FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2025
Legal Advocates Warn Against Calls to Strip Supportive Housing Tenants of Rights
Unceded territories of the ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations – The Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) is raising serious concerns over renewed calls to exempt supportive housing from the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) following recent incidents involving tenant safety.
“While public safety is critically important, removing tenants in supportive housing from the protections of the RTA would be a dangerous step backward,” says Danielle Sabelli, lawyer at CLAS. “Tenants in supportive housing are among the most marginalized in our communities. Removing their legal rights doesn’t increase safety, it increases vulnerability.”
The Residential Tenancy Act provides essential protections for tenants, including due process, notice before eviction, and the right to dispute resolution through the Residential Tenancy Branch. These safeguards apply to all renters in BC, and they are particularly important for people facing complex challenges such as poverty, disability, and trauma.
In a recent open letter, Pacifica Housing called for urgent changes to how supportive housing is regulated. While CLAS acknowledges the safety concerns raised, it cautions against solutions that rely on reducing tenant rights.
“Supportive housing providers already have tools under both the RTA and the Criminal Code to address threats to safety,” adds Sabelli. “The answer isn’t to remove protections.”
CLAS works with tenants across British Columbia who are navigating supportive housing. Clear legal rights are essential to stability and safety, and must be protected for all tenants, regardless of housing type.
“We can and must protect both safety and rights,” says Jacqui Mendes, CLAS Executive Director. “Removing legal safeguards is not reform. It’s regression.”
CLAS is available for comment and welcomes media inquiries.
Media Contact:
Jacqui Mendes, Executive Director
(604) 366-5588 | [email protected]
Community Legal Assistance Society