Kelowna proposes new protections for tenants impacted by 'demovictions' by developers
Kelowna is in a constant state of redevelopment and tenants who get the short end of the stick could be getting some more protection from the city.
On Monday, Kelowna city council will hear some ideas about how to protect tenants who are getting the boot because their homes are being redeveloped.
The new tenant protections could include forcing developers to submit a tenant protection plan, and provide roughly four months notice to tenants who are getting evicted.
Developers would also have to pay tenants $1,000 to help with moving costs.
Tenants losing their homes would get paid the price of three months rent or developers could give them their last three months for free, but there is a caveat.
READ MORE: Kelowna trailer park residents face 'demoviction' from their affordable homes
Developers wouldn’t have to give three months of free rent if there is a vacancy rate above four per cent, the current rate is roughly 3.8 per cent, or if the developer has another rental property it can offer the tenant at for roughly the same price, less than 10 per cent more than they are already paying.
These protections would apply to properties that have five or more units like the Central Mobile Home Park where dozens of seniors have been staring down the barrel of “demoviction” since Kerkhoff Construction bought the park in 2020.
City council will decide whether to move forward with the changes at a meeting on Monday, April 14.
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