Overwhelming Density for the sake of Assumed Affordability #1 -CITY HALL WATCH November 9, 2024 - Precis of Carole Taylor Interview and related articles

B.C’s Housing Conundrum Carole Taylor – interview with Michael Geller covers housing policy, Broadway Plan, Kitsilano tower rezonings (including one going to Public Hearing Nov 12).

Posted on November 9, 2024 by urbanizta

Preamble: November 2024 is a crucial month for housing in Vancouver, particularly regarding the Broadway Plan. This interview with Michael Geller by Carole Taylor covers many crucial points and is very timely. Please read on, and watch the interview.

Over the course of her career, veteran journalist and politician Carole Taylor has covered the major issues of Canadian and global affairs. Carole Taylor’s Journal (http://www.caroletaylorsjournal.ca) is “a public affairs dialogue that digs deep into the most pressing issues of our times.” In the view of CityHallWatch, it is highly recommended, with great guest interviews. On October 3, 2024, prior to the October 19 provincial election, she hosted Michael Geller, architect, as part of a series on B.C’s Housing Conundrum. Watch the whole interview on YouTube. Below, we have provided bullet points summarizing his comments on the controversial Broadway Plan, which is picking up steam and is set to be turbocharged (possibly on November 26, 2024). Petitions calling for a Rethink of the Broadway Plan have thousands of signatures (see https://www.change.org/p/rethink-the-broadway-plan). A massive rally is planned for City Hall at 1 pm on Saturday, November 23 (details pending). Several Broadway Plan tower rezonings go to Public Hearing this month (see list below).

BC’s Housing Conundrum (w/ Michael Geller, architect) – Carole Taylor’s Journal

Above is the YouTube of the 3-Oct-2024 “BC’s Housing Conundrum” series interview with Michael Geller, architect, on Carole Taylor’s Journal.

Next below is a list of rezonings in November under the Broadway Plan, followed by bullet points of Carole Taylor’s interview with Michael Geller (with huge thanks to volunteer Josh for summarizing the points). This episode focused on provincial housing initiatives, chiefly the political decision of the BC NDP provincial government to override the municipal responsibility for zoning, mention of an example of much tauted L2 rental project that went so far astray, and the Broadway Plan in Vancouver, with special reference to an 18-storey tower proposed at 2156-2174 West 14th Avenue (going to Public Hearing on 12-Nov-2024).

List of Broadway Plan tower rezonings in November 2024 alone.

• On November 12 (link for agenda) there’s 3983-3991 West 10th Ave, 888 West Broadway (formerly 878-898 West Broadway), 523-549 East 10th Ave, 701 Kingsway, 2156-2174 West 14th Ave (18-storeys on a quiet side street), and 2175 West 7th Ave (demoviction of affordable rentals).
• Another Public Hearing will be held on November 26 (link here, but agenda not yet posted) as of Nov 9). Check back here for list. Likely to include 1960 West 7th Ave.
• Meanwhile, the Regular Council of November 12 (agenda link) will receive referral reports for three more tower projects in the Broadway Plan area, including 1726 West 11th Ave, 8 East Broadway (text amendment, formerly 2-24 East Broadway and 2520 Ontario Street), and 1365 West 12th Ave.
• CityHallWatch has covered many of these projects. Copy/paste the address in our search field to find articles.
• For an updated map of 100-150 projects in the pipeline in the Broadway Plan area, compiled by CityHallWatch (and going far beyond what the City has announced publicly) see our updated “Maps of Broadway Plan rezoning applications.”
• We note that the City Manager is far past his deadline for providing a memo to Council with his quarterly update on Broadway Plan Implementation, which was due in October.

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Below are bullet points summarizing Michael Geller in the October 3, 2024, interview on Carole Taylor’s Journal.

• Question: With all of the initiatives from the provincial government, overriding municipal rights to re-zoning, is this a good thing or a bad thing?
  • The intentions are good. Encouraging small scale, multi-unit housing is terrific, but the implementation is too heavy handed.
    • The notion that every single-family lot in communities larger than 5,000 square feet should be eligible for a 4-6 unit development is over-reach. Geller agrees with those who feel that communities don’t have sufficient infrastructure to support such developments (e.g., no parking).

• Topic: There is a large building going up on Larch Street [see CityHallWatch post “Unaffordable Kitsilano rental project draws intense media scrutiny“], controversial because it’s draw was the inclusion of 20% affordable rental units. 
  • Having looked at the plans, Geller feels the affordable rental units are virtually unlivable, simply too small.
    • Certain minimum standards should be maintained. Everyone is welcome to live in a small space, if they have choice, but being forced into a such a small space due to housing scarcity isn’t choice.
  • Geller feels politicians are being seduced to approve buildings that shouldn’t be approved, just to get the 20% below market rental units.

