If you live in a condo or townhouse, your neighbours could decide whether your home is sold out from under you.
A judge in a District of North 91原创 case has ruled that a majority of the owners in a 114-unit project called Seymour Estates can ask for the sale of the whole property, even if it means hardship for a minority who don鈥檛 want to sell.
Darwin Construction Ltd. wants to buy the whole development and replace it with a higher-density one. The judge ruled that, subject to her approval of the sale price and the buyer, the 87 owners who want to sell can proceed over the objections of the minority.
The minority owners say that if they are forced out, they won鈥檛 be able to find any housing they can afford in the area.
In a province where 25 per cent of people live in collectively owned housing such as stratas, many of which are 40 or 50 years old, it鈥檚 an issue that is going to come up more and more often. Developers are hunting for sites where they can build increased density close to transit.
For some owners, selling makes sense, but unless the wish is unanimous, they have to go to court to force a sale.
Fortunately, the B.C. Law Institute has begun a project to find a better way to resolve these disputes.
Strata residents have a lot at stake in this. They must make their voices heard, and the government must look for a solution that is fair without being cumbersome.
