City website: Vancouver’s social housing initiative.
TLDR: The city is proposing that mixed-income social housing (30% below-market, 70% low-end-of-market) and co-ops be allowed by right, without having to go through the painful rezoning process. If you think this is a good idea, I’d encourage you to take the time to submit a brief comment in support, so the city’s not just hearing from opponents. (You need to register, so it takes a couple minutes.)
Right now, non-profit housing projects in Vancouver have to go through the same labour-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive approval process as market housing projects. Basically, the city makes apartment buildings illegal nearly everywhere. If you want to build anything, you need to beg the city for permission. Our institutions are based on the assumption that housing is unwanted.
The city is proposing to change its bylaws to allow mixed-income social housing and non-profit co-ops without having to beg for permission (“spot rezoning”). In areas that already have local shopping streets (“Neighbourhood Centres”), 15-18 storeys would be allowed, reducing the cost of land per square foot of floor space. In areas that are more isolated (“Villages”), six storeys would be allowed.
Not having to go through rezoning would cut more than a year off the typical approval process, and would free up some time on the staff side as well. Projects still need to get a development permit and a building permit, so it’s not like a total free-for-all.
Social housing is typically 30% non-market, 70% low-end-of-market (cross-subsidizing the non-market housing). Jill Atkey and Thom Armstrong explain: Mixed-income developments are the most effective way of getting more non-profit homes built.
Non-profit co-operatives are a form of housing that’s somewhere between owning and renting. The co-op is owned collectively by its residents, and governed by a board elected from its members.
A comment from a recent provincial report:
Outright zoning for higher density should greatly increase the viability of non-market housing development across the province. In effect, instead of competing with commercial developers for a narrow range of developable sites, non-market developers will potentially have a much wider range of sites to choose from.
Introductory video by Uytae Lee:
If you have time, there’s two in-person and two online public meetings planned:
Tuesday, October 1, 4:30 - 7:30 pm, Seniors Centre Multipurpose Room, Kerrisdale Community Centre (5851 West Boulevard)
Wednesday, October 2, 6 - 7:30 pm, Virtual Information Session (register here)
Thursday, October 3, 4:30 - 7:30 pm, Room A, Croatian Cultural Centre (3250 Commercial Drive)
Tuesday, October 8, 6 - 7:30 pm, Virtual Information Session (register here)
More
Allowing 12-storey social housing projects. From February 2023. The earliest this policy can be approved by council is spring 2025.
Vancouver looks to fast-track 18-storey social housing projects in certain areas. Dan Fumano, Vancouver Sun.
Vancouver proposing fast-track policy for social housing projects up to 18 storeys. Howard Chai, Storeys.
Vancouver's New Social Housing Initiative. Peter Dowdy, Vancouver Area Neighbours Association.