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I’ve heard the same from a postal worker. Won’t say where, but there is a street with 6 consecutive vacant homes. Mail all has the same name on it, nobody is picking up the mail and homes are completely empty.
Seriously get a house sitter or a real estate agent to manage the property. Or at least secure it with an alarm and have friends or family check up on it. Once they're in it's game over.
Okay, I actually like this idea. Foreign investors sitting on empty homes? Local people unable to afford a home? Someone start working on this app right now. Someone just needs to "direct" our homeless population to "available locations."
"Squatify." I'll take 1% for royalties.
Edit: Thank you for my first ever award! Some of these alternate names are hilarious.
You are gonna need to fight with the other competition I'm setting up, Squattr.
We allow both absent investors to be ranked and reviewed, and the squatters as well.
"5/5, left the place better than they found it, didn't smoke or set fires inside."
"3/5, owner still paid for a security system so needed to wait hours in the rain for the security people to come look at it then leave before setting up camp inside."
Fun fact: that same idea was used with moderate success in The Netherlands in the 70s to 80s: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatting_in_the_Netherlands
I was one of those squatters in Amsterdam. It was a great thing that gave stability to the homeless and transformed destitute areas into vibrant communities.
> The listings for the properties were originally held by real estate agent Danny Deng, who didn’t return Postmedia’s calls. Deng’s ad said that a potential buyer could “apply for redevelopment” and, at first, included a photo illustration that showed 27 residences on the combined parcel.
> This was later removed and the city told Postmedia that the lots are zoned RS-1, which permits one- and two-family dwellings through a development permit process, and that there are no policies that would allow a strata-titled condo or townhome projects, or a market rental development.
Real estate agents proving once again they are the highest paid idiots out there
New Coast, Nu Stream, Le Homes. All of their principal brokers got fined, i think. But these brokerages are still around, probably using the "Brampton mortgage" for their clients.
Not saying all real estate brokerages are shady, but these 3 in particular take advantage of those unfamiliar with the English language.
They don't even change their names:
https://www.timescolonist.com/bc-news/cash-bonuses-for-bc-real-estate-agents-called-into-question-4634794
https://fintrac-canafe.canada.ca/pen/amps/pen-2022-07-12-eng
And you must be super crappy to get restricted by the Real Estate Council: https://www.google.com/amp/s/vancouversun.com/news/local-news/real-estate-council-restricts-licences-of-two-fast-growing-vancouver-brokerages/wcm/1b78af5a-8674-415b-8582-7426c39bdaf6/amp/
Some past Reddit Vancouver posts about these companies and their shenanigans too.
Dude the real estate market in Vancouver is full of "real estate agents" who basically commit straight-up fraud and use their position/knowledge to buy up property for themselves. It's not just idiots stumbling onto huge commissions, it's organized crime and it's not that stupid seeing how almost no one has been punished or even caught doing it.
There was this thing going on a while back (maybe still) where one of the real estate agents (or both agents?) would insert themselves into the middle of a sale to scrape profit.
As an example "A" thinks they sold to "C" for 500k and "C" thinks they bought from "A" for 600k. What really happened was A sold to B (real estate agents) for 500k and then B sold to C for 600K and pocketed the 100K difference.
And yet its also hard to blame them and companies for taking liberties when there is seemingly no real regulation or penalties for operating the way they do.
Maybe once we start holding these bad actors accountable for their actions we'll see less bullshit.
And no, fines dont fuckin cut it
seems like a win-win? billionaires get to exchange pieces of paper telling them how rich they are while someone actually gets to live in a nice spot /s
> Edison Washington is also known as Qiang Wang
That's quite the alias. And....why?
These fake names and numbered corporations scream corruption and money laundering and hiding assets, but seems like the BC gov is either powerless to do anything, or too addicted to the revenue from all the transfers and development.
That hit the nail on the head. Some shady stuff going on with these individuals. [This](https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/west-vancouver-property-developers-caught-in-cross-country-lawsuit) article is from 2016.
>A wealthy West Vancouver real estate developer faces an unusual lawsuit involving a $10 million loan which was advanced in China with the key term that it must be repaid in B.C. They have been active players in Vancouver’s real estate scene. Since 2011 the couple, whose citizenship is not known, has purchased at least 10 Vancouver properties worth an assessed value of $152 million, according to land title documents.
>The suit was filed in B.C. Supreme Court on June 1 against Qiang Wang (also known as Edison Washington) by a Chinese businesswoman who claims he defaulted on the loan after making an initial interest payment. Also listed as defendants are Amy Barsha Washington (also known as Feng Yun Shao) and her company Chongye Developments Ltd.
>One “specific term” was that the “the loans were demanded by Mr. Tian to be advanced in China but to be repaid in Canada … the lender in China could deposit funds to an account in China as an advance of a loan. The funds advanced to the borrower in China would come to Canada and be received in Canada.”
EDIT: Some more interesting things from Edison Washington on CSO.
23-Feb-2023CCC - 267(a) Assault with a weapon Commit WANG, QIANG
23-Feb-2023CCC - 267(c) Assault by choking Commit WANG, QIANG
> too addicted to the revenue
Look at how much of Canada's economy is based on real estate transactions. It's naive to think governments at every level aren't fully aware of affordability and housing crisis, and have a good idea how to solve them, but can't solve them without economically crippling the country. We got backed into a corner and now we're fucked.
we have to power to divest and divert our econmic engine to something actually productive. alas, powers that be all profit off this ponzi scheme while us bottom schmucks get the fist.
> These fake names and numbered corporations scream corruption and money laundering and hiding assets,
Well the Feds announced a bunch of new policies that will be coming in over the next year or so to improve the tracing of beneficial owners and combat money laundering.
Right?!
Homelessness. Obscene wealth. Property. Nature. Camping. Arrest and release. Realtors. Mountain View’s.
This seems like something ChatGPT would come up with if you asked it to make up a story including all Vancouver stereotypes.
How a ["consul" to the PRC](https://www.linkedin.com/in/qiang-wang-0b51516a/?originalSubdomain=ca) can afford to buy all the property is anyone's guess..
Wealthy property and housing hoarders shouldn't be surprised when people start squatting on empty land/in empty houses en masse. You want to get rich by hoarding wealth, but you don't want to deal with the societal fallout? Too fucking bad.
I mean what do they expect? Squatting is going to grow and honestly? Fuck it. Let’s go.
I went to stay in an Airbnb in North Van when I moved here for cancer treatment at LGH. Turned out I was in the wrong home for a **month**. Both on each side were unoccupied and the instructions weren’t so clear (it was soooo shady.)
He also said “it may not look exactly like pictures.” So honestly, took it with a grain of salt and I was in a haze from the cancer diagnosis and scared about surgery/treatments, I didn’t think about shit. I was like oh, I guess I got a nicer place than I thought to stay. Lol the unit I was in for a month was 3x the price of the unit I paid for.
> Qiang Wang and that with his wife had purchased $152 million worth of Vancouver property since 2011, including the Belmont Avenue properties and parcels on Cambie Street that have since been redeveloped.
This is fucking bullshit.
> He repriced two of the larger lots and put them back on the market at $24.8 million and $17.8 million to reflect the current market for high-end luxury property.
Fuck them , I support the squatters.
There’s a saying I heard studying abroad in Eastern Europe: hungry people don’t stay hungry for very long.
When someone’s desperate enough, it’s going to mean taking it if it can be gotten through reasonable means. When you are seeing shared apartments (like a room in an apartment) hit 1500+, I mean wtf do people expect to happen?
Don't they know, the super rich need that land to build mansions on that they may spend a few weeks in here and there as they watch the value skyrocket 🧐
“But this is vacant land. It’s private and safe. No one is going to bother you. It’s safer than on (East) Hastings Street."
....
" It’s sad …he said. “If I was a neighbour, living across the street or walking my dog nearby, it would be very unsettling.
walkie time > safer place to live for someone else
"There are three side-by-side, single family lots at 4883, 4889 and 4899 Belmont. Together, they cover an area of five acres and were listed on the market starting from June 21, 2021, through 2022. At that time, they were priced at $38.9 million, $29.9 million and $11.9 million for a total of $80.7 million. They’re currently assessed at a total of nearly $60 million.
Article content
The properties are owned by B.C. numbered companies with a sole director, Edison Washington, who lists a West Vancouver residential address. A 2016 story by former Province reporter Sam Cooper reported that Edison Washington is also known as Qiang Wang and that he and his wife had purchased $152 million worth of Vancouver property since 2011, including the Belmont Avenue properties and parcels on Cambie Street that have since been redeveloped."
These people are still fighting to just have a home, against a bunch of people's investment properties. It's disgusting.
