Constructing on the success of the VUT, it’s clearly time for the Communal Residential Motion Plan. Governments are supposed to invent bizarre schemes, aren’t they?
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It’s predictable {that a} handful of cranks could be upset by the Metropolis of Ottawa’s completely affordable and completely even handed audit of compliance with its good Vacant Unit Tax program. These malcontents assume that it’s fairly sufficient — or maybe even an excessive amount of — for the town to demand annual proof that owners do, in reality, stay in their very own houses.
These complainers should meet up with the occasions.
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Absolutely in Ottawa, of all locations, we should notice that every authorities rule is supposed to be vigorously enforced. That’s why the town is randomly auditing 1,525 owners and demanding that they produce additional documentation to show they stay in their very own homes.
Maybe asking individuals to do that proper earlier than Christmas wasn’t the perfect timing, however even Santa makes an inventory and checks it twice to see who’s naughty and good. That’s all the town is doing.
We’ve to see the massive image. Someplace on the market on this metropolis of 1 million individuals, there are those that select to purchase a home or condominium, pay the taxes and utilities, however neither stay in it nor hire it out. At a time when there’s a scarcity of housing, that is clearly the peak of social irresponsibility.
The VUT, as it’s affectionately identified, is meant to appropriate that drawback. To encourage individuals to hire out these vacant properties, the town will ultimately hit them with a tax penalty equal to at least one per cent of the worth of their property. Even submitting late would value you $250 and for those who solely pretended to stay in your individual home, that’s a $10,000 penalty. How way more encouraging can the town get?
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If there may be any drawback with the VUT, it’s that it doesn’t do practically sufficient to unravel the town’s vexing scarcity of inexpensive housing. Certain, it’s going to generate a bit of cash for social housing and possibly encourage some individuals to turn into landlords, however a lot extra could be completed.
Constructing on the success of the VUT, it’s time for the Communal Residential Motion Plan (CRAP). Consider all these empty-nesters dwelling of their large suburban homes with spare bedrooms galore. Now take into consideration the 12,000 people who find themselves on the town’s social housing record, hoping for bigger, cheaper lodging.
It’s a wedding made in Heaven. As a substitute of rattling round in that large home on their own, the 90-year-old widow might benefit from the firm of a whole household, who might transfer into her dwelling and stay communally.
Communal dwelling, we now have lately been instructed by metropolis officers, is an thrilling concept, so absolutely the extra of it the higher. The widow wouldn’t must do a factor. The town itself would provide her new tenants. Properly, not tenants within the standard sense. Maybe co-living companions could be a greater time period.
Some may oppose this method, however a tax penalty of 1 per cent of the property’s worth would absolutely encourage them. If not, simply make co-living necessary. The concept is just too good to be ruined by stuffy reactionaries who consider that as a result of they “personal” a home, they need to have the suitable to resolve the way it’s used.
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Why, that is simply egocentric, old style pondering. As the town has already demonstrated with the VUT and guidelines limiting short-term leases, how you utilize your property is as much as authorities, not you.
The brand new CRAP plan could be applauded by progressive metropolis councillors and their supporters throughout the town. It might take fairness and inclusion to complete new ranges. Why do you have to stay in a house that’s bigger than you want when one other household has to place up with insufficient house? That’s hardly equitable. What might be extra inclusive than having others proper in your individual dwelling?
That is Ottawa’s probability to be on the reducing fringe of housing coverage. With the brand new VUT-CRAP plan, we might be the envy of the world.
Randall Denley is an Ottawa political commentator and creator. Contact him at randalldenley1@gmail.com
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