Windsor allows for permit-free basement apartments

By Kacie Cooper

After almost an hour of discussion at Monday night’s City Council meeting, a majority vote was in favor of allowing homeowners to create second dwellings in their home without first needing a permit.

The change in bylaws and zoning will allow homeowners to create apartments within their homes and rent them out, which according to city council will help with the shortage of affordable housing options.

The vote was unanimous except for Ward One councillor Fred Francis, who was in favour of the need for permits to create second dwellings. He said he believes the over intensification within areas surrounding Windsor’s post-secondary campuses is already an issue.

“It’s a concern of a number of residents in these areas,” said Francis. “I think neighbours and residents should have a say when it comes to this body [second units] and for that reason alone I will not support the motion.”

Councillor Chris Holt on the other hand, said he “wholeheartedly supports” the decision to allow homeowners to build these second dwellings within their home, especially if it means less money for the city to spend.

“I think this is a long time coming not only for the amazing reasons that we’ve heard from the delegates tonight… that are important to have in a well thriving municipality, but also for the benefits that it’s going to bring to the city as a whole,” said Holt. “This will be increasing our residential intensification in the city and will bring in more people to use the existing infrastructure we have including transportation, amenities, libraries, community centres, all within close proximity.”

According to city council administration, there have been studies showing the benefits of using existing infrastructure for new housing options and the planning department has been trying to negotiate the pros and cons of this kind of additional unit for a number of years.

“We know that this will take some time to operationalize,” said Chair of the Housing Advisory Committee, Marina Clemens, during her presentation opposing the policy that would force homeowners to first apply for a permit before being allowed to create a second unit within their homes.

“However, we also know that Windsor is experiencing a rental housing crisis and a secondary suite, in our mind, offers another option that could assist in providing affordable rental units for people in our community.”

But Ward Two resident, Caroline Taylor, said although proponents of this policy could result in great things, including addressing the shortage of affordable housing and aid those wanting to own a home by adding a second income, she believes it is an easy solution that will only lead to more long term problems.

She then posed a scenario for council, describing a young couple buying a home and then turning the basement into an apartment to supplement their income. They eventually move and a landlord buys the property and rents out both units. No longer being an owner occupied home, the property is not cared for and soon single family homes in the area drop in value. Eventually, other homeowners on the block move and those houses also get bought up and turned into multi-unit dwellings and the problem continues.

“I give to you Windsor’s university neighbourhood. For years the area around the university was a beautiful place to live. Not now,” said Taylor, explaining that most of the homes had been split and rented out. “And because of no inspections or inforced property standards, the student renting these properties are being totally taken advantage of. Some don’t even know what standards are.”

Taylor said inspections of rental properties have to be complaint driven but no one wants to complain because these tenants are afraid of eviction or their rent going up.

“It’s well known that the city has a shortage of affordable housing, but who’s to say these new units will be affordable,” said Taylor. “Leaving the problem of affordable housing for the landlords to fix is ridiculous. Landlords will ask as much as anyone is willing to pay.”

Taylor believes the city needs to build more geared to income properties and give more to subsidized housing, as well as give even more incentives to developers to build large apartment buildings in the core. She said property and building standards need to be enforced.

“The citizens of this city deserve no less.”