• If you look at cost benefit analysis, the government benefits granted to developers in the form of subsides fail to outweigh the positive impact of developer’s affordable housing initiatives.

In the case of Larch Street, the developer [Jameson] received:

1. A density bonus from the City
2. A wavier on development cost charges
3. Then after the development was approved, the provincial government offered a beneficial financing rate for the project and a high ratio loan

• Q: What are your ideas for how to get more low rent units built?
  • Geller would revert to developments funded by nonprofit societies, allowing those buildings to operate with a mix of government subsidies.
  • This way, you get more value for money, when compared to developments that are 20% affordable, 80% market value.
    • In fact, on top of supporting the 20% below mark units, government subsidies are contributing for a portion of the 80% market value units. Paradoxically, this can lift the price of new and existing housing.

• Often times the concession and subsidies granted to developers are predicated on rental units aligning with provincial regulations which promote affordability.
  • However, several years later these regulations may change, and units designated as affordable start to be treated no differently than market value units. When one tenant leaves, the unit price is raised.

• Topic: The new provincial zoning regulations allowing for high-density development along transit corridors are causing discontent amongst affected communities [see CityHallWatch post – “‘Transit-Oriented Development’ (TOD) maps” and “Undemocratic BC Bills should be rescinded“]
  • Geller feels the City needs to put a moratorium on allowing 18 story towers on duplex lined streets (whether in Mount Pleasant or Kitsilano).

• Geller notes there exists a widespread idea at the City council level that density will result in affordability. This notion is a myth, he says.
  • Developers buy land by the square foot, and the price of land is set by how it’s zoned. Properties zoned for more square footage net a higher price.
  • There are developers operating along the Broadway corridor who are seeking 80/20 buildings approvals, only to flip the package to a different developer for a premium. In turn, heightening costs.

• With the exception of a few Vancouver City Planners, most people missed the consequences of the Broadway plan when it was initially passed [June 2022, and went into force based on a motion by then mayor Kennedy Stewart on 1-Sept-2022, pre-empting the Oct 2022 civic election].
  • At this time, Geller feels the council needs to be convinced to hold on approving high-density developments in duplex zones, such as the proposed development at 14th between Arbutus and Yew. [Pubic hearing Nov 12, 2024, link here]
    • Studies need to be conducted on such areas first, to assess the potential impacts.
    • Approving an 18-story building where it doesn’t belong sets a bad precedent. 

• Geller notes, nothing is set in stone. Depending on the outcome of the October 19, 2024, election [in which David Eby’s NPD government won a bare majority, with 47 seats the minimum required for a majority] things could change dramatically.

• Geller feels the best approach to addressing affordable housing is increasing incomes and stimulating economic activity, then targeting social housing dollars is the ultimately the way to go.

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RELATED MEDIA COVERAGE FEATURING COMMENTS BY MICHAEL GELLER – BROADWAY PLAN, 18-STOREY TOWER IN DUPLEX ZONE ON 14TH AND YEW, ETC.

Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood braces for 23 new towers – Developers are targeting the beachside Kitsilano neighbourhood now that the Broadway plan has opened up the construction floodgates (Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, 08-Oct-2024). Link: https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/kitsilano-neighbourhood-braces-23-new-towers

Letter: Changes need to be made to ‘flawed’ Broadway Plan. “After five decades trying to create affordable housing in the public and private sectors, I have learned that while it is difficult to create affordable housing without density, higher densities do not always equate to affordable housing.” (Michael Geller, Vancouver Is Awesome, 8-Mar-2024). [In the article, critiques the tower proposal at 2156 – 2172 West 14th Ave “a lovely leafy street lined with attractive duplexes” and points out two similar buildings proposed by HAVN on Carolina Street and Manitoba Street. He shreds the financials of the project.] Link: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/opinion/letter-changes-need-to-be-made-to-flawed-broadway-plan-8414313

Michael Geller: Some personal musings on the Broadway Plan (Michael Geller, The Georgia Straight, 22-Apr-2024) Link: https://www.straight.com/news/michael-geller-some-personal-musings-on-broadway-plan

18-storey Kitsilano rental housing tower proposed near SkyTrain’s future Arbutus Station (Kenneth Chan, The Daily Hive – Urbanized, 19-Dec, 2023) https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/2156-2172-west-14th-avenue-vancouver-rental-tower-havn

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