3079 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

But it’s not up to the landlord. They’ll just get the visit from bylaw and inspectors because a neighbour said their suite was improperly wired. At that point, the municipality has to act.

[spanky123]

LandlordBC says small time landlords are leaving the industry “in droves.”

So you might have suites in lots of Fairfield homes, but their availability is at the whim of one individual and not the market. MMI wants to place that density into a predicament where it is always on the market.

 

I think the difference here is that the Landlords are those who own rental properties and where it makes sense to sell instead of rent due to the hassles. Someone renting out their own suite in their own home is in a different boat.

[dasmo]

I get that. No one told on her so that didn’t happen and we lived there for another couple three years in harmony. No more big parties. This up-zoning not up-zoning doesn’t change illegal suite status though. So another strike against it.

[Victoria Watcher]

Dress appropriately for the workplace

 

The front-page photo in Saturday’s edition of the Times Colonist was, in my opinion, off-putting.

 

Did this ceremonial event, which was to raise the Pride flag at Victoria City Hall, necessitate Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps to dress in drag? I think not.

It all just seems so inappropriate and silly — it’s like playing dress-up at City Hall.

 

Public officials need to set a positive impression with clients and co-workers alike, and dress appropriately to reflect workplace values, goals and modus operandi.

Please stop embarrassing the public and be better.

 

Margaret Skaarup
North Saanich

 

 

https://www.timescol...didates-5500827

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 June 2022 - 12:51 AM.

[Mike K.]

I think the difference here is that the Landlords are those who own rental properties and where it makes sense to sell instead of rent due to the hassles. Someone renting out their own suite in their own home is in a different boat.

And lots of those sales are going to owner-occupiers now who don’t rent out the suite.

[JimV]

Seriously, who would want to rent out a property or a suite in their house nowadays?  For a long time it’s been difficult to evict a tenant who doesn’t pay, trashes the suite or causes other problems.  Now, by the sounds of Ebey’s comments, they’re looking at reducing the allowable rent increases to below the level of inflation.  It will further reduce the rental stock just like the well meaning but failed rent control policies.

[lanforod]

Exactly why I sold and got out of the landlord business. Since then my stress level has been way down. My income yoy perhaps down, but ask me again in 10 years.

[spanky123]

Seriously, who would want to rent out a property or a suite in their house nowadays?  For a long time it’s been difficult to evict a tenant who doesn’t pay, trashes the suite or causes other problems.  Now, by the sounds of Ebey’s comments, they’re looking at reducing the allowable rent increases to below the level of inflation.  It will further reduce the rental stock just like the well meaning but failed rent control policies.

 

The only way it makes sense is if you have a suite in your home, reduce rent by a few hundred per month below market and then pick the best tenant from the pool. Lots of older people do that to have someone else around the house, help out with maintenance, etc. In that case it is a win win with the money being secondary.

 

Owning rental property is different. I sold out of most of my rentals a few years back for the reasons you cited. Clearly the Government wanted me to solve the rental crisis and underwrite the effort at the same time! A couple of my houses were picked up by larger operators but most went to owner occupiers and out of the rental pool.

[Mike K.]

I keep hearing the same story over and over. People are selling their rental properties to owner occupiers and/or taking their secondary suites off the market.

There are also insurance implications now, that depending on who your insurer is and how fussy they are about a legal or illegal suite, you may he forced to cease renting the suite or face a significant insurance premium.

COVID also pushed a lot of people out of the business. The fear is another outbreak could occur, and see the province revert back to measures that could be difficult to manage if a problem tenant cannot move on.

Now all of that being said, with rising interest rates I do expect more people to consider the benefits an additional $1000-$1,200/month, provided that money doesn’t enter into their taxable earnings or require them to pay capital gains taxes on the portion of their home that is rented. If that comes to pass it’ll yield another wave of units falling out of the market.

[spanky123]

^ Who declares rental income on a secondary suite?!

 

Seriously however, with the average mortgage payment increasing $700 a month upon renewal many people may be forced to rent a suite whether they want to or not. 

[Victoria Watcher]

The changes may not end there.

 

Coun. Geoff Young said Friday he is leaning against the idea of running again, though he has not made a final decision.

 

“I may leave it open until I see who is running and perhaps get an idea of the probable direction of the next council,” he said.

