'Callous and heartless': Longtime Vancouver renter facing eviction despite long-term Airbnbs, vacant units in building

A longtime Vancouver renter says he’s facing homelessness after being issued an eviction notice which he, and the Vancouver Tenants Union, believes is unnecessary.

Keir Nicholl, 44, has lived in the same three-storey walkup in Mount Pleasant for 16 years. Given the length of time he’s been a tenant at 2325 Glen Dr., which is owned by Deecorp Properties, Nicholl pays the lowest rent in the building at just $800 a month. While he works part time, Nicholl mostly relies on disability benefits and fears an eviction would force him to live on the streets.

“I don’t have the resources to just pick up and move somewhere else,” Nicholl said. “I’m looking at the alternative of being forced into poverty and homelessness and it’s not appealing. I don't want to die of exposure on the streets.”

He says he was served an eviction notice three months ago that stated the building owners wanted to make way for a live-in caretaker. Such an eviction is legal under B.C.’s Residential Tenancy Act.

However, Sydney Ball with the Vancouver Tenants Union believes the eviction is unnecessary and unfair.

“Currently, the building has only 12 units and the landlord is running two Airbnbs out of the property and also has two suites that are unoccupied,” Ball said. “They’re trying to kick out Keir so they can make more money.”

Both Airbnb listings at Nicholl’s building are managed by Artin Properties, which operates more than 170 short-term rentals in Metro Vancouver, Squamish, Whistler and Victoria, according to its website. The Airbnbs at 2325 Glen Dr. are a minimum 30-night stay, and one unit rents for as much as $5,000 per month.

Members of the VTU held a rally Tuesday morning outside the office of Deecorp Properties, which was empty at the time. A letter calling for the eviction to be revoked was taped to the door, signed by Nicholl’s fellow tenants.

“It’s a small building, it’s only 12 units, so there’s never been a live-in caretaker—they’ve always had a management company,” Nicholl said. “It really moves me that people feel I would be enough for a cause.”

He has a hearing with the Residential Tenancy Board scheduled for Thursday.

The union said there have been numerous attempts to contact Deecorp, with no response. CTV News also reached out for comment but did not hear back by deadline. The City of Vancouver directed inquiries about evictions to the province.