HOUSING PLAN

5 IMMEDIATE STEPS

These are the actions that an NPA Mayor and Council will enact within the first 100 days of office:

  1. Allow two secondary suites in detached homes. For renters, this brings up to 40,000 new units within reach. For homeowners, this means new options to pay their mortgage.
  2. Fast-track housing for low-income Vancouverites, vulnerable seniors, and people with disabilities. This means that housing developed by not-for-profits or in partnership with BC Housing gets built faster.
  3. Reduce municipal taxes, fees, and charges for laneway homes and new secondary suites that house long-term renters. This makes it less expensive for homeowners to add rental suites and gives renters more options to choose from.
  4. Renew outstanding co-op rental leases. This provides residents with certainty and peace of mind.  It is also a starting point to pursue opportunities for additional co-op housing.
  5. Designate City-owned lands for constructing attainable rental accommodation maintaining municipal ownership of that land.

5 IMMEDIATE STEPS

These are the actions that an NPA Mayor and Council will enact within the first 100 days of office:

  1. Allow two secondary suites in detached homes. For renters, this brings up to 40,000 new units within reach. For homeowners, this means new options to pay their mortgage.
  2. Fast-track housing for low-income Vancouverites, vulnerable seniors, and people with disabilities. This means that housing developed by not-for-profits or in partnership with BC Housing gets built faster.
  3. Reduce municipal taxes, fees, and charges for laneway homes and new secondary suites that house long-term renters. This makes it less expensive for homeowners to add rental suites and gives renters more options to choose from.
  4. Renew outstanding co-op rental leases. This provides residents with certainty and peace of mind.  It is also a starting point to pursue opportunities for additional co-op housing.
  5. Designate City-owned lands for constructing attainable rental accommodation maintaining municipal ownership of that land.

5 STEPS TO FIX THE PROCESS

We also need to fix the way that city hall works. 

  1. Stop the practice of city planning based on developer cash contributions. This means that city planning is driven by the needs of its residents, not development revenues.
  2. Break the permitting logjam and bring down the cost of new units for renters and buyers. This means speeding up the construction of a wide range of housing projects so that Vancouverites have more options when seeking a home.
  3. Establish a displaced tenant policy for those forced out by renovations or demolition. This means working with renter advocates and developers to establish clear, consistent obligations for developers whose renovations or new construction displace existing tenants.
  4. Stop one-off and sweetheart deals with developers. This means real local benefits so neighborhoods that accommodate additional density are rewarded with new and improved community facilities and public spaces. To do so, we will adopt consistent and transparent criteria for calculating and allocating Community Amenity Contributions. 
  5. Engage neighboring municipalities. This means working to align processes for development applications to be more consistent across the region. 

OUR LONG TERM STRATEGY

Develop a comprehensive City-Wide Plan with a unique plan for each neighbourhood.  This means moving away from spot rezonings.  It also requires real consultation with the public, stakeholder groups, and experts, and will be informed by best practices from the world’s most livable cities.  This will help to achieve a more appropriate mix of residential, commercial, and industrial zoning for under-utilized areas located near transit, including False Creek Flats.

Focus on the missing middle with a housing stock diversity plan.  This means encouraging secondary suites, laneway homes, and innovative forms of land tenure, as well as zoning opportunities for attainable row houses, townhomes, and stacked townhomes.

Press Ottawa to restore tax breaks that encourage investment in rental housing.  This means presenting a united front with the provincial government and stakeholders to insist that the federal government fulfills its promise on GST exemptions and considers a return to capital gains rollover.

Review the Vancouver Building Bylaw and policies to reduce the cost of housing and respect consumer choice. 

Work with the BC government to initiate a review of the provincial building code, in order to make housing construction less expensive and enable architectural innovation.

DOWNLOAD THE HOUSING PLAN HERE