Population and Housing

[plam]

1. Multi-unit buildings with outdoor access to the various units. There are way too many buildings where one has to climb an entire flight of stairs to get to the entrance to a unit. The worst offender is Habitat, which is cool and all with the modular design, but the notion of taking an elevator up 8 floors and then having to walk outdoors to my unit in Montreal winter weather is just silly. All that extra shovelling is unattractive. But then I don’t really believe in outdoor stairs at all in most situations: building entrances should be at grade.
   
2. “Moving Day”. The notion of having most leases end on the same day is just an absurd way to run a residential rental market. I thought it was perpetuated by the operating practices of a major public housing agency, but all the information I can find quickly now seems to suggest that it’s just a holdover from ancient practices; as late as the 70s leases were required to end on a certain day of the year, which needless to say is massive government overreach into what should be the realm of private contract.
   

But the park on the mountain, the subway system, bagels, … now I want to schedule a visit!

Usually triplexes, so some shovelling, but not that much. There are many units with inside access though.

Moving day isn't required anymore, as you say, but yes, there is a lot of inertia. I read that NYC used to do it too.

I can actually get pretty decent Montreal bagels in Wellington surprisingly. Someone brought them here...