Vancouver is famous for high-rises and a decidedly urban quality of life, but housing prices are still skyrocketing. A new ten-year housing strategy proposes a few drastic measures to rebalance the market's scales.
Earlier this week, the Vancouver City Council approved a ten-year housing strategy designed "to address everything from combating homelessness and revitalizing low-density neighbourhoods, to taming real estate speculation and increasing rental housing stock," according to an article by Dan Fumano and Nick Eagland.
"The overall strategy includes, among other things, a target of creating 72,000 new homes for renters, families and vulnerable residents over the next 10 years," according to the article.
Dan Fumano wrote a follow-up article on the Housing Vancouver strategy, focusing on the new plan's attention to the city's rental market. In addition to proposing new tenant protection measures, the Housing Vancouver strategy recommends the immediate implementation of the Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program. That program offers incentivizes to the private sector "to develop purpose-built rental buildings," such as additional density or relaxed parking requirements.
Controversially, the "strategy also raises the idea of creating 'rental-only zones' in the city, which would require legislation from the provincial government," according to Fumano.
For more information, see also the City of Vancouver's Housing Vancouver website.
FULL STORY: Vancouver council approves 'bold, ambitious' 10-year housing strategy
Vancouver Again Raises its Empty Homes Tax
The Vancouver Empty Homes Tax will soon be three times as high as it was when adopted in 2017.
Vacancy Taxes as a Response to the Housing Crisis
Could vacancy taxes solve multiple housing challenges at once?
Rent Control Approved for Montgomery County
The Montgomery County Council has approved a new law that sets limits on how much landlords can raise rents from year to year.
Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
Tenant Advocates: Rent Gouging Rampant After LA Wildfires
The Rent Brigade says it's found evidence of thousands of likely instances of rent gouging. In some cases, the landlords accused of exploiting the fires had made campaign donations to those responsible for enforcement.
Seattle’s Upzoning Plan is Ambitious, Light on Details
The city passed a ‘bare-bones’ framework to comply with state housing laws that paves the way for more middle housing, but the debate over how and where to build is just getting started.
DOJ Seeks to End USDOT Affirmative Action Program
The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program encouraged contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses in the transportation sector, where these groups are vastly underrepresented.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada