'Renoviction' claim refuted by landlord seeking to double units inside south London buildings

Renoviction in 'real time' Baseline Road tenants raise renoviction concerns after new owner wants to have buildings rezoned. Daryl Newcombe reoprts.

The proposed doubling of units within a south London rental property has sparked concern among existing tenants who fear they will be displaced.

The new owner of 145 Baseline Rd. W. wants to convert the five buildings that each contain three rental units on the main floor, into 30 total units by finishing the basements with three additional apartments.

"This is a renoviction in real time," tenant Courtney Crossen told the Planning Environment Committee (PEC) on Tuesday.

"The tenants living there currently pay a very affordable rate compared to today's market," explained Coun. Skylar Franke. "It would be extremely difficult for them to find comparable housing."

However, a planning consultant for the landlord assured the committee that tenants would be temporarily moved into vacant units during the renovation and allowed to return at the same rent.

"We are committed to keeping all existing tenants on the property," stated Jerzy Smolarek of Siv-Ik Planning and Design. "There are seven [tenants] remaining."

Members of PEC were told the three main floor units in each building are relatively small for having two or three bedrooms, so the current tenants utilize the unfinished basement space.

"I have a single mother beside me who has six children," explained Crossen. “If 30 units are permitted, we lose half of our space. Could you imagine seven people living in 650 square feet?"

Coun. Steve Lehman echoed the tenants' concerns, stating, "I've heard from the tenants that losing that space that they use, even though we've heard from the consultant that it's deemed not livable space, it seems that a lot of people do a lot of living in it.”

Franke added, “From what I've heard, they're using the space below, probably for storage and other things.”

Ultimately, the committee voted 3-2 (Franke and Lehman opposed) to support doubling the number of units from 15 to 30, but on the condition that existing tenants be offered temporary rental accommodation agreements during the renovations.

London's Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis emphasized the potential consequences of rejecting the proposal — the new owner could evict everyone and construct a new development on the site.

“There are options that could see the tenants completely displaced,” he explained. “I think what the landlord's offering is an option that provides some intensification while at the same time accommodates allowing the folks who are currently there to stay living on the property.”

The final decision will be made by the council at its next meeting on Nov. 26.