Plans for a “landlord school” are now underway and the City of Ottawa is aiming for September as its start date. The city is hoping this new initiative to educate and support landlords of affordable housing and rooming houses will help alleviate many of the issues stemming from problematic landlords and tenants.
According to Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Diane Deans, the rooming houses in the downtown core have been plagued with problems. One of which is the issue of drug houses.
She says the fear of tenants has sparked the city to take action to address this and other issues in the training module when the school begins.
“What the city has done effectively is try to map out a strategy, one in part that involves providing support through education and training, and another part that provides some help and information through the distribution of a publication the city has been involved in and through our Rooming House Response Team.”
Deans says the Homelessness Community Capacity Building's committee will develop the training plan and decide on a location during the summer. Some topics covered in the training module include property maintenance, eviction protection and licensing for rooming houses.
Deans, also the chair of the community and protective services committee, says it was Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes who initially a program for landlords.
Holmes says originally they wanted to make the landlord school a licensing requirement, but have chosen another route.
Deans says it is not the city’s intent to force all landlords to attend. Rather, it’s a tool it will use to handle problematic cases.
To further develop the curriculum, the city will consult the Ottawa Rental Association and the Eastern Ontario Landlord Organization.
John Dickie, chair of the Eastern Ontario Landlord Organization, says his organization welcomes the efforts made by the city to educate landlords.
Centretown tenant Mark Oswald says although he has never had any problems with his landlord, he can see the value it can have for persons who do.
The city’s priority is tenant safety says Holmes.
“Any information is helpful, and anything we can do to help landlords in regards to safety and security we’re interested in helping with.”
Deans says she is confident the program will have a positive impact for landlords and tenants.