The mayors of Canada's 22 largest municipalities are pushing the federal government to extend a subsidy program used to assist 600,000 low-income households that is due to expire next year.
"Canada’s big-city mayors are taking on a new battle: low-cost housing," reports Frances Bula. "And they have kicked off a campaign to persuade the federal government to continue a decades-old form of support for subsidized housing that is used to reduce the rent for 600,000 households."
'There’s $500-million a year in housing investments expiring in 2014. That’s the big bombshell that’s landing,' Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities convention in the city on Thursday."
"Many non-profits and co-ops operate on a model in which some renters pay full market rent, some get a small subsidy and others get a much larger subsidy," explains Bula. "Having one-third of each type of renter has been seen as the norm."
But if the subsidy program is allowed to expire next year, the non-profits, co-ops and local governments that use it will have to rent more of their units at market prices to make up for the loss.
FULL STORY: Affordable housing tops the agenda as mayors make plea to Ottawa for help
Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy
The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.
Disabled Veterans Gain Access to Supportive Housing Assistance
Disability benefits will no longer exclude veterans from supportive housing programs.
Redefining Housing Affordability
A new study highlights how many — or how few — Californians can afford to live in each of the state’s counties.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)