Housing Q&A: Neeraj Murarka, B.C. Libertarian

The Burnaby NOW sent the following five questions on housing to each of the Burnaby candidates.

Candidates were asked to answer each question in 50 words or less. 

Here are the answers from Neeraj Murarka, running for the B.C. Libertarian Party in Burnaby-Lougheed.

1. What city do you live in, and what neighbourhood in that city?

I live in Burnaby, in the Burnaby-Lougheed riding, and more specifically, in an area considered locally as “The Crest.”

2. Do you rent or own your own home?

I rent, currently.

3. If you own a home, when did you buy it? How has the current housing market situation impacted you?

N/A

4. If you rent, or have another housing arrangement, how has the current housing market situation impacted you?

The current situation is unacceptable and symptomatic of gross negligence on both the provincial and federal levels. Professionals with middle or advanced educations earning great salaries have no chance to buy a house, unless they own one already. It is difficult to imagine buying a house unless things change dramatically.

5. If there is one single policy that the next provincial government can enact to address a housing need, what would that policy be? Be specific.

Ownership of any residential-zoned property is restricted to Canadian Citizens and Canadian PR. We remove the 15 per cent foreign buyers' tax (a tax-grab for the Liberals) and ban foreign ownership, outright. This prohibition also applies to ownership by corporations or partnerships where any participants are not Canadian Citizens or Canadian PR.