ABC defends axing Vancouver Renter Office, citing ‘duplication of service’

“The reality is, not only is it on average one call per day … 60 per cent were other issues related to other jurisdictions,” ABC Coun. Rebecca Bligh said Friday.

In a move condemned by Vancouver’s two Green councillors and single OneCity councillor, the reigning ABC party has voted to close down the city’s ‘Renter Office’ during a housing affordability crisis, citing concerns over its efficiency.

While it had no physical presence, the Renter Office had worked to advise tenants of their rights and was primarily funded by the Empty Homes Tax (EHT) at a cost of just over $1.8 million since 2019.

Despite staff recommendations, the ABC majority on council voted in favour of a late amendment Wednesday to end the initiative, which was launched through a 2018 motion from Green Coun. Pete Fry.

“This was a decision that was made in a back room to kill this office with no indication to the public that it was coming,” Fry told Global News in an interview Friday.

The city’s Renter Office responded to an average of 372 inquiries per year in its first four years, and only 40 per cent of those were city-related.

The office had seven full-time equivalent staff for an average of just over one inquiry a day.

“The reality is, not only is it on average one call per day … 60 per cent were other issues related to other jurisdictions,” ABC Coun. Rebecca Bligh said Friday.

“We feel very confident that with our direction to staff to create a six month transition plan no renters will fall through the cracks.”