T
The420Guy
Guest
Pubdate: Thu, 27 Jul 2000
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2000 The Province
Contact: provedpg@pacpress.southam.ca
Address: 200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada
Fax: (604) 605-2323
POT-HOME FEES RILE LANDLORDS
The head of the group representing B.C. landlords is slamming new fees levied at Vancouver
landlords whose tenants set up marijuana grow operations.
The fees -- about $510 to re-inspect properties damaged by grow-ops and to reconnect
services -- are part of an initiative by Vancouver police and city hall to punish landlords who
don't monitor their buildings.
But Al Kemp of the Apartment Owners and Property Managers Association of B.C. said the
fees are "salt in the wound" for landlords already stuck with huge bills to repair properties
damaged by grow-ops.
"I vehemently disagree with it," Kemp said last night. "We certainly don't feel we should be
stuck with added taxes.
"This should not become a cash grab for the city."
Landlords are being targeted in an attempt to shut down the estimated 4,000 marijuana grow
operations functioning in the city at any moment.
"We're trying to get them to understand that this is coming out of their pockets," said Insp.
Val Harrison of the Vancouver police.
Under the initiative, also supported by B.C. Hydro, once a grow-op is busted, power and
services to the property will be automatically shut off.
Reconnection will only occur once the landlord has proven the house is habitable and paid for
an inspection. Kemp said his group has no sympathy for the tiny percentage of landlords who
don't monitor their properties.
But he said it can be difficult for responsible landlords to inspect their properties. Under the
Residential Tenancy Act landlords can only inspect a few times a year and must give 24
hours' notice.
Those restrictions allow criminals to operate nearly unimpeded, he said.
Money generated from the fees should cover the salaries of five inspectors the city will hire.
Chris Taulu, of the Collingwood community policing centre, said the initiative is welcome
news to neighbours worried about organized crime's role in the marijuana business.
"We have to do something," she said. "My aim is to drive them out of my area."
Coun. Sam Sullivan is worried the initiative is another battle in a losing war on drugs --
driving up the price of marijuana and weeding out lesser players.
So far this year, police have busted more than 190 grow operations-- compared to 120 this
time last year.
Harrison said a house busted yesterday was typical of the homes officers are seeing -- both
floors were empty -- except for 93 marijuana plants soaking up stolen light and heat and
canisters of carbon dioxide.
Officers found a few mattresses where a grower might spend the occasional night, some
children's books, a television, VCR and heaps of Vietnamese videos.
Police are under no illusions about ending demand for marijuana. "We're hoping that we can
send a strong message and (the growers) will start looking elsewhere," Harrison said.
And I don't think police have got the answer," said Harrison.
"We're hoping that we can send a strong message and (the growers) will start looking
elsewhere."
MAP posted-by: Don Beck
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2000 The Province
Contact: provedpg@pacpress.southam.ca
Address: 200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada
Fax: (604) 605-2323
POT-HOME FEES RILE LANDLORDS
The head of the group representing B.C. landlords is slamming new fees levied at Vancouver
landlords whose tenants set up marijuana grow operations.
The fees -- about $510 to re-inspect properties damaged by grow-ops and to reconnect
services -- are part of an initiative by Vancouver police and city hall to punish landlords who
don't monitor their buildings.
But Al Kemp of the Apartment Owners and Property Managers Association of B.C. said the
fees are "salt in the wound" for landlords already stuck with huge bills to repair properties
damaged by grow-ops.
"I vehemently disagree with it," Kemp said last night. "We certainly don't feel we should be
stuck with added taxes.
"This should not become a cash grab for the city."
Landlords are being targeted in an attempt to shut down the estimated 4,000 marijuana grow
operations functioning in the city at any moment.
"We're trying to get them to understand that this is coming out of their pockets," said Insp.
Val Harrison of the Vancouver police.
Under the initiative, also supported by B.C. Hydro, once a grow-op is busted, power and
services to the property will be automatically shut off.
Reconnection will only occur once the landlord has proven the house is habitable and paid for
an inspection. Kemp said his group has no sympathy for the tiny percentage of landlords who
don't monitor their properties.
But he said it can be difficult for responsible landlords to inspect their properties. Under the
Residential Tenancy Act landlords can only inspect a few times a year and must give 24
hours' notice.
Those restrictions allow criminals to operate nearly unimpeded, he said.
Money generated from the fees should cover the salaries of five inspectors the city will hire.
Chris Taulu, of the Collingwood community policing centre, said the initiative is welcome
news to neighbours worried about organized crime's role in the marijuana business.
"We have to do something," she said. "My aim is to drive them out of my area."
Coun. Sam Sullivan is worried the initiative is another battle in a losing war on drugs --
driving up the price of marijuana and weeding out lesser players.
So far this year, police have busted more than 190 grow operations-- compared to 120 this
time last year.
Harrison said a house busted yesterday was typical of the homes officers are seeing -- both
floors were empty -- except for 93 marijuana plants soaking up stolen light and heat and
canisters of carbon dioxide.
Officers found a few mattresses where a grower might spend the occasional night, some
children's books, a television, VCR and heaps of Vietnamese videos.
Police are under no illusions about ending demand for marijuana. "We're hoping that we can
send a strong message and (the growers) will start looking elsewhere," Harrison said.
And I don't think police have got the answer," said Harrison.
"We're hoping that we can send a strong message and (the growers) will start looking
elsewhere."
MAP posted-by: Don Beck
