Emergency Homelessness Prevention Strategies to Protect Renters in Core Housing Need

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.