Vancouver’s illegal rental houses reminiscent of Hong Kong’s coffin apartments

Vancouver's illegal rental houses are drawing comparisons to Hong Kong's infamous coffin apartments. A new city councillor and former tenant advocate, Stephanie Smith, expressed regret over the discovery of a Vancouver home subdivided into 21 rooms, housing at least 17 tenants. The property, near Commercial Drive, was fined $90,000 for failing to maintain the rental property in compliance with health, safety, and housing standards, and for performing unpermitted renovations and changes to electrical and plumbing systems.

Smith highlighted that such practices are not unique to Vancouver, as similar situations have been observed in other buildings she has represented. The Residential Tenancy Branch also ordered the landlords to pay $85,000 for the first violation and $5,000 for the second. Despite the hefty fine, the rental home's potential monthly income was estimated at $11,000, making the fine equivalent to about eight months of revenue for the landlords.

Simon Fraser University's city program director, Andy Yan, likened the situation to Hong Kong's coffin apartments, which were essentially wooden boxes with a single bed. Yan emphasized the need for local governments to prevent landlords from engaging in these practices and to impose penalties that serve as a deterrent rather than a cost of doing business.