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Affordable housing in Victoria


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#2081 rmpeers

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Posted 11 October 2019 - 10:14 AM

It's just another bauble to dangle in front of people. They know their base have zero interest in anything substantive or meaningful so they just whip out something bright and shiny to grab their attention briefly.

By the way, where was Loveday when the mayor of the city was caught helping to cover up sexual harrassment of Vic PD staff? Apparently, the verbiage that flows so easily when it's slam poetry time escaped him then. Women being harrassed by powerful men. Cover up. Anything? This doesn't trouble you? Not a word.

Dear god another 3 years of this....
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#2082 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 16 October 2019 - 05:01 PM

Immigrants buy 21 per cent of houses and may purchase 680,000 homes during the next five years if migration levels are maintained, the poll commissioned by Royal LePage shows.

 

 

that can't be good when we are in a housing crisis but over 1/5 of the new houses are going to new canadians instead of those already born here.

 

https://business.fin...obox=1571255566


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 16 October 2019 - 05:02 PM.


#2083 VIResident

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Posted 22 October 2019 - 04:50 AM

Yesterday, Saanich Garden Suite Study - proposed regulatory framework, was presented to Council.

Building these garden suites will be unaffordable for most and run smack into increased taxes and penalties i.e. speculation tax, vacancy tax and increase tax due to higher evaluation etc. etc. etc.

Stating Garden Suites will relieve the lack of housing availability by merely relaxing zoning etc. is simply not going to do it.  The average Jane and Jo homeowner will not be able to jump through the Federal, provincial, municipal hoops or afford to even build it.

 

Saanich could look to the following to actually entice the building of these garden suites which of course will soften the lack of housing however to dramatically increase affordable housing :

 

1.  A no-interest loan for the building of a garden suite.  The max rent one would be able to charge for the limited square footage permitted, against the actual cost of building it just will not make financial sense.  

 

However, to really ramp up building these things do this:

 

2.  A no-interest loan combined with an agreement that the second 'home' will not be caught up in the speculation tax, vacancy tax, or increased land tax due to the 'improvement'

 

IF, if, if, if, if the homeowner agrees to leave the garden suite as 'affordable housing' for a period of 5 years.

 

What do you think? 

 

https://www.saanich....uite-study.html



#2084 Mike K.

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Posted 22 October 2019 - 06:13 AM

Here we go again with the affordable housing rhetoric.

This will not dramatically increase affordable housing and city halls need to stop pretending that it will.

And how exactly will the municipality dictate to BC Assessment how to tax or not tax the property? Assessments are reflective of sales activity, and tax rates are based on assessments.
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#2085 Jackerbie

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Posted 22 October 2019 - 08:14 AM

Yesterday, Saanich Garden Suite Study - proposed regulatory framework, was presented to Council.

Building these garden suites will be unaffordable for most and run smack into increased taxes and penalties i.e. speculation tax, vacancy tax and increase tax due to higher evaluation etc. etc. etc.

Stating Garden Suites will relieve the lack of housing availability by merely relaxing zoning etc. is simply not going to do it.  The average Jane and Jo homeowner will not be able to jump through the Federal, provincial, municipal hoops or afford to even build it.

 

Saanich could look to the following to actually entice the building of these garden suites which of course will soften the lack of housing however to dramatically increase affordable housing :

 

1.  A no-interest loan for the building of a garden suite.  The max rent one would be able to charge for the limited square footage permitted, against the actual cost of building it just will not make financial sense.  

 

However, to really ramp up building these things do this:

 

2.  A no-interest loan combined with an agreement that the second 'home' will not be caught up in the speculation tax, vacancy tax, or increased land tax due to the 'improvement'

 

IF, if, if, if, if the homeowner agrees to leave the garden suite as 'affordable housing' for a period of 5 years.

 

What do you think? 

 

https://www.saanich....uite-study.html

 

Speculation and Vacancy Tax doesn't apply, because secondary suites are not separate properties. Building a detached suite is no different than building a basement suite.

 

When it comes to increased property tax, the land valuation is entirely out of the municipality's hands.

 

At the end of the day, secondary suites of all sorts are not the silver bullet solution, but part of a much, much larger suite (heh) of regulatory changes needed to address the lack of choice in housing options. 



#2086 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 23 October 2019 - 05:37 PM

this is an area that should have mostly no height limits or restrictions on residential building.  and then it can easily take another 20000 housing units.

 

 

 

 

 

 


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#2087 Nparker

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Posted 23 October 2019 - 07:03 PM

Good luck getting any of the neighbourhood associations to agree to that.


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#2088 Mike K.

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 09:18 AM

Victoria – Cool Aid is proud to have recently opened a new floor of affordable housing apartments, on Mount Edwards Court’s third floor– the first of many more units to come.

 

As well, the Cool Aid Temporary Shelter opened on November 1 in our Downtown Community Centre, providing night-time mats for 40 adults every evening through March 31, 2020. Finally, Cool Aid provides an additional 20 mats at Rock Bay Landing as an Extreme Weather Response shelter whose availability depends on weather conditions.

 

15 new, affordable apartments for seniors are now being rented, adding to the 78 units of supportive housing already provided on the first two floors of Fairfield’s Mount Edwards (first opened in February 2016). The suites are being rented by seniors in our community needing a break on their rental cost in order to make ends meet.

 

One third-floor tenant, Shawn Kuin, who works at Our Place Society, was formerly living on a Mount Edward’s supportive housing floor, but no longer requires the supports he was previously receiving. Shawn is available for interviews and to show off his new apartment today.

