The B.C. branch of a national organization that represents moderate- and low-income families and communities has given a big thumbs-down to the province's landlords.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) Canada's western division, B.C. ACORN, presented its Renovictor of the Year Award today (January 10) to LandlordBC (LBC), a group that supports and advocates for rental-property owners and managers.

At the ceremony that started in Portal Park on West Hastings Street in downtown Vancouver, a laminated award certificate was unveiled by B.C. ACORN to be handed to an LBC representative at its nearby offices.

According to B.C. ACORN member and spokesperson Murray Martin, one of the biggest problems facing B.C. renters today is a legal loophole that allows landlords to increase unit rents far past allowable annual limits if the property has been vacated. Renovations are often the excuse used to evict long-term tenants prior to jacking up rents to local market levels, Martin explained. "I think in the Lower Mainland, you've got easily a thousand [renovictions] per year," he told the Straight by phone.

He added that it's important to point out such shortcomings in public policy: "People don't really see the loophole in the rent control."

Martin said the unveiling of the award in the park was ceremonial and B.C. ACORN hadn't informed LBC CEO David Hutniak in advance of the presentation.

"We didn't expect anyone to accept the award; we weren't even expecting security to let us in [LBC's offices]."

He said the sign-holding demonstrators were told Hutniak wasn't available to be seen, so they left without handing over the actual certificate. "Maybe we can run into him at another event," Martin said.