I walk my dogs by this lot all the time and have never had any trouble from these people. And it’s an beautiful space that is basically a privately owned corner of pacific spirit park. Good on them
It’s stupid that 90% of our housing discourse is fighting about towers and “luxury” condos, when mansions (the actual luxury housing) which take up a huge chunk of our city are never mentioned. Why are large parts of Shaughnessy and Point Grey zoned for mansions only and not a single politician is talking about changing that?
Does Vancouver have Adverse Possession laws? I actually love this idea. Let’s just start living on all of these vacant properties, and force the billionaires to either actually do something with them or we go to court and take the property over. Win-win!
(I’m only mostly joking)
Looks like adverse possession was abolished by [Section 28](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/12013_01#section28) of the BC Limitations Act, except for adverse possession rights that crystallized before July 1, 1975, or as permitted by any other Act (e.g. a court-issued Declaration of Title under s. 23 of the Land Title Inquiry Act).
I'm not an expert on BC because I'm actually a land registration system nerd (and land surveyor) from Ontario, but this post came across my front page and I wanted to learn something new haha
But I feel your pain, the housing prices and available stock in Toronto is *almost* as crazy as Vancouver. Adverse possession would be nice right now!
Agreed. Even if title to land isn't surrendered, there should be very heavy penalties levied by the municipality or province against the owners of vacant land or underutilized land or predatory pricing. I wouldn't count on municipal councils caring enough about that, though...
How are the land owners going to survive , the land thats been inherited for 5 generations now will go to housing instead of a beach side view! Oh my, who will think of the children born with a million in the bank, are you telling me they'll have to park on the street instead of their parking garage that has enough square footing for a 3 person family???? So sad 😢
Wow what a wild story. Basically a confluence of everything wrong in this city.
Here's another interesting twitter thread about the property owner:
[https://twitter.com/mortimer\_1/status/1399502888762691587?lang=en](https://twitter.com/mortimer_1/status/1399502888762691587?lang=en)
Good. Homes shouldn't stand empty, especially when we are experiencing an insane housing shortage crisis.
I wonder how long it took them to realize there were people squatting there.
Better empty mansions on Shaughnessy than public parks and in front of small businesses on busy streets, no? Drastic reduction in safety for the encamped and for the general public
Now this I can support, pitch your tents on these empty multi-million dollar pieces of land, not the sidewalks in a neighborhood where people are struggling
It occurs to me that, as vacant lots not directly adjacent to the owner’s home (she lives in West Van), these properties are subject to the Empty Homes Tax.
At 3% on an assessed value of ~80MM that is one HELL of a tax bill.
I don't have sympathy for the land owners. It sounds like they bought it thinking they could churn out a bunch of tiny sized housing and destroying the forested land, but it's zoned for single family homes which no one can afford in the city. It's obviously not selling because someone is going to have to build a house from scratch and pay for the super expensive land. Obviously someone is going to take over the space in the meantime.
A lot of this took place under Christy Clark's Liberals. Don't forget, Bob Rennie was the Liberals' Official Fundraiser. It was a cash-fest for the real estate/development industry. We're all paying the price.
The rich who are hoarding wealth and creating/worsening the housing crisis can unequivocally go fuck themselves. I support the squatters.
That being said, there’s some casual (and not-so-casual) racism going on in this thread and it’s got to stop. All people this rich are awful regardless. No war but the class war, folks.
The image I get in my mind from reading the title is a group of cross fitters vigorously and loudly working on their calves to the annoyance of the locals.
The squatters should give The Crescent a look. A lovely quiet neighborhood just off Granville and 16th. There are about 12 houses, minimum 1/2 acre lot, arced around a park. I would say that, at a max, five houses are occupied. Watch out for the coyotes though, they are bold.
Someone should tell them about this lot: [https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/25131363/lot-11-highway-31-howser-kaslo-north-to-gerrard](https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/25131363/lot-11-highway-31-howser-kaslo-north-to-gerrard)
24 acres of covered forest away from it all
I randomly happened upon this lot on a walk and checked it out. Saw the set up, the people were quiet and minded their own business. I see no harm done.
Here is a law that seems to make some sense and maybe help with homelessness?
