COPE Victory: Jean Swanson’s “Vacancy Control for SROs” Motion Enabled by the Province

Vancouver, BC - COPE's fight for vacancy control in SRO units has been realized through the BC NDP's recent amendments to the Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act (MEVA).

On December 10th, 2019, COPE’s Jean Swanson introduced a motion that would have Vancouver implement “vacancy control” on SROs to protect low income units, curb evictions, and slow the growth of homelessness. The bill was challenged in court by landlords.

COPE congratulates Ravi Kahlon and the Province of BC for enabling SRO vacancy control, which will ensure more of the most precarious tenants in Vancouver are not pushed into homelessness. COPE also congratulates the DTES SRO Collaborative for their advocacy to ensure this important legislative change moved ahead.

“SRO landlords can no longer raise rents as much as they like when a tenant leaves, meaning that hundreds of vulnerable tenants are protected from bad faith evictions and homelessness.” Said Jean Swanson, former COPE Councillor, “This will make a huge difference in preserving the low cost rental housing we have.”

COPE has real solutions to the housing crisis including building 5000 units of beautiful new public housing per year, real rent control for all tenants, and a four year rent freeze. The Coalition of Progressive Electors has been Vancouver’s progressive party since 1968.

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Contact: cope@copevancouver.ca