Klein to double down on derelict homes

Kevin Klein, a mayoral candidate in Winnipeg, has pledged to address the issue of derelict and vacant homes in the city. If elected, Klein plans to set strict timelines for owners to clean up vacant properties or face heavy fines and potential expropriation. Owners would have six months after a property becomes vacant to file an action plan for repairs, renovations, or demolition by the one-year mark.

The city would also seek permission from the province to take ownership of empty properties sooner, a process currently overseen by the city for 829 structures, including 656 residential and 173 commercial properties. Klein emphasizes that vacant buildings pose significant risks, including fires and crime, citing the charred remains of a home on Alexander Avenue as an example.

He outlines a plan to charge owners a higher fee if a property remains empty for more than two years, with the fee tripling after three years. Payments would be applied to property tax bills. Klein expects his strategy to generate more revenue than it costs, reducing emergency response expenses. Another candidate, Mike Vogiatzakis, proposes converting a warehouse into 100 tiny apartments to provide transitional housing for the homeless and those battling addiction.

Vogiatzakis estimates the project would cost $13.55 million to build and $7.6 million annually, seeking public and private funding. Lastly, Don Woodstock, a third candidate, aims to ban city councillors from using ward allowances for personal promotion, reserving the fund for community programs and grassroots initiatives.