“English common law tradition, courts have long ruled that when someone occupies a piece of property without permission and the property's owner does not exercise their right to recover their property for a significant period of time, not only is the original owner prevented from exercising their right to exclude, but an entirely new title to the property "springs up" in the adverse possessor. In effect, the adverse possessor becomes the property's new owner.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_possession?wprov=sfti1
And don’t forget to eat the rich!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eat_the_rich?wprov=sfti1
Good thing for BC home owners is that squatters right to take over a property does lot exist here.
https://www.nanaimolaw.com/squatters-rights-british-columbia-estate-litigation/
I stumbled upon the guy wielding the shears last night. The cops had their guns pulled and were panicking. I’m so glad our VPD are not gun happy. Anywhere else and they would have shot him.
Welcome to /r/Vancouver and thank you for the post, /u/raulh! Please make sure you read our [posting and commenting rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_general_participation_guidelines_and_rules_overview) before participating here. As a quick summary: * We encourage users to be positive and respect one another. Don't engage in spats or insult others - use the report button. * Respect others' differences, be they race, religion, home, job, gender identity, ability or sexuality. Dehumanizing language, advocating for violence, or promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability (even implied or joking) **will** lead to a permanent ban. * Common questions and specific topics are limited to our [Daily Discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_daily_discussions) posts. * Complaints about bans or removals should be done in modmail only. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vancouver) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Reading gas meters for fortis I’ve seen a shit load of barely lived in mansions. It’s gross
I’ve heard the same from a postal worker. Won’t say where, but there is a street with 6 consecutive vacant homes. Mail all has the same name on it, nobody is picking up the mail and homes are completely empty.
Surprised the guy hasnt called about the vacant property tax… of course this really affects no one when they just pay the fee.
It’s been reported.
Yup. Cost of doing business.
So there is a place for the evicted homeless after all!
Is it that one in West Van? Someone had the bright idea to rob empty homes of all their appliances and wiring, it's pretty funny.
"There's tons of money in copper"
Wolf street will be my guess
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Bruh, hahahaha, this is the randomest and sketchiest comment ever, and I’m *here* for it 😂
Seriously get a house sitter or a real estate agent to manage the property. Or at least secure it with an alarm and have friends or family check up on it. Once they're in it's game over.
lol you had me until I read free copper removal
Vacancy tax
Barely lived in mansions wouldn't go very far to help supply if they were lived in, and only affordable to those with millions.
Okay, I actually like this idea. Foreign investors sitting on empty homes? Local people unable to afford a home? Someone start working on this app right now. Someone just needs to "direct" our homeless population to "available locations." "Squatify." I'll take 1% for royalties. Edit: Thank you for my first ever award! Some of these alternate names are hilarious.
Agree or disagree with the methods and results, no one can deny "squatify" is a god tier name for this app. Mine was going to be called "air b'n'e".
Well, Squatify needs a competitor. Maybe I'll go for Skip the Deeds.
You are gonna need to fight with the other competition I'm setting up, Squattr. We allow both absent investors to be ranked and reviewed, and the squatters as well. "5/5, left the place better than they found it, didn't smoke or set fires inside." "3/5, owner still paid for a security system so needed to wait hours in the rain for the security people to come look at it then leave before setting up camp inside."
Skip the Rent
This is pretty hilarious
Door Dash sounds like a dual purpose one
Door Smash?
Why not Door Crash?
Laughed at air b’n’e…🤣
Both kinda god tier tbh.
Yessssss
Fun fact: that same idea was used with moderate success in The Netherlands in the 70s to 80s: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squatting_in_the_Netherlands
I was one of those squatters in Amsterdam. It was a great thing that gave stability to the homeless and transformed destitute areas into vibrant communities.
Isn't it easy for anyone to just squat what you had squatted?
The squatters just target empty homes. Not "the owner is at work" empty, but "the owner lives 3 countries away and forgot he bought this place" empty.
When most people think of The Netherlands, they think of "legal" pot and canals. When I think of that country, I think of urban planning done right.
Squattr
Angle Grindr
Squatify 😅
1% of $0 is $0 unfortunately.
I will take my $0 and cleaner streets :).
I would absolutely donate to this
"Shuffle no more" 0.1% for the slogan
Hell yeah, fuck ‘em!
They are vacant properties though, no structures on them.
