New Westminster won’t consider a “unique plan” that would add 37 new rental units to a Brow of the Hill building – but would displace existing tenants while construction takes place.
The city has received rezoning and development permit applications that would allow three storeys to be built on top of an existing purpose-built market rental apartment building at 222 Ash St. The addition would create 37 new rental units, including 10 affordable units.
City staff sought council’s direction on how to proceed with the application because the project would require residents in the existing 50 units to be displaced during construction, including 29 that are categorized as below-market housing rates.
“It is extremely distressing to even think that 50 residents will be dislocated from their current residences,” said Coun. Chinu Das. “Without a tenancy plan in place, it’s hard for me to imagine what that would mean. Where are they going to go to? When are they going to come back? What is the time lag between the two? Will they be back into their current residences and at what rent? There’s a lot of things that are disturbing to me.”
Despite the fact that the project would create 37 new housing units, Das said she couldn’t support the project as it is currently presented.
“Sometimes, the bad outweighs the good,” she said.
At its April 11 meeting, council voted to direct staff to advise the applicant that the proposed application shouldn’t be advanced further because current tenants in 50 units cannot remain in their rental units during construction. Councillors Patrick Johnstone and Nadine Nakagawa recused themselves from the discussion because they live in the neighbourhood.
Coun. Mary Trentadue said it’s “quite disconcerting” that people in 50 units would have to vacate their homes during construction.
“Sometimes we have these projects come before us and there might be two or three units, but this is a lot,” she said. “I have a hard time imagining 50 of those units being re-absorbed in our community, especially based on the availability of rental and the availability of low-market rental. So, I am having a challenge in feeling supportive about this project.”
A March 28 report to the city’s land use and planning committee said the applicant had not provided the city with a tenant assistance plan. The city’s business regulations and licensing (rental units) bylaw includes requirements related to temporary accommodation during construction and a return to the original unit under the terms of tenants’ existing tenancy agreements.
Trentadue said she’s bothered that the applicant didn’t provide a plan for assisting current residents during construction. She’s also concerned those residents now know the building could potentially be redeveloped and may now be feeling insecure in their homes.
“I do want the applicant to know that I believe that to be unfair,” she said. “We are talking about people’s homes, probably places where they have lived for a long time.”
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr, one of three council members on the city’s land use and planning committee, said the committee was unable to consider the matter at its March 28 meeting because it didn’t have quorum for this issue, as two of the three members had to recuse themselves from this discussion. He said it was decided the matter should be sent directly to council for its input.
“Certainly, my position on this project is that I cannot support it unless the existing tenants are either compensated to their satisfaction or they are put into alternative housing until this project is completed,” he said.
Treading into new territory
Mayor Jonathan Cote said there are a lot of very old purpose-built rental buildings in New Westminster and they are going to have to transition to “whatever their next future is” in the coming years. He said it will be important for the city to create policies that ensure those transitions are as smooth as possible and that protect non-market housing.
“I recognize this is a unique application to build upon an existing building, one that we haven’t seen before. It is treading into new policy territory,” he said. “I think what I am hearing from council is that such an application would not be considered unless a full plan was put in place to relocate or compensate to the satisfaction of the renters of that building.”
Based on council’s discussion, Cote said there could be a further review of the proposal if the proponent came back to the city with relocation plans for each of the tenants while construction takes place.
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