Permit backlog leaves siblings waiting to restore home two years after blaze
The delay has taken so long the insurance window in which to get repairs completed has expired
It has been nearly two years since flames exploded on Bruce Mitchell's front porch and quickly raced through his east Vancouver home leaving him stranded barefoot on a balcony.
The memory of that night on Oct. 29, 2015, is vivid as he stands outside what's left of the house at the corner of Woodland Drive and East 10th Avenue.
"I saw a bright flash out on the street," said Mitchell.
"I jumped up from the couch and the flames were leaping out the front of the house so my neighbours came around and rescued me from the second floor."
Investigators found remnants of a roman candle in the rubble and blamed the fire on Halloween fireworks.
Bruce Mitchell has co-owned the 105-year-old duplex with his sister Patricia since 1986. The fire gutted the home's interior and the top floor had to be removed.
Bruce lived in one unit. Patricia lived in the other.
"We just want it to be put back, and lovingly restored, and get on with our lives," said Patricia Mitchell.
Costly delays
The siblings want to rebuild so they can move back into their home.
But since the fire they've been caught up in Vancouver's building permit process which has been plagued by excessive delays and high volumes.
While waiting for a permit to restore their home, their home insurance policy has run out.
In B.C., residents have two years from the day when there is loss or damage to the time of repairs to settle a claim with their insurance company.
The Mitchells have now been forced to hire a lawyer to file a claim to have their policy extended for another year.
Patricia Mitchell says she and her brother are also about to lose their homeowners grant because they have not lived in the house for two years. That provincial grant program offers a rebate to owners of homes valued at up to $1.6 million.
"So our taxes will be significantly higher after two years," said Patricia.
"Now we can't even live in the house and enjoy the house, but our taxes will go up."
Common problem
A Vancouver lawyer who specializes in house insurance litigation says he sees more and more clients who need to extend their insurance policy because of the building permit backlog.
"It's more common than I've ever seen before," said J. Scott Stanley, with Murphy Battista Law.
"It's just accruing from a delay of building permits and, I can say it's absolutely unique to Vancouver."
Stanley says the ensuing lawsuits are an unnecessary expense for both the insurance company and the owners who have suffered the loss.
Kaye Krishna, the city's general manager of development, buildings and licensing, was not available for an interview. But in a report released on Oct. 17, 2017, Krishna noted development and building permits have surged in Vancouver over the past four years.
"2017 is projected to be the highest year on record with over 8,500 incoming permit applications," wrote Krishna.
The report also says over the course of the last six months, the city has taken significant steps to improve its permit process but it needs more resources in planning and development to catch up with the explosive growth.
Angry and frustrated
The Mitchells, meanwhile, have had to deal with drug-users and homeless people taking up residence in their empty home — and, others leaving their garbage on the lot.
"So, I just see the city not giving a damn about that. They just carry on with their bureaucracy. It's disgusting," said Bruce.
"We're on our own and at the mercy of the bureaucratic timing of city hall and it's not justified, two years for nothing to have happened."
The sister and brother hope they will have a permit soon but even if restoration started tomorrow it would be at least another year before they get to go home.
"I got over the house and losing it but now it's anger and frustration that it takes so long to put it back together," said Patricia.
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