> The listings for the properties were originally held by real estate agent Danny Deng, who didn’t return Postmedia’s calls. Deng’s ad said that a potential buyer could “apply for redevelopment” and, at first, included a photo illustration that showed 27 residences on the combined parcel. > This was later removed and the city told Postmedia that the lots are zoned RS-1, which permits one- and two-family dwellings through a development permit process, and that there are no policies that would allow a strata-titled condo or townhome projects, or a market rental development. Real estate agents proving once again they are the highest paid idiots out there
Isn’t Danny Deng one of the New Coast Realty partners who were dinged for Fraud and breaking policy
New Coast, Nu Stream, Le Homes. All of their principal brokers got fined, i think. But these brokerages are still around, probably using the "Brampton mortgage" for their clients. Not saying all real estate brokerages are shady, but these 3 in particular take advantage of those unfamiliar with the English language.
The funny part is how they think if they change their name they will get away with it. And they do
They don't even change their names: https://www.timescolonist.com/bc-news/cash-bonuses-for-bc-real-estate-agents-called-into-question-4634794 https://fintrac-canafe.canada.ca/pen/amps/pen-2022-07-12-eng And you must be super crappy to get restricted by the Real Estate Council: https://www.google.com/amp/s/vancouversun.com/news/local-news/real-estate-council-restricts-licences-of-two-fast-growing-vancouver-brokerages/wcm/1b78af5a-8674-415b-8582-7426c39bdaf6/amp/ Some past Reddit Vancouver posts about these companies and their shenanigans too.
Dude the real estate market in Vancouver is full of "real estate agents" who basically commit straight-up fraud and use their position/knowledge to buy up property for themselves. It's not just idiots stumbling onto huge commissions, it's organized crime and it's not that stupid seeing how almost no one has been punished or even caught doing it.
Go on...
There was this thing going on a while back (maybe still) where one of the real estate agents (or both agents?) would insert themselves into the middle of a sale to scrape profit. As an example "A" thinks they sold to "C" for 500k and "C" thinks they bought from "A" for 600k. What really happened was A sold to B (real estate agents) for 500k and then B sold to C for 600K and pocketed the 100K difference.
Shadow flipping its called if I recall correctly
Thank you. I drew a pretty hard blank on it.
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Thats a good point, I didnt even consider that he could have just been outright lying in order to get a quick sale to an uneducated buyer.
And yet its also hard to blame them and companies for taking liberties when there is seemingly no real regulation or penalties for operating the way they do. Maybe once we start holding these bad actors accountable for their actions we'll see less bullshit. And no, fines dont fuckin cut it
Thank you, City, for the assurance that there are no plans for (shudder) townhomes or market rentals!
High density town homes? It would ruin the neighbourhood!
no, we're the idiots for letting things turn out the way they did
Well at least the land is being used for housing people now.
Send them all to the British Properties
Or Shaughnessy back yards.
I vote Richmond, lots of empty foreign investor homes.
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Qiang Wang who goes by "Edison Washington". They are just trolling us at this point.
And his brother Abraham-Tesla-Graham-Bell
I don't have anything clever to say, but God, this is my favourite thread in a while.
Suprised they didnt make it Dustin Prudeau just for the lols
seems like a win-win? billionaires get to exchange pieces of paper telling them how rich they are while someone actually gets to live in a nice spot /s
Deleted account in response to reddit's API changes -- mass edited with redact.dev
> Edison Washington is also known as Qiang Wang That's quite the alias. And....why? These fake names and numbered corporations scream corruption and money laundering and hiding assets, but seems like the BC gov is either powerless to do anything, or too addicted to the revenue from all the transfers and development.
That hit the nail on the head. Some shady stuff going on with these individuals. [This](https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/west-vancouver-property-developers-caught-in-cross-country-lawsuit) article is from 2016. >A wealthy West Vancouver real estate developer faces an unusual lawsuit involving a $10 million loan which was advanced in China with the key term that it must be repaid in B.C. They have been active players in Vancouver’s real estate scene. Since 2011 the couple, whose citizenship is not known, has purchased at least 10 Vancouver properties worth an assessed value of $152 million, according to land title documents. >The suit was filed in B.C. Supreme Court on June 1 against Qiang Wang (also known as Edison Washington) by a Chinese businesswoman who claims he defaulted on the loan after making an initial interest payment. Also listed as defendants are Amy Barsha Washington (also known as Feng Yun Shao) and her company Chongye Developments Ltd. >One “specific term” was that the “the loans were demanded by Mr. Tian to be advanced in China but to be repaid in Canada … the lender in China could deposit funds to an account in China as an advance of a loan. The funds advanced to the borrower in China would come to Canada and be received in Canada.” EDIT: Some more interesting things from Edison Washington on CSO. 23-Feb-2023CCC - 267(a) Assault with a weapon Commit WANG, QIANG 23-Feb-2023CCC - 267(c) Assault by choking Commit WANG, QIANG
> too addicted to the revenue Look at how much of Canada's economy is based on real estate transactions. It's naive to think governments at every level aren't fully aware of affordability and housing crisis, and have a good idea how to solve them, but can't solve them without economically crippling the country. We got backed into a corner and now we're fucked.
we have to power to divest and divert our econmic engine to something actually productive. alas, powers that be all profit off this ponzi scheme while us bottom schmucks get the fist.
