East Side Tenants Protest ‘Extraordinary’ Rent Increases

[Truculence]

Tenants raise concerns about renovations at East Vancouver apartment building

Tenants in an East Vancouver apartment building are raising concerns about renovations that they say left some evicted or faced with higher rents.

At a press conference in front of 1850 Adanac Street today, residents and representatives of the Vancouver Renters' Union also described what they allege was the unsafe removal of asbestos in the building.

“We have serious concerns about our health, having been exposed to asbestos,” said tenant Maureen Bourke.

“It’s been thrown on the lawns, it’s been put in our dumpsters…it’s been left to sit there, in some cases for a month at a time, without it being cleaned up,” she alleged.

Some tenants said they received eviction notices, or were given the option of moving into renovated suites that were $200 to $300 more expensive.

Jesse Waldman said these kinds of increases make “a big difference” for many people in the building.

“To have laminate floors and a dishwasher when you live by yourself, it’s not worth $300, and I think that is a breaking point for a lot of people,” he said. “I couldn’t afford $300 more, even $200.”

According to Bourke, while many tenants have been living in the area for decades, some are thinking of leaving the city or province entirely in search of housing.

“If we have to leave, there is nowhere to go,” she said. “This is affordable housing…right now we have 25 roughly suites that are vacant, because people have left either on their own volition or they were evicted,” she said.

Vancouver-Hastings MLA Shane Simpson, who also attended the press conference today, said he sent a letter in April to Lorenzo Aquilini, who is listed as a director for building owner Ashurwin Holdings Ltd, after tenants approached him with their concerns about renovations in the building. He later contacted WorkSafe BC, which issued a stop work order.

“It’s my view that landlords, like tenants, all have rights under the law, but people cannot do this kind of work without proper permits,” said Simpson. “They cannot be removing asbestos in a way that is hazardous to the health of the workers and to the tenants, and they simply cannot deal with tenants in terms of evictions or extraordinary rent increases without following the law that we have in British Columbia, and in this case it appears that the landlord has in fact done those things.”

Donna Freeman of WorkSafe BC confirmed that an order was issued to stop all demolition work. Renovations have now resumed in some areas, but work will not resume in suites that still require assessment, she said.

Aquilini could not be reached for an interview by the Straight’s deadline. A staff member at property management company Royal Providence Management Inc. said Ashurwin Holdings will be issuing a statement to media.

[Rypien37]

What do you expect? Becoming filthy rich changes MOST people into greedy insensitive pricks.

Buuutttt, you don't know the full story, just what the paper decides to report, take it all with a grain of salt.

[Bruce Boudreau]

There's many other rich landlords like them who do the same thing.

[Barry_Wilkins]

What do you expect? Becoming filthy rich changes MOST people into greedy insensitive pricks.

Buuutttt, you don't know the full story, just what the paper decides to report, take it all with a grain of salt.

[Truculence]

There's many other rich landlords like them who do the same thing.

[Ghostsof1915]

Maybe because no one wants to regulate the construction industry to improve standards. My brother is a contractor building houses, and he's constantly been bugged by developers to cut costs, and cut corners, but my brother refuses as it's his reputation on the line. He'd rather sell a house at a slightly higher amount and have it last for decades than build a piece of crap.

Sadly, he's in the minority out there. He told me the Aqullini's were slumlords before they even bought the Canucks.

[ronthecivil]

http://www.straight....rtment-building

This province would be a far better place without criminal scum like these slumlords.

[ronthecivil]

You got it the wrong way around. They became rich by cutting corners and not giving a flying F about the people in those buildings.

"Grain of salt", nothing. This has been a long-standing complaint against the Aquillini connection. My mother's condo from thirty years ago -- developed by Aquillini and Zen -- had many faulty construction problems due to building on the cheap, and they were negligent -- even absent -- in fixing the problems.

But people on this board, being Canuck supporters, want to believe in the positive public vibes that goes with winning hockey and the Aquillini commitment. Doesn't change anything in this story, though.

. BTW, I wonder if ticket prices will go up again this year?

[ronthecivil]

Maybe because no one wants to regulate the construction industry to improve standards. My brother is a contractor building houses, and he's constantly been bugged by developers to cut costs, and cut corners, but my brother refuses as it's his reputation on the line. He'd rather sell a house at a slightly higher amount and have it last for decades than build a piece of crap.

Sadly, he's in the minority out there. He told me the Aqullini's were slumlords before they even bought the Canucks.

[Brayden]

The only thing wrong with their actions is that they are being very unsafe, with how they are dealing with Asbestos.

Its not the Aquillini's responsibility to provide affordable housing. And i don't understand how they can be Slumlords when they are investing in their building

If you spend x amount of money to renovate suites in your own building, of course you will want rents to go up.

[Horny Manatee]

Of course they have to mention "East Side"

[Bertuzzi Babe]

As per the board rules:

7. You will respect the personal privacy of players/management(past and present) and their families.

Discussions about players or management that have nothing to do with hockey (including talking about how good looking the players are) are strongly discouraged. You will not post personal and/or private pictures of players/management.

[Satan's Evil Twin]

As per the board rules:

[hockeyville88]

This is not a discussion about the Aquilinis, but about a news article involving them. You're misapplying the rule. Not only that, but it clearly states "personal privacy", this is anything but private if it's in the news, mm?

Agreed

Feel free to discuss the articles and the issue at hand. However, any comments that are seen as being "private matters" about the Aquilini family will be removed

Thanks

[ronthecivil]

The only thing wrong with their actions is that they are being very unsafe, with how they are dealing with Asbestos.

Its not the Aquillini's responsibility to provide affordable housing. And i don't understand how they can be Slumlords when they are investing in their building

If you spend x amount of money to renovate suites in your own building, of course you will want rents to go up.

[Electro Rock]

There's too much insider money that has too many people by the balls in this province, I mean for one thing rent and real estate would be a lot cheaper here in the first place if the supply of housing wasn't manipulated into being artificially low through contrived building height and zoning restrictions.

About all a regular person can do about it is either vote with their feet and leave or live on the street in an RV.

[Offensive Threat]

Has it been confirmed that it is actually asbestos being removed? Every time people see interior walls coming out they start talking about asbestos. I redid my bathrooms in my old condo before I sold it and some lady down the hall started going off about "all the asbestos Im dragging out unsafely" . From a 12 year old building. Ignorance is all around us.

IF I owned a rental building and wanted to renovate the suites I would be expecting to increase rents after the renovations to reflect the higher quality of the interiors and too recoup my investment. It seems reasonable. This building isnt a housing co-op, it isnt the owners responsibility to provide affordable housing. They will charge what the market will bear. If you were them you would do the same.

People want to have a lease free rental so they can move out whenever they want, with notice. It also works the other way, they can evict you whenever they want, with notice. Or do you expect a lease that only gives tenants rights and not the owner?

I dont know enough about this case in particular to comment on whether everyone is following the law in regards to tenant/landlord commitments but if the Vancouver Renters union is involved in the process they will surely be keeping a close eye on it.

[Lillooet_Hillbilly]

I see nothing wrong with this. you are legally allowed to evict some one for no reason as long as you give 30 days written notice. Then if you upgrade (or not) the area you can set any limit rent you want.

[taxi]

I see nothing wrong with this. you are legally allowed to evict some one for no reason as long as you give 30 days written notice. Then if you upgrade (or not) the area you can set any limit rent you want.

[Shift-4]

Can't believe this guy hasn't made an appearance yet