Tenants Against Rent Control

May 1982

On April 17, libertarian activists Paul Geddes and Robin Gillespie announced the formation of Tenants Against Rent Control (TARC).

"Although some people believe that rent control benefits the poor," said Geddes, "we believe that there is adequate evidence to the contrary, that rent control actually constitutes a major threat to the survival of affordable decent rental housing."

The scarcity of low rent housing and the trend towards the conversion of rental units to condominiums is an unfortunate consequence of rent controls says TARC.

Five reasons are specifically cited for TARC's opposition to rent control:

1. Rent control hinders the building of new rental housing.

2. Rent control results in the deterioration of the present rental accommodation stock.

3. Rent controls have resulted in the permanent low-vacancy rate for Vancouver.

4. Rent controls have added uncertainty to tenants' lives because now tenants must rely on the benevolence of their landlords and hope that he does not act in his own self-interest and find a more profitable use for his property.

5. Rent control has allowed politicians to prey on the short term interests of voters with financial troubles by offering temporary bribes (lower rents) but trapping constituents into a long term permanent housing shortage.

TARC calls for "the removal of government restrictions which prevent the market from offering solutions to the perceived housing shortage." The repeal of rent control, elimination of the red tape involved in construction and the relaxation of zoning regulations would greatly improve the situation.

Tenants Against Rent Control has an impressive Board of Advisors consisting of the Fraser Institute's Michael Walker and Walter Block, Simon Fraser University economics professor Herbert Grubel and Globe & Mail columnist Richard Needham.

To date press coverage has included a front page story in The Vancouver Province, articles in two community newspapers and an interview on CKVU-TV's Vancouver Show.

Persons interested in joining TARC or learning more about it can contact Paul Geddes at 689-5260 or write to:

Tenants Against Rent Control
906-1640 Alberni Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1A7