This election campaign in Vancouver is a treasure trove for research junkies, since the candidates’ full financial disclosures are listed online — sorry to all of you whose privacy feels violated. (Go to the section where the election information is kept and there’s a link in the top right to their nomination and financial-disclosure forms.)
I’m sure the oppo researchers in each campaign are hunting down anything that looks damaging, so I’ll leave that to them. But, in the interest of public information, I did do a search on the house values of the two major mayoral candidates, Peter Ladner and Gregor Robertson, along with the leading Coalition of Progressive Electors candidate, David Cadman, just to see where they stand in the world of real estate. Then we’ll know where they’re coming from when they talk about affordable housing.
Peter Ladner of the Non-Partisan Association clocks in with the most expensive house of the three, unless future research shows me that Betty Krawczyk or Marc Emery have real-estate empires. Ladner’s home a few blocks from the beach in Kitsilano, which he co-owns with wife Erica, was assessed at $1.6 million for the 2008 roll. The two bought it in 1999 for $480,000.
Gregor Robertson of Vision Vancouver, whose house near King Edward between Cambie and Main is actually owned by a corporation, Ohana Partners, that lists his wife and someone in California as directors, is assessed at $1.24 million. It was bought on June 29, 2005, for $420,000. That means he hasn’t gained as much as Ladner overall, but the gain has been made in a much shorter time.
David Cadman of the Coalition of Progressive Electors, who played with the possibility of running for mayor and is his party’s best-known candidate, has the most modest personal real-estate value. His house, near Commercial Drive, was assessed at $545,700. But he’s made the biggest percentage gain in value, since he and his wife bought it for $80,000 in 1981.
You’re welcome.