Notice Extended for Richmond Gardens Tenants
06 October 2005
The owner of the Richmond Gardens rental complex has agreed to provide tenants more time to relocate, following meetings with City of Richmond officials.
City staff met with representatives of Amacon this week to discuss concerns regarding their planned renovations of their Richmond Gardens properties. On October 1, Amacon had informed tenants of 120 suites in Richmond Gardens that they would have to vacate their suites by November 30, 2005 in order to allow renovations to take place. In addition, Amacon plans to significantly raise rents once the renovations were completed.
Following its meetings with City officials, Amacon has made a number of commitments to address the impacts of their renovations on tenants.
- The two month notice period given to residents to vacate the 120 units will now be extended to January 31, 2006. This not only matches the highest notice standard in the province (Vancouver’s requirement of four months notice) but also extends the notice period to avoid displacing residents during the holiday season. Amacon has indicated a letter will go out to residents today to inform them of the change
- Amacon has also committed to meet individually with any tenant who may have extenuating circumstances to find alternate solutions should they still be facing hardships in vacating their suites by January 31, 2006. These meetings will occur as soon as possible within the four month notice period
- Amacon will be proceeding with the renovation of all 240 suites. However, a limited number of suites will be offered to existing tenants at rental rates similar to current levels after the renovations are completed. While this will mean a rental increase for those tenants, it will be less than the increases planned for the remainder of the units
- Amacon will consult with existing tenants, including tenants who are clients of Richmond Mental Health, to ensure that existing tenants who would suffer the greatest hardship if they had to move or absorb the full proposed rent increase, are able to remain in Richmond Gardens, if they choose to do so
- Amacon has also agreed to temporarily defer its plans to serve notice on November 1, 2005 to tenants in the other 120 units at Richmond Gardens. Amacon will consult with those tenants before developing a new plan for proceeding with renovation of these units. An extended notice period will be incorporated into the new plan
- Amacon’s original plan for proceeding with renovations at Richmond Gardens met all requirements under the Residential Tenancy Act. The City of Richmond has no legislative authority to require any additional action by Amacon. However, Amacon willingly agreed to take additional measures in recognition of concerns expressed by the City, Richmond Council, tenants and others about the impact of the plans to renovate the rental units in Richmond Gardens
Meanwhile, Richmond Council has also expressed its concern about the loss of affordable housing in Richmond. On Monday the General Purposes Committee of Council, which includes all members of Council, passed the following motions:
- "That City Council confirms its serious concern regarding the rapid, large scale eviction of tenants from rental premises and the increase of rents to unaffordable levels”
- "That the Provincial Government be requested to amend the relevant legislation to address this situation”
- "That staff examine the options regarding notices and increases in rent, and that staff advise Council as to any other rental complexes in the community which could be vulnerable to this approach”
The motions will now be forwarded to the regular City Council meeting on October 11, 2005 for consideration.
