A group of property owners are hoping to change the City of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 mind about short-term rentals.
Blake MacKenzie, who has been working in the short-term rental (STR) industry since 2004 and co-owns EMR Vacation Rentals, created the Facebook group Greater Victoria Short Term Rental Alliance over the summer, in hopes of advocating for property owners and vacation rental providers. The group has over 80 members, 50 of whom met at the Oaklands Community Association last week and formed an ad hoc committee to create a legal defence for the local industry, and to talk about fundraising for their advocacy efforts.
The owners of properties managed by MacKenzie, and members of the group feel they got shut out by the City, he said, and that only large companies like Airbnb were consulted before Victoria created a new policy. Last month the City removed transient accommodation as an appropriate land use for downtown properties, the first step in creating comprehensive short-term rental regulations that come into effect in early 2018.
B次元官网网址淲e felt the city of Victoria was not listening,B次元官网网址� MacKenzie said. B次元官网网址淣ot one of us were called to the table; none of us had a consultation process with anyone at council.B次元官网网址�
MacKenzie and three other members of the group did address council in June, but he said group members would have liked a B次元官网网址渞ound tableB次元官网网址� discussion.
During last monthB次元官网网址檚 public hearing, councillors said they hoped regulations would bring properties back into the long-term rental market.
MacKenzie said regulating STR in Victoria wonB次元官网网址檛 address the housing crisis, but will hurt property owners who often own a single property used for vacation rentals, who may have purchased it as a retirement investment or to supplement mortgage payments. Many were never meant to be available as long-term rentals, he said.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not talking about helping homelessness here. WeB次元官网网址檙e not talking helping people find affordable housing, because landlords should not be the ones subsidizing peoplesB次元官网网址� lives by giving them deals on low-income rent,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淢ost of these owners are not rich people; most of these owners, this is the biggest investment they have in their lives. TheyB次元官网网址檙e middle-class people that earned and built these properties over time.B次元官网网址�
The CityB次元官网网址檚 short-term rental framework is still being created, and while the licensing fees are not set, theyB次元官网网址檝e been proposed at $200 to $2,500 per licence, a price tag MacKenzie said is too high.
B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e trying to say a small studio suite in the Janion, itB次元官网网址檚 gotta cost $2,500 a year to be licensed, itB次元官网网址檚 completely unfair. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a punitive tax. ThatB次元官网网址檚 not a licensing fee.B次元官网网址�
Coun. Ben Isitt stands by councilB次元官网网址檚 decision to regulate STR and noted that licensing fees have yet to be determined.
But the rezoning law and regulating the industry are fair and will help address the housing crisis because the condominium units are needed for rental housing, he said.
B次元官网网址淭here could be losses for some of these owners, but I think thatB次元官网网址檚 unfortunately part of the ordinary course of business,B次元官网网址� he said, speaking of the risks involved in investing in the largely unregulated STR industry. B次元官网网址淭he people who are really losing right now are renters who canB次元官网网址檛 even find shelter.
B次元官网网址淚f you look at the financial power of the parties, comparing the owner of a short-term rental unit, to an individual who is trying to find an affordable, safe place to live, the real insecurity is with renters in a community.B次元官网网址�
The City is hosting an about short term rentals Monday (Oct. 30) from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
