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Emotional tales of housing vulnerability moved city politicians on Monday to push for a tougher proposed bylaw to prevent so-called renovictions in London.

Politicians on council’s community and protective services committee voted unanimously to send back to staff the draft bylaw that would regulate when landlords can temporarily evict tenants for renovations, with a call to study how to add what critics say is a crucial element.

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“At core this is a good bylaw, but we can add a few things,” Ward 6 Coun. Sam Trosow said.

The direction to city staff, which must be approved by full council, was to study possible clauses that would require landlords to guarantee alternative housing or financial help to tenants forced out by renovations. Staff will also look into applying the bylaw retroactively.

The proposed bylaw is intended to crack down on N13 eviction notices, which allow landlords to force tenants out for extensive repairs or renovations. The tenants have the right to return at the same rent, but critics charge many are forced to find a new home as the work drags on – and the landlord can then re-list the rental unit for market rent, which may mark a huge increase.

The bylaw currently calls for three steps to curb renovictions:

• Landlords must get a $400 licence within seven days of the work
• An affidavit is required from the person who gave the tenant the N13
• Approval from an engineer or architect that the repairs or renovations are so extensive, they require a vacancy

At Monday’s public-input meeting, supporters of the bylaw offered the harshest criticism, calling it ineffective without a requirement for tenant compensation to stop bad-faith N13s.

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“With respect, you need to go further,” said Karen Andrews, a lawyer with the Ontario Advocacy Centre for Tenants.

One landlord, Darren Keenan, offered a very different view when he addressed the politicians.

“Housing is not a fundamental right in Canada. I’m a capitalist, and I’m a profiteer, and I like it,” he said, prompting outbursts and calls of shame from others in the gallery.

“This bylaw that you want to pass is putting another cost to us.”

Mike Wallace is executive director of the London Development Institute, a consortium of developers in the city. He argued “legitimate building owners” shouldn’t be punished by city hall.

But the personal testimony of some residents, including several from the Webster Street buildings facing potential tenant-clearing renovations, struck a nerve with some politicians, who thanked the dozens who attended the meeting.

“I just want to reiterate to everyone who spoke: I get it, I hear this all the time,” said Ward 1 Coun. Hadleigh McAlister. “I myself am a tenant, and I live with this as well, and I could face the same thing.”

The tenants rights agency ACORN held a rally outside city hall before the meeting calling for changes to toughen the bylaw.

The final version of the proposed bylaw could be back before politicians in September and, if approved, would take effect in 2025, staff say.

jmoulton@postmedia.com
@jackmoulton65

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