Starlight Investments is a private multi-billion dollar real estate investment company, and the largest landlord in York South-Weston.
To Startlight Investments and Daniel Drimmer, CEO:
We, the tenants in Starlight buildings and our allies, have two clear demands of the company that earns all of its revenue from the sweat of our brow.
1. No COVID Evictions!
The COVID-19 pandemic has put many of us in a difficult financial situation, we lost jobs, or hours of work, or access to support. If we are behind on rent, it’s because we don’t have the money to pay. We refuse the eviction of any of our neighbours who have rent arrears during the COVID-19 pandemic. And we will fight together to protect each other. Starlight Investment can choose to stop filing eviction applications for non-payment of rent. The value of your assets are not affected by the pandemic, but our sources of income are. Do the right thing or face resistance to your inhumane practices.
2. Freeze rent!
Our rent is too high, and the asking rent for vacant units is astronomical. Your operational costs, like property taxes and garbage collection, are going down. Yet we continue to receive rent increase notices, even though our buildings are already generating astronomical amounts of money: several millions from each apartment complex, and way more than the cost of operating these buildings. Despite this, tenants living in these buildings across the city are experiencing repair backlogs, pest infestations, and neglect of regular maintenance. We demand a rent freeze in 2020 and 2021 for all existing tenants and new neighbours moving in.