Subsidies for Tenants or Landlords?

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how subsidizing landlords in British Columbia could lead to the development of housing which is still unaffordable for the city's poor. The paper relates that a property owner could use the subsidy to his or her own advantage and even if the owner builds a housing complex, it will only be useful to a handful of people. The paper maintains that for those in need to actually receive the benefits, the rental subsidies must go to the needy individuals themselves.

From the Paper:

"In the case of either subsidizing tenants directly compared to subsidizing landlords in order to build more affordable rental housing units, one must inevitably side with subsidizing the tenants. This is primarily because subsidizing private landlords in BC is unwise owing to the province's particular rental situation. British Columbia is characterized by a "lack of affordable housing" (TRAC, "Tenants Group Warns..") and "private market rental housing (which) is only being built for the highest earning renters in the province" (ibid). The affect, therefore, is that subsidizing landlords in BC could very possibly lead to the development of housing which is still unaffordable for the city's poor. In order to ensure it is those in need of affordable rental housing who receive the benefit of subsidies, the subsidies must go to the individuals in need - not the governing owner who may use the subsidy to his or her own advantage."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Doyle, Simon. "Liberals Accused of Leaving Housing Out in the Cold." Capital News Online. March 4, 2005. Date accessed: February 15, 2007. Available: http://temagami.carleton.ca/jmc/cnews/04032005/n2.shtml
• "Tenants Group Warns that Rental Allowances Will Only Worsen Affordable Housing Crisis in BC." TRAC (Tenant's Rights Action Coalition). February 3, 2006. Date accessed: February 15, 2007. Available: http://www.tenants.bc.ca/bulletin/Feb1--rent%20supplements.pdf
• "About TRAC". TRAC (Tenant's Rights Action Coalition). Date accessed: February 15, 2007. Available: http://www.tenants.bc.ca/abouttrac/index.html

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