Public meeting next Tuesday June 25th: What's next for tenant protections?
We're once again approaching our next public meeting! Next Tuesday (June 25) at 6:30pm we'll be debriefing on our victory at city hall last week — plus, a book drive for Wildfires Bookshop!
Find the meeting at the New West Public Library in the basement auditorium (as usual).
Last week, we successfully pushed council to begin looking at stronger tenant protections against demovictions. (You can watch the relevant moments in council here.)
But this is just the beginning! We're proud of our turnout at city hall last week, but we want to make an even bigger appearance when city staff put forward a policy proposal later this year. And we want to make sure the policy on the table is the best that it can be so council can pass it without delay.
Last week's motion, from councillors Nadine Nakagawa and Ruby Campbell, called on city staff to develop a tenant protection bylaw that would use Burnaby's as a model. If a Burnaby-type bylaw is passed, tenants in a building that is being redeveloped will be given the option of a unit in the new building at the same rent from the old building — but we're asking for some holes to be filled.
Some of the things tenants are calling for include:
- No segregation between residents in market-rate units and those in more affordable units
- Rent assistance for the entire time between an old building being demolished and the time tenants are moving into the new building so no renter is left behind in the meantime
- An independent third party overseeing the process, so developers can't get away with skirting the rules
In next week's public meeting, we're asking tenants: How can we bring out the most tenants? And how can we keep pressure on the city between now and then so they know what we're looking for in a policy?
Plus! Wildfires Bookshop on 12th Street (712 B 12th) has been doing a book drive all month, and we'd love to help them out. Wildfires is holding a book sale with the donated books in mid-July to help raise funds for a community space. You can find more information about their book drive on their website, but feel free to bring any donations to next week's meeting, and we'll bring them over to Wildfires.
If you can't make it to the meeting but want to donate, we can also arrange to come pick up books from you — send us an email at nwtenantsunion@gmail.com, and we'll find a time to come by.
Building community is one of the most important things for a strong tenants union, and we'd love the opportunity to show up for Wildfires.
Get Involved
Want to join our volunteer, renter-led action team to help? Send us an email at nwtenantsunion@gmail.com and let's make this happen.
Plus, we're always on the lookout for Building Contacts who can support the New West Tenants Union's work by keeping us posted of issues at rental buildings around the city.
Learn more about Building Contacts and what your role could be in organizing for stronger tenants' rights in your building here.