prices have increased susbstantially as they have across Canada. As housing prices have increased so have rental rates. 

 

Craigslist shows almost 1,000 places for rent in the CRD. There is no shortage of housing, there is a shortage of housing for the $600 a month that the social justice warriors seem to think should be available for everyone.

 

Well said.  And that is not coming back, ever, unless there are massive social housing projects.  Which also are not coming.

[VicHockeyFan]

Consider the economic impact of closing down the Harbour Towers 210+ suites.  If you say that each suite spends $200 in food and beverage and tours and merchandise/gifts per day while in town, you have cut off about $3,600,000 per summer (3 months).  Do you want to send some of that money to Oak Bay, Saanich and Esquimalt, to their Air BnBs and surrounding business?

 

You have to be careful what you do in the broad overall picture.

 

Air BnB rarely competes with the Empress or Ocean Point and if maybe it does to some degree, does that mean a tourist only comes one night to the Empress, but would stay 2 days if he had a $150/night Air BnB?  Overall, we'd like that tourist 2 days.

 

Now, hotels fighting for occupancy might make sense, and even Tourism Victoria advocating, since that's where most of their money comes from.  Maybe that funding model ought to be amended, in light of Air BnB.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 20 September 2017 - 07:53 AM.

[Mike K.]

Speaking from personal experience, I will not travel to a destination if I cannot rent an AirBnB. It's that simple. Can't get an AirBnB in Tofino? I'm not going. Can't get an AirBnB in Banff? Then I'm going to Jasper.

 

Hotels are an absolute last resort if I happen to be somewhere and need a place to crash for the night. They are never (any more) part of my pre-planning, and I'm hardly alone in that sentiment.

 

The City of Victoria has absolutely no idea how disruptive these changes will be and how much value there will be in many hundreds of units with grandfathered AirBnB zoning (i.e. increased housing cost). By limiting to supply of something that is in demand, council will inadvertently push up the cost of condominiums in a huge chunk of downtown Victoria regardless of whether or not their owners ever intend to use their homes for the purposes of AirBnB.

 

Of course, what's most shocking in all of this is that while the AirBnB discussion has been taking place over the past year the mayor has lived in a home with not one but two AirBnB's operating year-round during what she herself has referred to as a rental housing crisis. It was only after VHF exposed what has happening in the home that the units were taken off the AirBnB exchange. What they are now, whether full-time rentals or simply AirBnB's in-waiting we don't know.

[VicHockeyFan]

Of course, what's most shocking in all of this is that while the AirBnB discussion has been taking place over the past year the mayor has lived in a home with not one but two AirBnB's operating year-round during what she herself has referred to as a rental housing crisis. It was only after VHF exposed what has happening in the home that the units were taken off the AirBnB exchange. What they are now, whether full-time rentals or simply AirBnB's in-waiting we don't know.

 

And now let's see if she votes now on these items.

[sdwright.vic]

I am just looking fo a non biased study thats all. The presentation made to council seemed a little one side as it only include major web site assessments. What about beyond that, which those that want to be in the underground economy are going to advertise.

[VicHockeyFan]

I am just looking fo a non biased study thats all. The presentation made to council seemed a little one side as it only include major web site assessments. What about beyond that, which those that want to be in the underground economy are going to advertise.

 

But will you ever regulate them out anyway, the ones that try very hard to hide?

 

I have a friend that rents a higher-end apartment, and their landlord does not know they rent it on Air BnB many nights per month.  

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 20 September 2017 - 07:01 PM.

[LJ]

Speaking from personal experience, I will not travel to a destination if I cannot rent an AirBnB. It's that simple. Can't get an AirBnB in Tofino? I'm not going. Can't get an AirBnB in Banff? Then I'm going to Jasper.

 

Hotels are an absolute last resort if I happen to be somewhere and need a place to crash for the night. They are never (any more) part of my pre-planning, and I'm hardly alone in that sentiment.

 

 

Why do you seem to hate hotels so much?