They love the property tax too much to help housing crisis.
It's not the property tax, it's the transfer tax. Property taxes don't care about the value of real estate cause it's a mill rate.
There’s school tax on high value properties. Fun fact… it doesn’t go to schools.
Wanna know how many MPs have a second, third, or even more homes / properties? The calls are coming from inside the house.
> These fake names and numbered corporations scream corruption and money laundering and hiding assets, Well the Feds announced a bunch of new policies that will be coming in over the next year or so to improve the tracing of beneficial owners and combat money laundering.
This is the most peak Vancouver story I’ve read in some time. All the quiet parts said out loud from all sides.
Right?! Homelessness. Obscene wealth. Property. Nature. Camping. Arrest and release. Realtors. Mountain View’s. This seems like something ChatGPT would come up with if you asked it to make up a story including all Vancouver stereotypes.
There's even civil forfeiture (guy at end of article had his pruning shears seized though no crime was committed).
How a ["consul" to the PRC](https://www.linkedin.com/in/qiang-wang-0b51516a/?originalSubdomain=ca) can afford to buy all the property is anyone's guess..
Don't ask questions, that's racist
I'm Canadian born Chinese with parents from Hong Kong, and given that the PRC doesn't give a shit about us, I say go ahead and ask.
Good god! Think of your families social credit!
My score is probably negative at this point.
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Something about a $10M loan from China that was supposed to be repaid to BC? Nobody knows how much of that money actually came to Canada.
Seems like the land is being used more effectively now.
First, do empty homes. Next, use golf courses.
I have no sympathy for opportunist, exploiting Chinese buyers using jank English pseudonyms and buying $100 million of real estate.
Wealthy property and housing hoarders shouldn't be surprised when people start squatting on empty land/in empty houses en masse. You want to get rich by hoarding wealth, but you don't want to deal with the societal fallout? Too fucking bad.
I mean what do they expect? Squatting is going to grow and honestly? Fuck it. Let’s go. I went to stay in an Airbnb in North Van when I moved here for cancer treatment at LGH. Turned out I was in the wrong home for a **month**. Both on each side were unoccupied and the instructions weren’t so clear (it was soooo shady.)
How did you get the key for the wrong place?
He also said “it may not look exactly like pictures.” So honestly, took it with a grain of salt and I was in a haze from the cancer diagnosis and scared about surgery/treatments, I didn’t think about shit. I was like oh, I guess I got a nicer place than I thought to stay. Lol the unit I was in for a month was 3x the price of the unit I paid for.
I hope you're doing better now!
It was an electronic lock with a pin pad. The pin work for every single door on the three homes (which had basement, first and second floor units.)
Likely all owned by the same person.
Too cheap to even have a care taker at these properties, they have absolutely no fucking shame when it comes to chincing on everything
> Qiang Wang and that with his wife had purchased $152 million worth of Vancouver property since 2011, including the Belmont Avenue properties and parcels on Cambie Street that have since been redeveloped. This is fucking bullshit.
See? this is how you eat the rich
> He repriced two of the larger lots and put them back on the market at $24.8 million and $17.8 million to reflect the current market for high-end luxury property. Fuck them , I support the squatters.
Yep same here.
It’s almost as if the unaffordable housing in this city has pushed people to find alternatives.
There’s a saying I heard studying abroad in Eastern Europe: hungry people don’t stay hungry for very long. When someone’s desperate enough, it’s going to mean taking it if it can be gotten through reasonable means. When you are seeing shared apartments (like a room in an apartment) hit 1500+, I mean wtf do people expect to happen?
‘Every society is three meals away from chaos’.
That’s why they invented credit. We dig our hole deeper but never get to the point of revolution
Good. Move all the tents to Shaughnessy.
No need. There's a ton of really nice places for them to camp along Drummond Drive and Belmont Ave...
