Homeowners Mobilize to Increase Public Input on Windsor’s Future Lodging House Policies


Press Release:

Homeowners Mobilize to Increase Public Input on Windsor’s Future Lodging House Policies

(Windsor, ON - April 5, 2012) A group of concerned homeowners is mobilizing to bring more attention to Windsor’s on-going review of lodging policies.  The city held two lodging house sessions last week at City Hall for public input on but some West End homeowners are planning their own meetings to ensure that the city's plans adequately reflect the views of all taxpayers.  The policy review was initiated by City Council to address long-standing problems (such as noise, trash, and illegal parking) in neighbourhoods with a large and growing proportion of rental units.

The city had set a deadline of April 12, 2012 for public comments on future policies related to lodging houses in residential areas.  The short comment period was seen by many homeowners as insufficient to allow the City to gather comments from residents in all areas of the city who could be impacted.  This includes the areas around the University of Windsor and St. Clair College, bordering areas, and the downtown area with its new university and college facilities.  After an urgent request from a concerned homeowner, Windsor City Council on Monday extended the deadline to April 30th.  

To ensure the City has the benefit of a fuller range of public comments, the West End homeowners have organized their own meeting to gather more public input at 7 PM April 10, 2012 at Bedford United Church in Old Sandwich Town.  The information displays and comment forms available at the City’s meeting will be provided at this meeting.  The homeowners will also present additional important information on the issue.  All completed comment forms will be gathered and presented to the city by the meeting organizers.  More meetings in other areas of Windsor will be organized by the same group according to the interest received.

Other municipalities have licensed rental properties since 2009.  If Windsor had done so at the same time, the city could have collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in the intervening years to fully fund enforcement and inspection.  This reasonable response to a clearly evident problem would have surely improved safety, cleanliness and the quality of life for all tenants across the City, especially the students living off-campus around the University of Windsor and St. Clair College. 
In a study done in 2008, Windsor said it was too onerous. We Disagree.

For further information contact
Gary Langill at meetapril10@gmail.com

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