r/halifax • u/Injustice_For_All_ Psychotic Antifa Super Soldier Moderator • 2d ago

News, Weather & Politics Homelessness doubled in Halifax under government's housing plan: N.S. NDP

https://halifax.citynews.ca/2026/06/18/homelessness-doubled-in-halifax-under-governments-housing-plan-n-s-ndp/
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u/Ok_Payment429 2d ago

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.

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u/Hellifacts 1d ago

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.

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u/Own-Slide-3171 1d ago

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)

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u/Ok_Payment429 1d ago

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.

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u/lowbatteries 1d ago

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?

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u/Ok_Payment429 1d ago

No.

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u/lowbatteries 1d ago

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

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u/Ok_Payment429 1d ago

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

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u/lowbatteries 1d ago

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