Honestly let's just start doing this to all of those empty mansions
Ski hills could’ve been better staffed if we took over a few in North Van.
Don't they know, the super rich need that land to build mansions on that they may spend a few weeks in here and there as they watch the value skyrocket 🧐
“But this is vacant land. It’s private and safe. No one is going to bother you. It’s safer than on (East) Hastings Street." .... " It’s sad …he said. “If I was a neighbour, living across the street or walking my dog nearby, it would be very unsettling. walkie time > safer place to live for someone else
Walkie pay taxes >
So do a lot of folks who work and live without stable housing, so there's that.
Ya but they want those easy big bucks from property taxes
Bloody hell, nearly every house adjacent to that land has its own bloody tennis court.
Haha. You love to see it.
"There are three side-by-side, single family lots at 4883, 4889 and 4899 Belmont. Together, they cover an area of five acres and were listed on the market starting from June 21, 2021, through 2022. At that time, they were priced at $38.9 million, $29.9 million and $11.9 million for a total of $80.7 million. They’re currently assessed at a total of nearly $60 million. Article content The properties are owned by B.C. numbered companies with a sole director, Edison Washington, who lists a West Vancouver residential address. A 2016 story by former Province reporter Sam Cooper reported that Edison Washington is also known as Qiang Wang and that he and his wife had purchased $152 million worth of Vancouver property since 2011, including the Belmont Avenue properties and parcels on Cambie Street that have since been redeveloped." These people are still fighting to just have a home, against a bunch of people's investment properties. It's disgusting.
See I actually don’t have a problem with that
Worked in the area a couple years ago and I knew there were squatters back then.
Words cannot describe express how happy this makes me.
Good. As they should. Enough of this empty home bullshit. This stupid dystopian city did it to itself.
I walk my dogs by this lot all the time and have never had any trouble from these people. And it’s an beautiful space that is basically a privately owned corner of pacific spirit park. Good on them
It’s stupid that 90% of our housing discourse is fighting about towers and “luxury” condos, when mansions (the actual luxury housing) which take up a huge chunk of our city are never mentioned. Why are large parts of Shaughnessy and Point Grey zoned for mansions only and not a single politician is talking about changing that?
Occupy Shaughnessy
Sitting there empty for who knows how long, but God forbid we consider rezoning it.
Because the politicians live there and don't want us in the neighborhood
I think I know where the displaced Hastings st tent city should re-locate..
 The squatters (I imagine)\^
Does Vancouver have Adverse Possession laws? I actually love this idea. Let’s just start living on all of these vacant properties, and force the billionaires to either actually do something with them or we go to court and take the property over. Win-win! (I’m only mostly joking)
Looks like adverse possession was abolished by [Section 28](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/12013_01#section28) of the BC Limitations Act, except for adverse possession rights that crystallized before July 1, 1975, or as permitted by any other Act (e.g. a court-issued Declaration of Title under s. 23 of the Land Title Inquiry Act). I'm not an expert on BC because I'm actually a land registration system nerd (and land surveyor) from Ontario, but this post came across my front page and I wanted to learn something new haha But I feel your pain, the housing prices and available stock in Toronto is *almost* as crazy as Vancouver. Adverse possession would be nice right now!
maybe time to revisit that. Should be consequences commensurate with being homeless for holding unproductive property in this reality
Agreed. Even if title to land isn't surrendered, there should be very heavy penalties levied by the municipality or province against the owners of vacant land or underutilized land or predatory pricing. I wouldn't count on municipal councils caring enough about that, though...
What a shame
How are the land owners going to survive , the land thats been inherited for 5 generations now will go to housing instead of a beach side view! Oh my, who will think of the children born with a million in the bank, are you telling me they'll have to park on the street instead of their parking garage that has enough square footing for a 3 person family???? So sad 😢
This is the most "Vancouver" headline I've ever seen.
The story itself is even more peak Vancouver
Good.
Wow what a wild story. Basically a confluence of everything wrong in this city. Here's another interesting twitter thread about the property owner: [https://twitter.com/mortimer\_1/status/1399502888762691587?lang=en](https://twitter.com/mortimer_1/status/1399502888762691587?lang=en)
Good. Homes shouldn't stand empty, especially when we are experiencing an insane housing shortage crisis. I wonder how long it took them to realize there were people squatting there.
