Calgary, Alberta Mayor (Nenshi) Supports Secondary Suites
Posted by Carlos Montes on Monday, November 29th, 2010 at 1:41pm.Tired of the complex rules and red tape surrounding secondary suites in Calgary? So is our mayor, Naheed Nenshi. After publicly supporting secondary suites during his campaign, he is now ready to tackle the problem head-on.
In other cities, secondary suites are supported as a way not only for homeowners to reduce their living costs, but also to provide much-needed affordable rental housing within city limits. In Calgary the zoning restrictions mean that you have to apply to city council for a variance, a difficult task that turns many potential secondary suite installers away from pursuing the matter legally.
Illegal secondary suites pose a problem, in that the tenants have no protection in case of a dispute with their landlord. This means they can be evicted with little or no notice, and have no recourse in the case of unsafe or unsanitary living conditions. Not only can the consequences be dire, they can also be deadly, as was the case in January 2009, when three illegal suite tenants were killed in a fire. The homeowners were later charged for having the windows barred and not properly installing fire alarms.
Meanwhile, many neighbours of secondary suite homeowners are mistakenly appealing to city council to turn down applications, worried that the addition of secondary suites will change their single-family home neighbourhoods, when in fact there are already many illegal suites in place already. Hopefully, by changing the process more homeowners can declare their suites, and tenants can receive the same rights as every other renter in the city.
At the same time, the City and residents can benefit from increase revenues, and homeowners can reduce their cost of living, which is sure to have a positive effect on the local economy. To view the current rules surrounding secondary suites, visit http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/dba/brochures/secondary_suites_brochure.pdf
Carlos Montes & Real Estate Associates
RE/MAX Mountain View Calgary, Alberta
Phone: 403.404.5555 Fax: 403.592-2095
Email: carlos@carlosmontes.com
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Share2 Responses to "Calgary, Alberta Mayor (Nenshi) Supports Secondary Suites"
That is great if the suit is legal and is zoned for the area, but lots of people dont want basement suits in their areas due to the fact that these people dont want to improve the area and its just a temperary place for them to live. These groups take up large areas of parking so when you get home, you have to find another place to park that isnt in front of your house, or they dont care if they park in front of your driveway so you cant even get out. People who actually own hoomes by these iligeal suits have a obligation to rat them out and get rid of them. We are not here to accomidate some slum lord who cant even make the building safe for their illegal guest and parking issues. We pay taxes for the areas we buy our house, I dont see these renters contributing to any improvments other than taking space that was never intended for them. This is not growth but more like squaters taking up space that was never theirs. I sholdnt have to pay taxes for a area so some basment trasient can lower the value of the properties of our homes. So Calgary Dont Grow up, Wise up!!!
Posted on Thursday, April 21st, 2011 at 8:58am.
People in Calgary and the city council are pretty stupid when it comes to basement suites. It seems that there is such a large negative stigma surrounding basement suites and everybody takes on a N I M B Y (not in my backyard) attitude regarding them on their street. Well, Guess what Calgary?? Basement suites are already on your street!!! There are way more suites than the 50,000 that council assumes are there. Other cities have legalized basement suites to allow for more affordable housing within their cities and the Heavens did not fall!!! Calgary is growing and students and immigrants need basement suites as an affordable housing alternative--these same students and immigrants eventually move out of the suites and into better more expensive homes but suite are a definite necessary for these groups. I know of two landlords who are collegues of mine, they have rented illegal suites to students for over 20 years. The only problem was when snotty stupid neighbors ratted them out to the So important city council. Didnt matter--they pulled the suites out-were inspected and approved--and then put the suites back in. Grow up Calgary!!! Basement suites are a necessary for a growing prosperous city.
Posted on Saturday, February 12th, 2011 at 9:15am.