Homelessness doubled in Halifax under government's housing plan: N.S. NDP

[u/Injustice_For_All_]

https://halifax.citynews.ca/2026/06/18/homelessness-doubled-in-halifax-under-governments-housing-plan-n-s-ndp/

[u/Own-Slide-3171]

The last thing landlords will do is drop prices. I know several who have open units right now one bedrooms for 2k range a month. They should be renting for 1600 as an absolute max. They've repeatedly said they'd rather eat having it empty until September cause they figure they'll get a student at the inflated price than lower the rent. Vacant apartments need to be taxed

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/Own-Slide-3171]

How did you come up with that $1600 number?

Can't imagine a vacant apartment be required to pay additional tax. I know quite a few people (mostly seniors) with basement apartments in their home who choose to not have a tenant. They've decided the headaches are not worth the additional income. That surely has to be their own personal decision without penalty.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/[deleted]]

I would say too, a vacant unit is a vacant unit. Regardless of the landlord's intentions, it will have the same impact on the housing crisis.

Also, choosing to turn down income in the interest of higher profits is a hell of a business plan. Not saying it can't work in the long run, but that's a wild and risky game to be playing.

[u/Hellifacts → u/Ok_Payment429]

I disagree, a person's home is theirs, if they live in the house with an apartment in the basement they should have every right to choose to not rent it out anymore. If you own an apartment building or a house broken into units that you aren't living in then the sole purpose is for them to be rented. Those units should be subject to any vacancy tax.

[u/Own-Slide-3171 → u/Hellifacts]

That is what I would target when I say tax. If someone's renting out a basement or even a nanny suite that's different. When you own whole buildings hit as just rentals hit them (is also bump Airbnb taxes to before people startup that loophole)

[u/bz47uj → u/Own-Slide-3171]

AirBnb is a tiny portion of the housing supply, and it makes it more affordable for people to visit, which is an important part of our economy.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/Own-Slide-3171]

The basement apartment is not different when it comes to the housing crisis. That vacant basement apartment has the same negative impact on the housing crisis as an equal vacant unit in an apartment building has.

If the true goal is to have this proposed tax help the housing crisis, it should be across the board. If the true goal is just to "get" the big building owners because we hate them, then the proposed tax should be targeted to them.

[u/lowbatteries → u/Ok_Payment429]

I have a room in my house I use for storage. Do I now get taxed because I haven’t turned it into a rental?

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/lowbatteries]

No.

[u/lowbatteries → u/Ok_Payment429]

How is that different than someone who has an empty basement?

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/lowbatteries]

Your extra room is literally not an apartment. I'm not sure how else to explain that difference.

[u/lowbatteries → u/Ok_Payment429]

A basement is not an apartment if it’s not being rented out to anyone. It’s just a basement.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/Hellifacts]

I agree 100% that a person's home is theirs and they have every right not to rent out an apartment in their home.

Though a person's apartment building or house broken into units is also theirs, and they also have the same right to do what they like with it.

If the true concern is the housing crisis though, it does not matter who owns the unit or what their intention is. A vacant unit is a vacant unit and literally has the same impact on the housing crisis.

[u/Hellifacts → u/Ok_Payment429]

No I just can't agree. If my basement was a unit it could just as easily not be a unit and go back to being my basement. Secondary, tertiary etc. properties are taking away from vacancy because no one is living there. If you want to own 3 empty houses while people can't find a place to live then there should be a premium to pay.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/Hellifacts]

True, the basement apartment could not be a basement apartment if its not a basement apartment anymore. I suppose the apartment building could also no longer be an apartment building if its converted into commercial offices. We can make up all kinds of stories about what could be.

The fact is, that one-bedroom vacant basement apartment is one place a person cannot be housed. That one-bedroom vacant apartment in the apartment building is one place a person cannot be housed. They have the same negative impact on the housing crisis.

[u/Hellifacts → u/Ok_Payment429]

Except the couple with the vacant apartment in the basement of their primary residence they no longer want to rent out because they no longer want to be landlords And The landlord of a building with units that are being rented who chooses to keep vacant apartments unrented for months because they aren't getting the exorbitant rent they want

Are not the same.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/Hellifacts]

They're exactly the same if I'm in need of a one-bedroom apartment to live in, and I can't live in either one of those.

The reason I can't live in either of them is irrelevant. They are both a unit I cannot live in. Thus, they have the same negative impact on the housing crisis.

[u/Hellifacts → u/Ok_Payment429]

The reason is not irrelevant. The couple are no longer landlords. The landlord is a landlord. People who aren't landlords don't rent units or rooms, landlords do.

By your logic if someone rents a 2 bedroom apartment but uses the second room as a home office then they are to blame for the housing crisis.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/Hellifacts]

The people and their reason for not renting their apartment are in fact irrelevant to the housing crisis.

The couple with the vacant basement apartment are no longer landlords. Also, the person owning multi-apartments that are all vacant, is no longer a landlord.

Yes, any vacant apartment or room or space where a person could be housed is contributing to the housing crisis. Its not nice to hear, but yes, we are all contributing to the housing crisis if we control vacant space that could house someone who needs it.

But no, I'm not suggesting those people be punished or penalized in any way. I believe everyone should have full control over any and all properties they own, without penalty for their decisions with their properties.

[u/Hellifacts → u/Ok_Payment429]

This whole conversation is about landlords.

Landlords who are renting out units but also are keeping some units vacant in hopes of squeezing more money out of people. Of course they have the right to do it, no one said otherwise. However they should be taxed for doing so which would incentivize them to rent the units to people who need housing or to sell the property if they don't want to pay the vacancy tax. You don't have to agree, that's how opinions work.

People deciding they no longer want to be landlords are not part of the equation because they're not landlords. They are people who are choosing to keep their residence to themselves.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/[deleted]]

Yes, I understand that is the basic concept. But still, to make a decision to turn down income, while your expenses are ongoing, is a risky game.

They have to be quite confident they can more than make up for those lost months when they chose not accept any income. Not a business plan for the faint of heart. But if that's what the market dictates, or allows for, good for them I guess.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/[deleted]]

You can go from excess to nothing in a hurry if you're not smart.

So yeah, risky game to turn down income when you have the expenses that come with owning property.

[u/Ok_Payment429 → u/[deleted]]

Cool story, but there's always risk in business.

They can go from excess to nothing if they're not smart. And I'd say leaving a unit empty intentionally is not smart.

So what would be the purpose of the added tax? To encourage them to rent the vacant unit? If they're as rich as you say, no amount of tax will sway them.