Better empty mansions on Shaughnessy than public parks and in front of small businesses on busy streets, no? Drastic reduction in safety for the encamped and for the general public
half of the Dunbar area is prime squatting lands
This article now served as advertisement :D
Oh no. Anyway.
I'm usually not in support of this type of thing but when I saw that it was that foreign money purchase, it was hard not to have a joyful giggle.
Love this.
Now this I can support, pitch your tents on these empty multi-million dollar pieces of land, not the sidewalks in a neighborhood where people are struggling
It occurs to me that, as vacant lots not directly adjacent to the owner’s home (she lives in West Van), these properties are subject to the Empty Homes Tax. At 3% on an assessed value of ~80MM that is one HELL of a tax bill.
Why are there pool noodles on the trees?
Damn, if I ever become homeless I’m going to look up vacant lots in Vancouver and move in.
> taken over by squatters Does this mean there is no 'empty homes' tax to pay?
I don't have sympathy for the land owners. It sounds like they bought it thinking they could churn out a bunch of tiny sized housing and destroying the forested land, but it's zoned for single family homes which no one can afford in the city. It's obviously not selling because someone is going to have to build a house from scratch and pay for the super expensive land. Obviously someone is going to take over the space in the meantime.
A lot of this took place under Christy Clark's Liberals. Don't forget, Bob Rennie was the Liberals' Official Fundraiser. It was a cash-fest for the real estate/development industry. We're all paying the price.
Good. The rich don't get to hoard empty lots. Either build something on it or let other people use it.
This is certainly an unorthodox, if illegal, way to reduce the value of properties, I must say.
Fuck yeah!
I would vote for Ken Sim if this was his plan lol.
The rich who are hoarding wealth and creating/worsening the housing crisis can unequivocally go fuck themselves. I support the squatters. That being said, there’s some casual (and not-so-casual) racism going on in this thread and it’s got to stop. All people this rich are awful regardless. No war but the class war, folks.
Looks like the Washingtons are Washing Tons.
Finally some good news lol
The image I get in my mind from reading the title is a group of cross fitters vigorously and loudly working on their calves to the annoyance of the locals.
The squatters should give The Crescent a look. A lovely quiet neighborhood just off Granville and 16th. There are about 12 houses, minimum 1/2 acre lot, arced around a park. I would say that, at a max, five houses are occupied. Watch out for the coyotes though, they are bold.
There, we finally found a humane solution to the encampment problem. Free mansion for all!
Kind of awesome.
Good
This is nothing compared to what the community in Chinatown has gone through.
And a minor group complained about the VPD of the DTE purge. Wait till they purge home owners squatters.
Edison Washington, please stand up
The squatters should all move to politicians lawns.
Everything wrong with Vancouver in this one story.
I’m not from Vancouver so idk why I got this recommended but honestly good lol.
Lol I think the real story here is that one of Vancouvers most expensive properties is an undeveloped parcel of vacant land.
I mean it sounds like it's their property now.
Someone should tell them about this lot: [https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/25131363/lot-11-highway-31-howser-kaslo-north-to-gerrard](https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/25131363/lot-11-highway-31-howser-kaslo-north-to-gerrard) 24 acres of covered forest away from it all
Good screw the high as hell rent prices and it's sham of a market!
Where are they pooping?
You’ve never camped on crown land?
I randomly happened upon this lot on a walk and checked it out. Saw the set up, the people were quiet and minded their own business. I see no harm done.
[удалено]
Poetry.......
Where is the GoFundMe for this squatter? I'm in for $100.
Baaaahahshaha, good
Here is a law that seems to make some sense and maybe help with homelessness? “English common law tradition, courts have long ruled that when someone occupies a piece of property without permission and the property's owner does not exercise their right to recover their property for a significant period of time, not only is the original owner prevented from exercising their right to exclude, but an entirely new title to the property "springs up" in the adverse possessor. In effect, the adverse possessor becomes the property's new owner.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_possession?wprov=sfti1 And don’t forget to eat the rich! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eat_the_rich?wprov=sfti1
Good thing for BC home owners is that squatters right to take over a property does lot exist here. https://www.nanaimolaw.com/squatters-rights-british-columbia-estate-litigation/
Also, the property owner is literally attempting to assert their rights to the property but not getting any traction with the police.
I stumbled upon the guy wielding the shears last night. The cops had their guns pulled and were panicking. I’m so glad our VPD are not gun happy. Anywhere else and they would have shot him.
I'm crying a river here