Please sign & SHARE our petition: Save our homes & 20 Years of being a loyal trouble free tenant of Reliance
I know I ramble in this video…. Forgive me I’m passionate! Here is the text of what I was trying to impart:
“Reliance Properties CEO Jon Stovell says that was never the agreement. He says tenants were promised extended subsidies and two years in the new building – which could add up to $60,000 over five years and nothing more.”
- Jon throwing out numbers that are based on his extremely high rental rates. He also neglects to mention that we are in one of their fancy Gastown buildings because back in 2017 when it was time to move out of 1170 bidwell ahead of the wreaking-ball they tried to violate the agreement and sent us Craigslist ads in place of units in one of their buildings as per our agreement. The city held up their permit and magically units showed up. Not our fault that they were in this building and at these high rents. That is the fault of Reliance and as a result of them already breaking the agreement.
“When the province changed the rules on fixed tenancies in 2017, the company dealt with the issue legally by deciding the rents would be set at $2,350”
- Seems that’s not actually correct. They are only wanting to charge those of us from the Baycrest. The general public is being offered those very same units for $2150. Reliance is setting our rent $200 higher than the general public so the Jon is quoted “Mr. Stovell had offered a special incentive because, he said, it was the right thing to do.” it seems the right thing to do is over charge loyal longterm tenants $200 higher rent than everyone else. That is an extremely perverted idea of what the “right thing to do.”
“Mr. Stovell said it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a unit to subsidize the new units for those tenants indefinitely.”
- So with that he is dismissing that we pay a lower rate because we have been loyal tenants for 20 years! He is arguing against long term tenancy and clearly expressing with that he would prefer short term tenancy and higher rents. Making for an unliveable and unaffordable city.
“Both sides in the dispute claim city officials have said, at points, their interpretation of the agreement is correct, although tenant Kian Gray acknowledged staff have more recently told him the company has found a legal way to do what it is doing. The city’s communications department said only that staff are “monitoring” the agreement.”
- True. The city is dropping the ball here BIG TIME! They are talking out of both sides of their mouth. I have called to talk to Mayor Kennedy Stewart. He is yet to even try and reach out to us. He has offered no public support. We have no idea of his position of this. The city could end this immediately but has yet to show full support for long term Vancouver tenancy and protection.
“Mr. Stovell said he’s disappointed that the tenants, handed what he says is the best relocation offer anyone in the city has had, are complaining.
“There’s no requirement to insulate tenants against market rates in perpetuity. This is very irresponsible and self-serving.”
- First, I’ve never been so happy to be considered “very irresponsible and self-serving.”
- He is violating the agreement and not even for the first time. The first time was back in 2017 with Craigslist ads.
- It is rich for a 1%er like Jon to look down from his lofty tower and say that we are irresponsible and self-serving when his riches came from US! The money in his bank account came from $300,000 my husband and I paid in rent over 20 years. Jon you are “very irresponsible and self-serving.”