▁houses ▁in ▁Montreal ▁stated ▁that ▁room ing ▁houses ▁are ▁the ▁" last ▁stop ▁before ▁the ▁street " ▁for ▁low - in come ▁people ▁at ▁risk ▁of ▁hom eless ness . ▁ ▁Government ▁inter vention ▁ ▁Reg ulations ▁Not ▁all ▁room ing ▁houses ▁are ▁legal , ▁ins pected ▁units , ▁as ▁land l ords ▁also ▁rent ▁out ▁un lic ensed ▁rooms . ▁In ▁W inn ip eg , ▁four ▁branches ▁of ▁city ▁government ▁reg ulate ▁room ing ▁houses : ▁a ▁lic ens ing ▁branch , ▁a ▁business ▁branch , ▁a ▁" liv ability " ▁living ▁standards ▁by law ▁and ▁the ▁fire ▁prevent ion ▁branch . ▁The ▁liv ability ▁standards ▁by law ▁requires ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁bath room ▁for ▁ 1 0 ▁residents ▁( some ▁health ▁research ers ▁have ▁called ▁for ▁one ▁bath room ▁for ▁every ▁four ▁ten ants ). ▁ ▁Despite ▁efforts ▁by ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Toronto ▁to ▁reg ulate ▁room ing ▁houses , ▁there ▁is ▁an ▁invisible , ▁un register ed ▁room ing ▁house ▁sector , ▁which ▁are ▁advert ised ▁online ▁or ▁on ▁bullet in ▁bo ards , ▁often ▁in ▁sub urban ▁bas ements ▁which ▁are ▁sub div ided ▁into ▁rooms . ▁In cre asing ▁reg ulation ▁of ▁room ing ▁houses ▁can ▁lead ▁to ▁a ▁decl ine ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁room ing ▁houses ▁that ▁are ▁available , ▁as ▁land l ords ▁may ▁choose ▁not ▁to ▁apply ▁for ▁and ▁pay ▁the ▁fe es ▁for ▁a ▁city ▁lic ence , ▁and ▁complete ▁the ▁needed ▁safety ▁requirements ▁( spr ink lers , ▁fire ▁esc apes