Monday April 4, 2022 is a Special Corporate Services Committee meeting concerning a potential CITY-WIDE expansion of the Residential Rental Housing Licensing Program. See Agenda here: pub-oshawa.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=9361bb9e-7928-42a7-9470-cec4249b6aa7&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English
There are 8 registered as dekegations Each is allotted 10 minutes speaking time at a Committee meeting and then Q & A to follow from members of Council.
Also, stakeholders can submit an email to [email protected] supporting or objecting to an expansion of the licensing program. Any emails can then be added to the meeting Agenda email as additional correspondence
The Monday April 4th meeting is all part of the public feedback staff will include in an upcoming Report on this subject, to help inform Council when the time comes to make a final decision either to approve and go ahead with the expansion, or not proceed with an expansion of the RRHL program. In addition, the public has the opportunity to submit its feedback on the City's website here: connectoshawa.ca/RentalLicensing
To understand what is being proposed see the 19 page January, 2022 Report CORP -22-02
SOME BACKGROUND:
Before the 2010 municipal election there was a shortage of student residential housing, which caused a great number of people to buy and rent out rooms in the new homes in and around the University/College. It became a business which pitted home owners, the developer Tribute, and the City of Oshawa against the landlords. The mater escalated to a law suit and ultimately a landmark decision on appeal by the Ontario Supreme Court.
Around that time the City set up a licensing program for housing in and around the Ontario Tech University and Durham College.
In 2012 the City set up a Demerit Point System for improved compliance of 'repeat offenders'.
http://app.oshawa.ca/agendas/corporate_services/2015/05-25/corp-15-62_program_evaluation_of_the_residential_rental_housing_licensing_demerit_point_system.pdf
In April 2017 Report CORP-17-18 was on the Agenda and a delegation from the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (A.C.O.R.N.) Canada requested the City to implement a rental licensing system specific to apartment buildings in the City of Oshawa
Committee directed staff to prepare a report.RP-17-32 Preliminary Project Scope: Expansion of the Residential Rental Licensing Program
In June 2017 this staff report http://app.oshawa.ca/agendas/Corporate_Services/2017/06-19/REPORT_CORP-17-32.pdf outined "Preliminary Project Scope: Expansion of the Residential Rental Licensing Program"
Currently there are approximately 750 addresses registered around the University/College. area outlined in red in the north Oshawa map below.
There are 8 registered as dekegations Each is allotted 10 minutes speaking time at a Committee meeting and then Q & A to follow from members of Council.
Also, stakeholders can submit an email to [email protected] supporting or objecting to an expansion of the licensing program. Any emails can then be added to the meeting Agenda email as additional correspondence
The Monday April 4th meeting is all part of the public feedback staff will include in an upcoming Report on this subject, to help inform Council when the time comes to make a final decision either to approve and go ahead with the expansion, or not proceed with an expansion of the RRHL program. In addition, the public has the opportunity to submit its feedback on the City's website here: connectoshawa.ca/RentalLicensing
To understand what is being proposed see the 19 page January, 2022 Report CORP -22-02
SOME BACKGROUND:
Before the 2010 municipal election there was a shortage of student residential housing, which caused a great number of people to buy and rent out rooms in the new homes in and around the University/College. It became a business which pitted home owners, the developer Tribute, and the City of Oshawa against the landlords. The mater escalated to a law suit and ultimately a landmark decision on appeal by the Ontario Supreme Court.
Around that time the City set up a licensing program for housing in and around the Ontario Tech University and Durham College.
In 2012 the City set up a Demerit Point System for improved compliance of 'repeat offenders'.
http://app.oshawa.ca/agendas/corporate_services/2015/05-25/corp-15-62_program_evaluation_of_the_residential_rental_housing_licensing_demerit_point_system.pdf
In April 2017 Report CORP-17-18 was on the Agenda and a delegation from the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (A.C.O.R.N.) Canada requested the City to implement a rental licensing system specific to apartment buildings in the City of Oshawa
- CORP-17-18 Process Improvements to Residential Rental Housing Licensing Demerit Point System
- Recommendation
- That the Corporate Services Committee recommend to City Council:Whereas the Corporate Services Committee (“Committee”) considered staff report CORP-15-62 “Program Evaluation of the Residential Rental Housing Licensing Demerit Point System” at its meeting on May 25, 2015; and,
- Whereas Committee referred Report CORP-15-62 back to staff and generally directed that staff examine technological solutions and other supports to automate the tracking and continue the oversight of the Residential Rental Housing Licensing Demerit Point System (R.R.H.L. D.P.S.); and,
- Whereas Municipal Law Enforcement and Information Technology staff evaluated the R.R.H.L. D.P.S. and introduced enhancements to administrative processes and semi-automated the assignment of demerit points within the Oshawa Land Information system; and,
- Whereas staff implemented and tested the enhancements from December 2016 to date revealing net benefits and an approximate prorated cost savings of $44,500 or 1,217 staff hours per two-year period; and,
- Whereas notwithstanding these improvements, staff are cautious to note that the R.R.H.L. D.P.S processes and tracking technology are still very complex and need to be monitored on an ongoing basis to measure the value of the process; and,
- Whereas any future expansion of the R.R.H.L. D.P.S. or introduction of a demerit point system to other business licensing classes needs to be thoroughly considered to ensure that the tracking is: effective, simple, manageable, and is of such a quality that it will produce tangible results that improve business processes and/or respond to customers’ needs;
- Therefore be it resolved:
- 1. That staff continue to monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the Residential Rental Housing Licensing Demerit Point System and report back to Committee on potential vulnerabilities, if applicable; and,
- 2. That Item 5 on the Corporate Services Committee’s Outstanding Items Status Report being “Program Evaluation of the Residential Rental Housing Licensing Demerit Point System” and “Mark Bernacki –Removal of Residential Rental Housing Licensing Demerit Point System” be removed
Committee directed staff to prepare a report.RP-17-32 Preliminary Project Scope: Expansion of the Residential Rental Licensing Program
In June 2017 this staff report http://app.oshawa.ca/agendas/Corporate_Services/2017/06-19/REPORT_CORP-17-32.pdf outined "Preliminary Project Scope: Expansion of the Residential Rental Licensing Program"
Currently there are approximately 750 addresses registered around the University/College. area outlined in red in the north Oshawa map below.
In January 2020 there was a staff report to the Corporate Services committee with two staff recommendations.
Two Corporate Services Committee members added two more recommendations about expanding the licensing program city-wide...then this went to Council the report to advance the investigation for public feedback was voted on and passed by a vote of 8 to 3
That is an overview of the backstory. From here on there is the public consultation and then a Staff Report will be given to Council with options, either for acceptance of an expansion, rejection of an expansion or revisions.
Note that the City today had an article published in the Real Estate Magazine publication to correct some of the misinterpretations made in another REM recent article.
https://www.realestatemagazine.ca/oshawa-says-rem-column-misrepresented-facts-on-rental-housing-licensing-review/
Note that the City today had an article published in the Real Estate Magazine publication to correct some of the misinterpretations made in another REM recent article.
https://www.realestatemagazine.ca/oshawa-says-rem-column-misrepresented-facts-on-rental-housing-licensing-review/
