Dave Montpetit says he and his neighbours are already dreading another spring and summer season because of what it means for their otherwise quiet and picturesque Kelowna, B.C., neighbourhood.
“Parties, noise, sex on the pool deck, nudity on the pool deck, tour buses pulling up with people getting in and out,” the frustrated resident said when recapping some of the problems his Upper Mission neighbourhood has been experiencing.
The unwanted activity stems from a house on the street that is rented out as a short-term rental.
But what’s even more frustrating, Montpetit said, is that the owner is mostly absent, which if true, breaks both municipal and provincial rules, which stipulate the home must be a principal residence to be rented out for short-term stays.
But despite not following the rules, Montpetit said there’s been no real enforcement by the city, leaving the onus on the neighbours.
“We’re actually expected to monitor the house, we’re expected to now keep a noise log on the house, we are expected to do all sorts of things like that,” Montpetit told Global News.
But a new provincial registry will soon be launched, providing some hope that the problems will be dealt with.
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“I’m relying now on the province to do this,” Montpetit said.
According to B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, the registry will be connected to the Ministry of Finance, which collects data on whose homes are principal residences versus investment properties.
On Thursday, in an email to Global News, the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs stated, “More information about the registry will be shared very soon, including the types of documents that can be used to prove principal residence.”
The Ministry added that once a host is deemed to be non-compliant through the new registry, they will no longer be able to list their property on platforms like VRBO and Airbnb.
The city, which admits enforcement can be tricky, is also hoping the new registry helps.
“We’ve got our fair share of complaints about neighbourhood disruptions and I think there are a few bad actors that tend to spoil it for all,” said Ryan Smith, divisional director of planning and development services for the City of Kelowna.
“If the province can help municipalities help take action against those bad actors I think that would be a positive.”
Montpetit is anxious for the registry to be up and running to solve the neighbourhood problems once and for all.
“I want this eliminated and gone by this spring, if not the next couple of months,” he said.
The new registry is expected to be launched in the coming days.
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Kelowna residents hope provincial registry will eliminate illegal short-term rentals
