Affordable housing advocates call on feds to crack down on 'corporate landlords'

Affordable housing advocates are calling on the federal government to stop so-called corporate landlords from buying up properties and shutting out low income tenants.

The message came in the form a personal delivery Monday to the constituency office of Peter Fragiskatos.

The London North Centre Liberal MP serves as the parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities. The group ACORN, which advocates for affordable housing, delivered 400 testimonials from tenants who claimed they’ve been mistreated or taken advantage of by property owners.

“All kinds of issues ranging from lack of maintenance repairs getting done, pest control issues, harassment by the landlords, illegal rent increases,” explained London ACORN representative Jordan Smith. “It really runs the gamut.”

The group wants the government to establish an acquisition fund whereby non-profits or co-ops would be able to acquire at-risk buildings when they come on the market.

“Housing should be about people’s homes, not about investors’ profits,” said ACORN London representative Claire Wittnebel. “We want to have the federal government put funds and processes into place to allow for non-profits and co-ops to preserve the existing affordable housing.”

Fragiskatos was not in his constituency office when the group showed up to deliver the binder full of tenant testimonials.

CTV News London reached him at his office in Ottawa, and he said the issue, in part, is one of supply and demand. He added that landlords wouldn’t be buying up properties if there was a large enough supply of affordable housing.

“We need more homes built, period,” said Fragiskatos. “That is how we provide more affordable rent. That is how we provide an opportunity for home-buyers, or prospective home-buyers to purchase a home that is affordable for them as well. It is a supply crisis that’s underpinning the housing crisis.”

Fragiskatos also pointed to the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund. In September, the City of London received $74 million for its plan to build 2,000 housing units over and above current building projects over the next three years.