This is an issue I will be watching:
City to explore residential rental licensing bylaw
February 06, 2012, City of Kitchener
KITCHENER –In the interest of public safety and neighbourhood stability, Kitchenercity council has given staff in the city’s enforcement division the go-ahead to undertake a study that will examine the possibility - and viability - of creating a citywide residential rental licensing bylaw.
As part of the study, staff will examine:
-
The types/classes of buildings the licensing program would apply to;
-
The implications of a bylaw that is geographic in nature;
-
Whether consideration should be given to a limitation on the number of bedrooms or bedroom area within a rental unit;
-
Whether the licensing program would apply to owner-occupied rental units, or focus on absentee landlord situations;
-
A fee structure aimed at complete cost recovery.
“This is not about whether we’re approving a rental license,” said Mayor Carl Zehr. “It’s about the principles of whether or not we move forward with the discussion.”
The study is in response to complaints the city has received about rental accommodations in certain parts of the city, primarily with regard to single-detached housing that is rented to groups of individuals, in some cases eight or more to a house.
The city’s zoning bylaw regulates households, but can neither regulate which buildings can be rentals, nor identify an area of land where rentals would be prohibited or permitted.
“This is an opportunity for staff to look at the options around rental residences,” said Counc. Yvonne Fernandes. “It’s a first step, and we won’t make a decision until all the information is on the table.”
BACKGROUND
In January 2007, several amendments to the Ontario Municipal Act came into effect. One of these eliminated regulations that prohibited a municipality from licensing, regulating or governing the rental of residential dwelling units. Municipalities can now regulate rental accommodations through a licensing mechanism in the same manner as they do other forms of businesses.
Since 2007, there have been several such licensing bylaws enacted, including in cities such as Mississauga, Waterloo and Oshawa.
In June 2011, Kitchener city council directed staff to prepare a background report on requiring a licensing scheme for residential rental properties by discussing the experiences of other municipalities in Ontario and the implications for the City of Kitchener.
|