Based on my five decades experience developing non-market and market rental and ownership housing in Vancouver, I am concerned recent planning decisions that have been approved and proposed initiatives for Vancouver are so completely inappropriate they will undo all the excellent planning for which our city has been internationally acclaimed over the decades. Whether it's the Broadway Plan, the Jericho Plan, or the latest thing to upset me...the proposed Social Housing Initiative, I find it hard to understand why this is seriously being proposed for the reasons set out below. Details of the proposal can be found here:
https://syc.vancouver.ca/projects/social-housing/vancouver-social-housing-initiative-updated-boards.pdf
This map shows the areas where new social, supportive, and cooperative housing projects would be allowed to be built without rezoning. It is a slightly modified version of a previous map that was prevented for community review last year. I must confess, I wasn't aware of this initiative and neither were the planners and other housing 'experts' with whom I regularly communicate.
Social housing is described as housing to be developed and owned by the public sector or non-profit organizations. It is generally for low income households, but not just low income households. A broader mix is contemplated in some buildings.
The yellow colour indicates the neighbourhoods where buildings up to six storeys could be approved, if the initiative is approved by council. However, the purple colour illustrates the neighbourhoods where towers between 15 and 20 storeys, at a Floor Space Ratio (FSR) of up to 6.0 could be approved. By comparison, many of these areas are currently zoned for single-family and multiplex housing up to 3 storeys in height, at a FSR of 1.0.Below are more detailed views of the map illustrating where towers might be built on the east and west sides of the city.
From 1974 to 1977 I was the CMHC assistant architect/planner and subsequently the Program Manager- Social Housing and still recall how difficult it often was to get municipal approvals for worthwhile projects around the region. But that said, allowing 15-20 storey buildings along so many local neighbourhood streets throughout the city is most inappropriate. Indeed, it is bordering on the absurd, from an urban design and planning perspective.
It is also questionable given the desire is to house the currently unhoused requiring supportive services, as well as families with children. I would argue that it is not appropriate to create highrise supportive housing buildings with 150 +/- units. Instead, these buildings should be limited to about 60 units for improved management and community integration.
Similarly, research generally supports lower buildings for households with young children. A six storey limit would be preferable.
To be absolutely clear, I am not opposed to allowing social housing everywhere in the city. On the contrary, I think this is the right thing to do. I also think we should make it much easier for the public sector and non-profits to get approval for new social housing projects. However, as illustrated by this policy, the pendulum is not only swinging in another direction, but much too far in the wrong direction.
This week I discovered a report that was issued by the planning department in January that summarized community response to the proposal. While concerns were expressed about the appropriateness of 15 to 20 storey buildings along neighbourhood streets lined with single-family houses, it was most disingenuous, indeed misleading of the planners to use as a cover photo for the report an image completely devoid of any towers!
Yesterday, I attended a briefing by city staff on the policy, and have requested a roundtable discussion between staff, social housing experts, former city planners and respected urban designers so that we can have a more public discussion about what I consider an ill-conceived proposal before it proceeds much further and is approved by council.
Below is an excerpt from the city web site on how to get involved:
Below is further information about the initiative as set out in the staff presentation.
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