 

“I am not finding my role on the current council very productive. I could not even persuade them to pass a motion some weeks ago expressing concern about the direction proposed for the [Royal B.C. Museum].”

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...council-5517715

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 June 2022 - 05:21 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Coun. Ben Isitt said he is still considering all options.

 

“I’m just talking to family members, talking to community members and am focused on my work at the council table, so no big announcements or ­decisions from me at this point,” he said, adding he would likely make a decision within the next month.

 

Coun. Jeremy Loveday and Coun. Sarah Potts could not be reached Friday.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...council-5517715

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 June 2022 - 05:22 AM.

[Nparker]

Yeah like Comrade Ben would ever give up his Council gig.

[Victoria Watcher]

Capital Daily:

 

 

 

 

Victoria Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe announces she’s not seeking re-election

 

After 20 years of sitting on Victoria city council, Coun. Thornton-Joe is stepping back to spend a little more time with her family, focus on her health, and do other things that have taken a back seat for the past two decades.

"Although we may not have always agreed, I have tried to make the best decisions I could for the benefit of as many people as possible and to the best of my abilities," she wrote in an open letter. "For now, I look forward to continuing to serve the community in other ways."

When Thornton-Joe was elected in 2002, she was working in the hospitality industry and volunteering with multiple community organizations and committees on the side. Throughout her time on council, she has remained a passionate volunteer, serving on the boards of the Victoria Women’s Transition House, the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria, and the Aboriginal Coalition to End Homelessness, among others.

In her 20 years on council, Thornton-Joe has worked to bring more national awareness to Victoria’s Chinatown and its historical significance as the oldest Chinatown in the country, and has advocated for solutions to issues facing the unhoused community, such as the need for more public washrooms in the city.

In an interview with Capital Daily, she recalled a cold night in 2004, when she worked with Constable Rick Anthony to bring forward the first emergency cold weather shelter which provided space for individuals when the weather fell below a certain temperature. Today, that program is called the Extreme Weather Protocol and is funded by the province.

"What I’ve enjoyed most is the people I’ve had the opportunity to meet," she told Capital Daily. "There’s nothing I’ve done myself—it’s always been partnership building and relationship building."

Thornton-Joe says while she will no longer sit on council after this fall election, she will still be involved in the community.

"I’m not going anywhere… I’ll still be participating in the community, just perhaps in different ways."

 

 

Four council positions and mayor’s seat now open

 

Thornton-Joe is the third current council member to not seek re-election, following announcements from Mayor Lisa Helps and Coun. Sharmarke Dubow that they would not be running again. Coun. Stephen Andrew and Coun. Marianne Alto have both announced they are running for mayor.

Couns. Sarah Potts, Ben Isitt, Jeremy Loveday, and Geoff Young have not yet announced their intentions for the Oct. 15, 2022 election.

Capital Daily is looking to boost our coverage of all 13 local municipalities by hiring a municipal reporter. We want to dive deeper into what’s going on in local councils and our local election races. To make this happen, we need 500 new members by the end of July. Can you help?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 June 2022 - 06:05 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Speaking of hate speech, what about that mural?

 

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps said she considers a Times Colonist cartoon “hate speech.”

 

Less than 20 months ago, the same individual defended the council-funded mural in Bastion Square that included “All Cops are Bastards” as artistic expression and promoting difficult conversations.

 

Let’s hope that in October we will elect a mayor with an understanding of freedom of expression, hate speech and hypocrisy.

 

Alan Humphries
Victoria

 

 

https://www.timescol...-speech-5547517

[Barrrister]

Stephen Andrews just put out a Lisa Helps type of survey for the missing middle. In order to answer it you had to pick one of four priorities for housing whereas there was no ability to disagree with all four. It was like should we build twice as many bike lanes, three times the bike lanes or four times the bike lanes. I am beginning to think that Andrews is just the next Lisa Helps, I am disappointed. 

[JimV]

Just heard this morning on CFAX that Steven Hammond is running for council.

[Awaiting Juno]

Declared Candidates so far:

 

Council:

* Matt Dell

* Dave Thompson

* Jeremy Caradonna

* Jordan Quitzau

* Steven Hammond

* Krista Loughton

 

Mayor:

* Maryanne Alto

* Stephen Andrew

 

It'll be interesting to see who else steps up and what they're positions are.

[Mike K.]

You’re not running, Juno?

[Victoria Watcher]

As if.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 July 2022 - 02:31 PM.