What can the City do to achieve Housing for All?

Without support from senior levels of government, the City really can't do much to provide truly "affordable" housing. The push for smaller units does provide some more "reasonable" housing options, but these units need to be designed to be more efficient and liveable. Larger units may be a better option in the future, especially if they are designed to be flexible (e.g. lock-off certain parts). With housing being so unaffordable, shared housing options may be the way to go and larger units can allow for that (whether it be roommates, family members, etc.)

In addition, more entry-level homeownership options could help take some pressure off the aging rental stock (I lived in Lower Lonsdale and those rental buildings are not getting any younger!) For example, some cities in Metro Vancouver have policies that allow you buy a place for below market value, but they cap how much you can re-sell a property for. This allows people who want to own to get into the market, make some equity from their purchase (not full market though), and sell it to someone else below market value as they move up the property ladder.

Building more woodframe apartment buildings would be a great idea - they can be built higher than the old 3 story walk ups - up to 5 or 6 stories now. Less expensive to build than concrete buildings and certainly less expensive to buy. Lots of buildings that height in European cities that are known for their character.

i think the City could use spaces for live-work. if we had an industrial business such as making furniture or glass blowing and then have a living space above it, the housing could be more affordable than what the average rental price. also, living above the work place would save money on getting to work. Car fees/transit passes would not be needed which would make the cost of living less.

there are only a handful of places in the City that allow live-work for industrial. it works in Asia and i think it could work here.

The CNV should continue to endorse and support private rental ventures such as the recent developments along West 1st Street.There continues to be a relatively low vacancy rate of rental properties and we should encourage and incentives this type of development whenever we can. I also applaud new developments which make generous allowances for subsidized housing such as the DYAD facility which was part of the NV School Board's re-development of the Lonsdale School site.

The City should be looking into expanding their Co-operative housing network. It is fine and dandy to have rental properties, but some people want to feel that they are more than a renter, there is a sigma to it, and the CNV tends to treat residents who rent very differently than those that own. Co-operative housing is an investment in something, and a feeling that you are part owner, not just a renter. The City needs to look at some of these new highrise developments and look at how to create these as co-operative living rather than people with money offshore buying and jacking the rents skyhigh. The City should also look at what percentage of the condos are offshore buyers who are buying as an investment rather than to live in. they should be treated as a business investment and taxed as such.