REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE Boyle pushes for reducing barriers to social housing

A proposal to allow projects up to 12 storeys without public hearings is drawing a mixed reaction

by Carlito Pablo

AVancouver councillor has sug- replacing,” the party declared. gested allowing social housing In the same release, Boyle said that projects across the city without council should “reduce barriers for nonpublic hearings, drawing both a profit housing providers, to permit more cheer and jeer. affordable homes for more people who

The motion’s coverage includes single- need them, in more places across the city”. family residential neighbourhoods, which “It should not be harder to build social account for more than half of the munici- housing in Vancouver than it is to build pality’s land. million dollar homes,” Boyle said.

Depending on who is speaking, Counc. Boyle’s motion has two major componChristine Boyle’s proposal is either an an- ents. One seeks to have council direct staff swer to the city’s housing woes or a trigger to bring forward recommendations about for more land speculation. potential city-initiated zoning changes

The City of Vancouver defines social that would “enable more social housing housing as entire developments wherein projects to proceed without a rezoning”. 30 percent of units are dedicated for people The second is for city planners to come who cannot afford market-level rents, while up with suggestions to allow 12-storey sothe rest of the 70 percent are rented out at cial housing developments in areas desigrates for as high as the market can bear. nated for apartments, also without public

On May 12, Boyle’s OneCity party hearing. As the Straight went to the printissued a media release about the council- er, council had not heard from those who lor’s motion. wanted to speak to the motion, which was

“Single detached homes do not re- expected to take place on May 19. quire a public hearing, even when a new The second component builds upon an happening in expensive cities throughout during the decade-long Vision Vancouver detached home is significantly larger April 20, 2021 decision by council to shelve North America about what type of hous- era, which ended in 2018. and more expensive than the one it is rezoning and public hearing requirements ing, and by extension what type of people, “It’s the carrying on of the policies that for six-storey social housing projects in we exclude from living in the city when we were established during the Vision adminareas zoned as RM-3A, RM-4, and RM-4N. reserve so much of our land for one certain istration, and the staff who was in place If Boyle’s motion is approved, it means housing type,” Atkey said. then is still in place now, and is simply that proponents now allowed to build six carrying on with these things,” Benge said, storeys of social housing without public BENGE’S COALITION of Vancouver Neigh- “and unfortunately, staff is directing the hearing may be able to double their de- bourhoods represents residents’ associations. way that this council is approaching housvelopment to 12 storeys. “This just throws the doors wide open ing policies.” Prior to the April 20 council vote, these for land speculation,” Benge said in a sep- Going back to Atkey, the BCNPA CEO zoning districts provided for residential arate phone interview about Boyle motion. said that she applauds community advodevelopments up to three to four storeys. Benge said that he finds it “unbeliev- cates “for wanting more affordable housThe said areas are found in the following able” and the “height of naiveté” for any- ing and a deeper level of affordability” neighbourhoods: Fairview, Grandview- one to think that simply because a develop- compared to only 30 percent of units below Woodland, Hastings-Sunrise, Kensing- ment is social housing that it will neither market rates. ton-Cedar Cottage, Kitsilano, Marpole, have any ability to set precedent nor will “That 30 percent definition is mixedand Mount Pleasant. affect land values. income housing at its essence,” Atkey said. The Straight sought comments from Jill “You got to be kidding,” Benge said. “The 30 percent is also a minimum.” Atkey, CEO of the B.C. Non-Profit Housing The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbour- Atkey explained that this definition Association, and Larry Benge, co-chair of the hoods posted a statement online on May 16 also “allows for flexibility in case governCoalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods. in opposition to Boyle’s motion. ment comes in and changes their priorities “It takes us one step further beyond the “This will increase development pres- around affordable housing”. motion that was passed in April, which was sure, increase rental inflation, gentrifica- “We are never able to achieve the level progress,” Atkey said in a phone interview. tion, demovictions, and displacements of affordablity we want on day one of the Atkey added that council heard the for existing older more affordable rental project because housing is so expensive to need to do more in order to support buildings,” the coalition said. build, when you factor in land, construcsocial housing. It noted that existing rents in older tion, and material costs, as well as labour She noted that most of Vancouver’s land buildings “tend to be much lower than new costs,” Atkey said. “But every year going is “reserved strictly for single family or du- rentals, sometimes even lower than typical forward in that project, the affordability is plex residential housing”. subsidized social housing rents, while ex- improved.” “That very low-density housing has not isting older units are also generally larger”. Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourallowed us to build...the quantity of hous- The coalition also reiterated its long- hoods’ Benge needs to be convinced. ing we need to meet the needs of a growing standing objection to the city’s definition “The city tells you…we have just built population,” Atkey said. of social housing that allows 70 percent of 100 units of social housing. Okay, does The BCNPHA CEO pointed out that the units at market-rate rents, but counts that mean that you’ve actually built 30 this led to a situation where non-profit entire projects as 100 percent social hous- units of social housing, but you’re calling housing only “exists in very small areas of ing “when it is mostly market rents”. it a hundred units because of the 30-70 defthe city”. “So it’s part of a larger conversation that’s The City of Vancouver came up with its 70-30 definition of social housing inition?” Benge said by way of illustration. “It’s ridiculous.” g

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OneCity Vancouver councillor Christine Boyle says that it shouldn’t be more difficult to develop social housing in the city than it is to construct million-dollar homes. Photo by Joshua Berson.