New Westminster council ups the ante for developers who want to evict tenants

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      Renovictions might become more commonplace in New Westminster, city staff fear. Although evictions under the guise of renovation do not seem widespread as yet, staff convinced council in a meeting on Monday (May 2) to adopt measures to address the issue.

      These include ensuring that landlords have the necessary building permits before issuing an eviction notice. Another action is to respond to requests for information from tenants who have received notices of eviction.

      “We’re going to use everything we can to try and slow this,” Coun. Lorrie Williams told the Straight in a phone interview.

      Williams described renovictions as a “silent tragedy” because tenants often have “no voice”.

      “These are tragedies, and these people just melt away. They’re absorbed either into the homeless bunch or they’re out of town. We lose them,” Williams said.

      According to Williams, half of New Westminster residents are renters.

      Council also agreed with a recommendation to advocate for changes to the Residential Tenancy Act. A proposed amendment would grant tenants the right to return to their renovated units at a rent no higher than what the landlord could have charged if there had been no disruption.

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