The Exclusionary Politics of Secondary Suites in Calgary: Homeowners Seeking Class Monopoly Rents Van Der Poorten, Kylee Aisha Van Der Poorten, K
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University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2018-06-29 The Exclusionary Politics of Secondary Suites in Calgary: Homeowners Seeking Class Monopoly Rents van der Poorten, Kylee Aisha van der Poorten, K. A. (2018). The Exclusionary Politics of Secondary Suites in Calgary: Homeowners Seeking Class Monopoly Rents (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/32258 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/107036 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY The Exclusionary Politics of Secondary Suites in Calgary: Homeowners Seeking Class Monopoly Rents by Kylee Aisha van der Poorten A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS GRADUATE PROGRAM IN GEOGRAPHY CALGARY, ALBERTA JUNE, 2018 © Kylee Aisha van der Poorten 2018 Abstract Secondary suites, broadly defined as additional rental dwelling units within single-detached properties, have been a contentious topic in Calgary’s municipal politics for the past three decades. In most cases, suites operate in basements and thus conceal living standards and evade the gaze of the local state. To date, Calgary maintains a high restrictive approach to secondary suites in established suburban areas. Evidence suggests an effective opposition from a vocal minority of residents and community leaders has inhibited secondary suite proponents from easing barriers to legalization. These housing politics are the focus of this study. Using a mixed- method approach, I explore the key institutional actors opposing secondary suite legalization, the basis of their opposition, and the mechanisms they use to steer policy toward their interests. A major finding is that exclusionary practices of neighbourhood governance and coalitions among community association leaders have been an integral part of Calgary’s secondary suite outcomes. ii Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge those individuals and families who are experiencing or have experienced housing insecurity – many often internalize their struggle to find housing, afford housing, and/or live in inadequate housing as a personal deficiency. In this study, I endeavor to illuminate the broader social forces conditioning these experiences. This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada through Dr. David Hulchanski’s Partnership Grant “Neighbourhood Inequality, Diversity, and Change: Trends, Processes, Consequences and Policy Options for Canada’s Largest Metropolitan Areas” and Dr. Byron Miller’s sub-grant 1034281-1, “The Politics and Policies of Secondary Suites in Calgary.” The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the research partnership or the funder. For more information on the Neighbourhood Change Research Partnership and related research projects, please visit www.NeighbourhoodChange.ca. A big thank you Dr. Byron Miller. You have been a graciously flexible supervisor and dedicated professor. Moreover, you have provided me with a truly eye-opening education and introduced me to literature that has fundamentally broadened my understanding of the world. I am grateful for your ongoing encouragement and support. To David Couroux – first an instructor, then a mentor, and ultimately a friend – thank you for all the brainstorming sessions, the very first of which led to a core research question guiding this project. Somehow, you know exactly when to encourage me to think autonomously but also challenge my assumptions. I appreciate your mentorship; your impact is certainly reflected in this work. iii To all of my close friends and family, many of whom frequently switched between wondering what happened to me for months on end or hearing from me too much. Thank you for helping me manage the pressures of graduate school. To Spencer, my best friend and partner, for showing me all there is to look forward to at the end of this road with the beginning of another. I would also like to acknowledge the assistance provided by the City of Calgary’s Geodemographics team in the provision of municipal data and mapping software for this project. I would also like to thank the Federation of Calgary Communities, a key community partner who aided the interview recruitment and research dissemination process. iv Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ...............................................................................................................v List of Tables .................................................................................................................. viii List of Figures and Illustrations ..................................................................................... ix Introduction ........................................................................................................................1 Chapter One: The Politics and Policies of Secondary Suites .........................................7 1.1 Introduction and Definitions ...................................................................................7 1.2 Housing Trends ........................................................................................................7 1.2.1 The postwar housing context. .........................................................................7 1.2.2 Rental housing policy. ...................................................................................10 1.2.3 Secondary rental housing..............................................................................19 1.2.4 Housing inequality. ........................................................................................21 1.3 Urban Relations .....................................................................................................23 1.3.1 Landlords and tenants. .................................................................................23 1.3.2 Oppositional politics. .....................................................................................25 1.3.3 The urban management of secondary suites. ..............................................34 1.4 Understanding Local Housing Conflicts ..............................................................40 1.4.1 The research gap. ...........................................................................................40 1.4.2 The concept of class monopoly rent: a theoretical framework for understanding the politics of secondary suites. ...........................................43 1.4.3 Research framework. ....................................................................................53 1.5 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................56 Chapter Two: Research Design and Methodology .......................................................58 2.1 Study Context: Calgary .........................................................................................58 2.1.1 Political context. .............................................................................................59 2.1.2 Neighbourhood change. ................................................................................61 2.1.3 Local institutions. ..........................................................................................62 2.2 A Mixed Methods Approach .................................................................................65 2.2.1 Historical policy review. ................................................................................66 2.2.2 Semi-structured interviews. ..........................................................................67 2.2.3 Public submissions. ........................................................................................70 2.2.4 Coding. ............................................................................................................72 2.2.5 Mapping the secondary suite market. .........................................................73 2.2.6 Comparative analysis. ...................................................................................78 Chapter Three: A Historical Review of Calgary’s Secondary Suite Controversy .....90 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................90 3.2 Land Use Restrictions in the Post-War Era ........................................................91 3.3 Calgary’s Housing Crisis .......................................................................................96 3.4 Land Use Bylaw Review ......................................................................................102 3.5 Legalization Strategies and Public Engagement ...............................................106 v 3.6