Protection from renovictions is top of mind as Waterloo council orders rental bylaw review

Waterloo city council is taking a hard look at what it can do to protect renters, especially when it comes to “renovictions.”

Council last night voted to review Waterloo’s Residential Rental Licensing Bylaw, while “balancing the interests of both tenants and landlords.”

A statement from city hall describes it as “a proactive approach to address evolving housing needs, affordability concerns, safety and the evolving dynamics of the rental market while balancing the interests of both tenants and landlords.”

For now, council has told city staff to start exploring ways to improve the bylaw.

On the topic of renovictions, or rental evictions, staff have been told to look into two ways to move forward, like to consider allocating a portion of the Affordable Housing Reserve to support existing tenant support programs, explore the costs and benefits of funding an eviction regulation program, compared to a longer-term multi-unit residential acquisition program.

Staff have also been told to look into bedroom sizes and how many bedrooms can be in a rental. And how to make it easier to get a license, and to enforce safety and maintenance standards, which the city says will be better for multi-generational households.

Staff will look at short-term rentals, like Airbnb type rentals, and consider safety and neighbourhood nuisance rules, while still encouraging tourism and allowing homeowners to have a source of income.

And for mid-and high-rise buildings, to look at “the potential for safety regulations and regular inspections to safeguard residents’ health and well-being.”

Staff will also to look at licensing and the city’s fee structure.

Extensive community engagement will be part of the reviews.

A spokesperson for the City of Waterloo confirms to CityNews 570 there is no due date for the staff review to come back to council.