Tear down problem properties to build up community
Problem properties affect much more than curb appeal, and it is our duty to put an end to the emotional trauma and financial burden they cause.
Earlier this month, I enjoyed a tea and meeting at The Carrot on Alberta Avenue (118th Ave) in Ward Métis. The cafe is steeped in neighbourhood pride and is a prime example of how beneficial a community-focused business can be. The Alberta Avenue community has invested time and effort into revitalizing their area, but the persistent issue of problem properties puts their progress at risk. There are many properties across the city, both commercial and residential, that are far from neighbourly that we must address for the safety and well-being of Edmonton.
Problem properties are much more than abandoned houses with uncut grass. These properties pose a significant safety risk to their communities, not only impacting their neighbours but also endangering marginalized people who access them for shelter. Since 2018, nearly 500 problem properties have been identified across the city. They can be magnets for criminal activity, create an outsized burden on emergency services, and result in chronic emotional trauma for neighbours and community members.
Christy Morin, Executive Director of Arts on the Ave believes that it is the right time to deal with problem properties that have terrorized communities for years. “To actually have the guts and the chutzpah to say we are going after [problem properties] and we are going to demolish them… we need it now.” says Morin. “This is not about my neighbour’s grass being two inches too long, this is an actual environment that destroys community vibrancy.”
At the Community and Public Services Committee meeting last Monday, we heard about the emotional and financial toll of this issue from many community members. I want all those who spoke, and all those who share the concerns to know that I hear you. I hear your frustration about the pace of City processes and how you feel left behind and unheard.
We should have zero tolerance for slum landlords that profit off of problem properties and our most marginalized community members. We must do more to keep negligent property owners accountable. Communities deserve better. Here is what we are doing to solve the issue of problem properties:
Fund the innovative solutions
Everything has a cost, but in this case the cost of doing nothing is greater both in budget and wellbeing. We must commit funding to initiatives that have already shown real results in gaining compliance and creating safer neighbourhoods. I have worked with Councillor Salvador of Ward Metis and Councillor Knack of Ward Nakota Isga to put forward a motion that will fund desperately needed solutions to this issue. The funding will allow us to:
Create a dedicated office to deal with problem properties
- This means the City would dedicate staff and funding for a team to carry out the actions that are laid out in the Problem Properties Initiative Action Plan and support communities in dealing with identified properties.
- Though it would not necessarily be a physical space, the office would be a centralized point of contact for citizens and property owners.
Extend the Community Property Safety Team pilot
- Using authority under the fire code, this multidisciplinary team is responsible for quickly securing properties and holding landowners accountable for vacant and unsecured buildings that pose a threat to the surrounding community. The team would be able to remediate the property at the owner’s cost. This model is based on the City of Surrey’s highly successful Distressed Properties program.
Tougher accountabilities for derelict property owners
We heard that problem properties can take a long time to get under control and often result in multiple emergency calls to one location during the process. We must acknowledge that problem properties take resources from multiple agencies and represent a major resource sink. Council has asked administration to develop a report that outlines options to:
Tax derelict property owners
- A bylaw could be created to define new tax subclasses for derelict residential and non-residential properties and tax them at a higher rate. This would see slum landlords and derelict property owners paying more of their fair share of emergency service costs as well as making it more expensive to allow their properties to fall into disrepair.
Streamline the process of demolition
- The most lasting solution to dealing with a problem property is demolition. I was happy to support Cllr Stevenson’s motion that will revisit a pilot project that explored redeveloping problem properties as affordable housing. I love this solution because it doubles the positive effects by solving two problems at once!
We have the ideas and solutions to create safe and beautiful neighbourhoods where communities can thrive. I can assure you that I take the issue of problem properties very seriously, and will do everything in my power to make sure that we end their emotional and financial toll.
See more on problem properties from Councillor Salvador here
Report problem properties here
