LL Licensing coming To Barrie, Ontario

[Investor]

Putting the load on absentee landlords with a licensing pilot project could be the first step to solving the housing problems in Barrie's east end, says a member of the new Ward 1 Residents Association.

“So many other ways have been tried, but this is one way to literally sit down with landlords every couple of years when they renew their licence,” said Clint Tyler, who has lived on Rosenfeld Drive for 32 years, ever since it was built.

“I’m sure 95 per cent will just be fine, but there’s got to be some (landlords)… when they have home inspections… they’re going to have to take maybe a little better care of their property and actually talk to their residents (tenants) about how they act," he added.

“It’s a framework to rebuild our community."

On Monday night, city council will consider final approval of a motion to amend the business licensing bylaw to allow a three-year pilot project. Absentee landlords would be required to obtain a business licence before renting out a single family home, a semi-detached home or a townhouse unless the owner lives on the premise. This would affect the Ward 1 area bounded by Duckworth Street, Steel Street, Penetanguishene Road and the city limits on the north side of Georgian Drive.

Tyler says the residents' association has existed for about a month, and there are 40 to 50 people who are members or interested in joining. He also says four of its seven original members had actively sought to buy houses elsewhere because of the east end’s problems.

There have long been complaints that some absentee landlords don’t manage their tenants or their properties well, resulting in overcrowded houses, piles of garbage and litter, and illegal parking.



Coun. Clare Riepma, who represents this part of Barrie and introduced the licensing plan, has said the city’s boarding/lodging/rooming-house bylaw can’t be enforced, the zoning regulations are ineffective and the property standards bylaw doesn’t work — even with a higher level of enforcement.

Riepma says there are about 2,700 homes in the pilot-project area, with about 700 of them owned by absentee landlords.

“I don’t have an actual count of the problem houses, but it probably is only 10 or 15 per cent,” he said. “Most landlords I expect will be able to get a licence, no problem.

“The ones that are operating illegally or are unsafe will have to conform to zoning, fire and safety codes before they can rent their places," Riepma added.

“Other methods haven’t worked and this is one that has worked all over Ontario,” Tyler said.

“Other municipalities have seen significant improvements to their neighbourhoods as a result of licensing,” Riepma said. “Landlords benefit because they will be licensed, tenants are assured that the place is safe, the neighbourhood benefits as places are improved, and the city benefits by having fewer enforcement issues.”

Tyler said east-end residents are grateful council is looking at solutions for the problems.

[Investor]

You must be logged in to read the additional posts in this topic