Council debates rental suites in smaller homes

Zoning amendment would allow suites in semi-detached, duplex, row housing

Keith LaRoy and his wife love their home in the old neighbourhood of Eastwood near the Coliseum with its tree-lined streets.

But if there was one thing he could change about the home he’s owned for five years, it would be this: rent out his basement suite.

At a lunch break during the urban committee meeting Tuesday, LaRoy told reporters that under the zoning bylaw, he is not allowed to rent out his basement suite.

“We haven’t rented it out even though our tax assessment comes back and we have to pay taxes on a lower level suite,” he said. “We are paying taxes on something that we could rent out and would be a huge help on our mortgage.”

Councillors debated amendments to a zoning bylaw that will allow for the development of secondary suites in single detached houses on smaller lots, semi-detached, duplex and row housing.

The proposed amendment will come up for public hearing toward the end of the summer.

Ward 10 Coun. Michael Walters said he sees secondary suites in semi-detached duplex housing and row housing only getting more popular as time goes by.

“It’s a housing type that already exists to a large extent, so in some ways we’d be legalizing it and in some ways it helps with affordability in the city where housing is seemingly less affordable,” he said.

One of the main concerns surrounding these types of housing is whether they meet safety requirements and the fire code.

“We have illegal suites that need to be brought into compliance,” Walters said.

Anne Stevenson, senior planner with the city, said about seven to eight per cent of semi-detached homes have suites in them. For every one suite that had a permit, she said approximately three did not.

However, the issue is not without controversy.

Ward 3 Coun. Jon Dziadyk said row housing or semi-attached housing would mean the same amount of space is now shared by more people.

“For those who want small apartments and they want to be around transit, there’s appropriate places within the City of Edmonton around transit routes,” he said.

“So when we hear from students who think this is more affordable and they want basement suites, my interpretation is affordable, adequate housing and living in the basement isn’t the standard we should be shooting for. I think we can do better for Edmontonians.”

Walters, on the other hand, said this kind of housing would not only give those who cannot afford it a chance to live in a mature neighbourhood, but also allows for families to live together.