[sdwright.vic]

It really doesn't matter to me because I would never rent from a single source renter to begin with.

[sdwright.vic]

Why do you seem to hate hotels so much?

Especially in his capitalistic ideals?

[Mike K.]

Why do you seem to hate hotels so much?

 

I don't hate hotels. I just prefer staying in fully-stocked, unique homes when I travel, if I can help it.

 

I'm going to Newfoundland on Friday and will be staying in two AirBnB's on my first three nights. Then I'll be in St. John's where I'll be staying in a hotel.

[VicHockeyFan]

So the City says the change will cost them up to $500,000/yr. for compliance and bylaw officers etc. but they will get most back in fees.  

 

Ya, don't count on it.

 

They will need 2,500 people to pay the $200/yr. fee.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 21 September 2017 - 06:50 PM.

[rjag]

So the City says the change will cost them up to $500,000/yr. for compliance and bylaw officers etc. but they will get most back in fees.  

 

Ya, don't count on it.

 

They will need 2,500 people to pay the $200/yr. fee.

 

they need to cut down on whatever it is they are smoking!

[spanky123]

So the City says the change will cost them up to $500,000/yr. for compliance and bylaw officers etc. but they will get most back in fees.  

 

Ya, don't count on it.

 

They will need 2,500 people to pay the $200/yr. fee.

 

They are planning to ask BC Assessment to classify all of those units as commercial so that they can get a big bump in property taxes.

[VicHockeyFan]

Ya that wont work. Units at the Delta Ocean Point are assessed at about $110,000 each. You can look it up they are strata titled. So if units at say the Janion are taxed at commercial they will pay 3x the property tax.

Did any of the brain trust at City Hall even ask BC Assessment about this?

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 22 September 2017 - 05:59 AM.

[Citified.ca]

The 15-storey Era condominium complex is one of several newly-built residential buildings in downtown Victoria known for a high availability of short-term vacation rentals. Under the City of Victoria's newly-proposed rules pertaining to the industry, condominiums offered as short-term rentals in lieu of rental house could be taxed as commercial properties.

 

Locked and loaded: City of Victoria targets commercial property taxes for AirBnB properties

http://victoria.citi...bnb-properties/

 

Victoria councillors are pursuing the idea of taxing residences used as full-time AirBnB rentals at a rate commensurate with commercial properties.

 

At a Thursday public hearing council took a hard-lined approach to the short-term rental industry by arguing that property owners capitalizing on the City’s transient zoning – which blankets much of downtown Victoria and Vic West and allows for properties to be used as short-term rentals – are affecting access to housing for full-time residents.

 

In response to the growing short-term rental industry and the region’s decade-long rental availability struggles, the City of Victoria will seek feedback from BC Assessment on whether or not municipal property taxes can be raised to commercial rates for residential properties used as AirBnB’s. The tax rate, if approved, would significantly increase the annual municipal levy currently paid by those homeowners to the City. [Full article]

[VicHockeyFan]

GM of the Grand Pacific was on CFAX yesterday, reminding us all it's "absolutely not" about competition, why they want Air BnB curbed, it's just because of their problems hiring staff with no place for them to live.  He turned away 3 potential hires this summer, he said, no place to live.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 22 September 2017 - 08:31 AM.

[Mike K.]

Why not offer your staff the opportunity to live in your hotel like countless hotels and resorts already do throughout British Columbia?

[VicHockeyFan]

Why not offer your staff the opportunity to live in your hotel like countless hotels and resorts already do throughout British Columbia?

 

I called in to say that, and did.  But the guest was off air.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 22 September 2017 - 08:43 AM.

[nerka]

Can I rent my home when I am on vacation?

Council has also asked staff to consider ways to allow Short Term Rentals on occasion in normally occupied homes. A complete regulatory framework, which will outline where and how Short Term Rentals will be allowed going forward in Victoria, will be considered by Council this fall.

 

This would have been a good idea if they had gone through with it. Did this get dropped?  I didn't see anything in the bylaw changes that would allow this.