Sub-Committees Take Lead on Rental Housing Around U of M

The University of Manitoba is a suburban university faced with a shortage of affordable student accommodations.  Throughout the world, many communities in close proximity to a large university are dealing with the same rental property challenges which residents in Fort Richmond and University Heights are facing.

To help address this challenge, local residents in the South Winnipeg-St. Norbert Ward recently formed seven sub-committees which will investigate best practices and taking action from several different perspectives:

1. Best Practices Scan
2. Data Collection (street inventory, complaints, infractions, investigations)
3. Communication (with neighbours, landlords, tenants and students)
4. Manitoba Housing, Rentals and Tenancy
5. By-Laws, Zoning and Parking (clarification, “simple English”, translations)
6. Regulatory (Revenue Canada, mortgages, insurance)
7. U of M and Student Relations

These sub-committees (made up of residents, tenants and landlords) are planning to meet in February, 2016 to discuss the results of their research.  If you are interested in joining one of the committees,  please e-mail my Operations Manager.  Be sure to provide your name, address, and phone number, as well as the name of the committee which you are interested in joining.

In addition, I am planning to hold a 3-hour session, focused on by-laws and zoning, on a Saturday morning in February.  This meeting will be a sharing session with a number of specific goals:

• To help residents understand by-laws and zoning as related to residential properties
• To help City enforcement folks understand the confusion which residents face when interpreting by-laws and associated actions
• To ultimately create a better understanding and enforcement process

Please watch my website for the meeting date/details, or sign up for monthly E-Newsletter to stay informed on activities in the South Winnipeg-St. Norbert ward.

Twitter link:  https://janicelukes.ca/?p=4114