Affordable Housing Task Force Releases Recommendations

Glen Korstrom
Other

The City of Vancouver’s task force on affordable housing released its first recommendations March 12.

Suggestions include:

• expediting housing development applications that provide affordable rental premises;
• developing a strategy to implement inclusionary zoning of rental housing in the Cambie corridor;
• exploring the viability of using city-owned land to leverage affordable rental housing as well as non-profit and co-op housing; and
• advocating to the provincial government to streamline approvals for fee-simple row housing.

The task force is focusing its efforts on low- to middle-income households, ranging from an individual income of $21,500 to a combined household income of $86,500. This income range is to cover groups such as low-income singles, couples struggling to buy their first home and seniors seeking to downsize without leaving their neighbourhoods.

“The task force’s quick start recommendations will bring clarity and momentum to the city’s overall affordability strategy,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson.