Whereas the Province of BC is making historic investments in affordable housing, has initiated zoning and regulatory reform and has introduced demand-side measures to address the housing crisis; And whereas despite these actions, 13.4 of British Columbians live in core housing need, and as of May 2023 the average listed rental price for a two-bedroom unit in BC is 2,714; And whereas the share of units affordable to renters with the lowest 20 of incomes in Vancouver and Victoria is 1; And whereas province wide from October 2021 to 2022 the average change in rent on turnover of a two-bedroom unit was a 27 increase, vacant units in Victoria rented for 33 more than occupied units, in Vancouver the average rent for unoccupied units surpassed the overall average rent for occupied units by 43, residents of BC face the highest rates of eviction in Canada, and 85 of those evictions are no-fault evictions; And whereas to prevent homelessness and protect low-income renter households, emergency homelessness prevention strategies are required: Therefore be it resolved that the province explores ways, in at least the major urban centers, to: - Rapidly increase the rental stock, especially for households in core housing need, through provincial legislation and programs that will, directly or indirectly, enable a rapid and significant increase in the approvals, construction and supply of rental housing in areas near transit, active transportation infrastructure, and community destinations workplaces, schools, shopping; - Mitigate the number of no-fault evictions in BC using methods such as gathering data on and investigating rent increases and evictions through adequate resourcing of the Residential Tenancy Branch RTB, regulate providing RTB rules and regulations to tenants upon signing a lease, increasing the compensation owed to tenants from landlords when exercising no-fault evictions, and regulating price increases in between tenancies to be reasonable and fair; and - Close the gap between households in core housing need and rental housing costs including considering income supports such as income and disability assistance, guaranteed annual incomes, and an increase to the provinces already successful rental assistance programs for households in core housing need until supply meets demand in the rental housing market.
Ministry of Housing In 2023, Government announced Homes for People, an action plan to meet the challenges of today and deliver more homes for people, faster. The four pillars of this plan include unlocking more homes, faster; delivering better, more affordable homes; supporting those with the greatest housing need; and creating a housing market for people, not speculators. One of the initiatives in this plan is to get tougher on bad faith evictions and provide greater protections to tenants. More information can be found in the Homes for People action plan. Government also recently announced 15.6 million in additional funding for the Residential Tenancy Branch RTB over the next three years. This funding has allowed the RTB to add 50 new positions, enabling a significant reduction in backlogs and delays. Additionally, the RTB has completed some much-needed improvements to streamline processes, improve service delivery, and ensure the timely resolution of disputes. Funding has been increased for the BC Rent Bank that prevents homelessness by providing interest-free loans or, in some cases, grants to renters with low to moderate incomes who are facing a temporary financial crisis and are at risk of eviction or essential-utility disconnection. More information can be found on the BC Rent Bank website. Rental Assistance programs are intended to improve affordability by assisting low-to-moderate income renters access the private market. The province supports many rent supplement programs including the Rental Assistance Program RAP and Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters SAFER program, Homeless Outreach Program HOP and Homeless Prevention Program HPP and the Supported Rent Supplement Program SRSP As part of Budget 2023, the Province committed approximately 400 million for land acquisition and project planning to support delivery of thousands of units at or near transit over the next 10 to 15 years by accessing land that is suitable to be acquired near transit hubs and transforming it into thriving communities. Finally, Government has capped the annual allowable rent increase during a tenancy at 3.5 per cent for 2024. This decision aims to strike a balance between a tenants right to find safe, secure, and affordable housing with the landlords need to maintain their property and realize a return on investment. URLs: Homes for People action plan https:news.gov.bc.cafilesHomesForPeople.pdf BC Rent Bank https:bcrentbank.ca