Renting to the vancouver hackspace

If you are thinking about renting a building or a space to the Vancouver Hackspace (VHS), think hard about that choice. It could be very costly to you and your building.

I was called to check the reference for the Vancouver Hackspace. Being a noteworthy member of the maker community they wanted to find out what I thought of VHS. The Vancouver Hackspace is toxic, ill-manged non-profit society, and you should not rent to them for the following reasons.

Note: I will be updating and filling in this post over the next few weeks.

Space upgrades without permits

In 2014 the Vancouver hackspace moved into 1715 Cook St. The space did not have power outlets where they wanted them or a convenient 240v power source. After being warned by both the landlord and a few of their members they decided to install electrical conduit junction box though out the space without a city permits.

Quote from a director at the time:

If the city ever finds out, we can rip them down and go back to using dozens extension cords and power bars.

Garbage, recycling, bugs, and trash

ToDo: Fill in this section with examples and photos

Homeless, transients and open door policy

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Fumes, Fires, Water damage.

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Absentee BoD, no accountability

It can be difficult to contact someone in charge for a non-for-profit under normal circumstance. The board of directors keep changing and no one wants to take responsibility.

In the case of the Vancouver HackSpace (VHS) they seem to actively go out of their way to make it difficult (The art of ignoring your landlord). Part of the search criteria of looking for a new space is “A disinterested or absentee landlord”.

I have had the landlord for the Vancouver HackSpace call me out of sheer frustration at not having anyone from the BoD call him back or return his many messages. Weeks had gone by this point and he was desperate to get a hold of anyone. The board of directors have a miss-guided faith in their “directors insurance”. Thinking that it will protect them if anything goes wrong. Missing payments for rent, damages to the building, or any action of their members on the landlords property.

If you are a landlord, good luck getting a hold of someone in charge of the Vancouver HackSpace when you need to.

Past landlords

ToDo: Fill in this section with examples

Past financial statements

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24 hour access

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Noise

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Insurance

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Interactions with other society

ToDo: Fill in this section with examples and emails