 

“Cool Aid has 14 apartment buildings. Five of them, including Mount Edwards, are designed to support 251 seniors,” explained Don McTavish, director, housing & shelters. “But these 15 new apartments are different than what we currently operate. They have been built specifically to prevent seniors from becoming homeless in the first place.”

 

With all its new housing developments, Cool Aid is planning a mix of both affordable and supportive apartments. The approved redevelopment of Cedar Grove, at 210 Gorge Road East, will add an additional 51 affordable apartments to the 21 supportive units already on the property. The proposed redevelopment of 3020 Douglas Street will add 154 new affordable apartments, including replacement of the existing 52 supportive units. All together, 226 units are under development.

 

Cool Aid’s affordable apartments are ideal for seniors on a fixed income, students, single-parent families, low-income workers, people living with disabilities and the unwaged. In Greater Victoria’s low vacancy and high rent housing market they will help prevent homelessness – saving taxpayer dollars and improving quality of life for everyone in the community.

 

Cool Aid has operated its Temporary  Shelter since 2004, and re-opened for the cold and wet weather on November 1 in its Downtown Community Centre. “Shelters are not the solution to the homeless crisis,” explained Don McTavish. “But they are necessary while the long-term work of building permanent, affordable and supportive housing proceeds.”

 

Both the new seniors affordable housing and seasonal shelter have been funded by the Province through BC Housing.


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#2089 Nparker

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 09:33 AM

...Cool Aid is proud to have recently opened a new floor of affordable housing apartments, on Mount Edwards Court’s third floor...15 new, affordable apartments for seniors are now being rented, adding to the 78 units of supportive housing already provided on the first two floors of Fairfield’s Mount Edwards (first opened in February 2016)...Both the new seniors affordable housing and seasonal shelter have been funded by the Province through BC Housing.

At this rate one can see why the province is a long way from reaching its promised targets.

Two years into the NDP’s mandate, an update from BC Housing shows almost half of 13,182 affordable housing units...are labelled in progress because they don’t have the required funding or commitments to proceed. Only 71 rental housing units have been completed by BC Housing out of a promised 1,598, according to the first quarter 2019-20 report...

https://www.timescol...says-1.23998015


Edited by Nparker, 05 November 2019 - 09:38 AM.


#2090 Mike K.

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 09:35 AM

Well hold on. BC Housing opened 132-units in Langford earlier this year at Millstream Ridge. That's also just one project out of many they've been involved with in our region.

 

They have some projects they themselves develop, but most of the housing they back is developed by others then purchased by BCH to be operated by a housing provider.


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#2091 rmpeers

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 10:09 AM

Victoria – Cool Aid is proud to have recently opened a new floor of affordable housing apartments, on Mount Edwards Court’s third floor– the first of many more units to come.

As well, the Cool Aid Temporary Shelter opened on November 1 in our Downtown Community Centre, providing night-time mats for 40 adults every evening through March 31, 2020. Finally, Cool Aid provides an additional 20 mats at Rock Bay Landing as an Extreme Weather Response shelter whose availability depends on weather conditions.

15 new, affordable apartments for seniors are now being rented, adding to the 78 units of supportive housing already provided on the first two floors of Fairfield’s Mount Edwards (first opened in February 2016). The suites are being rented by seniors in our community needing a break on their rental cost in order to make ends meet.

One third-floor tenant, Shawn Kuin, who works at Our Place Society, was formerly living on a Mount Edward’s supportive housing floor, but no longer requires the supports he was previously receiving. Shawn is available for interviews and to show off his new apartment today.

“Cool Aid has 14 apartment buildings. Five of them, including Mount Edwards, are designed to support 251 seniors,” explained Don McTavish, director, housing & shelters. “But these 15 new apartments are different than what we currently operate. They have been built specifically to prevent seniors from becoming homeless in the first place.”

With all its new housing developments, Cool Aid is planning a mix of both affordable and supportive apartments. The approved redevelopment of Cedar Grove, at 210 Gorge Road East, will add an additional 51 affordable apartments to the 21 supportive units already on the property. The proposed redevelopment of 3020 Douglas Street will add 154 new affordable apartments, including replacement of the existing 52 supportive units. All together, 226 units are under development.

Cool Aid’s affordable apartments are ideal for seniors on a fixed income, students, single-parent families, low-income workers, people living with disabilities and the unwaged. In Greater Victoria’s low vacancy and high rent housing market they will help prevent homelessness – saving taxpayer dollars and improving quality of life for everyone in the community.

Cool Aid has operated its Temporary Shelter since 2004, and re-opened for the cold and wet weather on November 1 in its Downtown Community Centre. “Shelters are not the solution to the homeless crisis,” explained Don McTavish. “But they are necessary while the long-term work of building permanent, affordable and supportive housing proceeds.”

Both the new seniors affordable housing and seasonal shelter have been funded by the Province through BC Housing.


On the face of it, this seems like a positive thing, especially if they are actually helping people to transition out of homelessness. I don't pass there too often, but I don't recall noticing the level of sketchiness you might see in Johmson, for example.
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#2092 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 11:01 AM

One third-floor tenant, Shawn Kuin, who works at Our Place Society, was formerly living on a Mount Edward’s supportive housing floor, but no longer requires the supports he was previously receiving. Shawn is available for interviews and to show off his new apartment today.

 

 

giving a former homeless person a (probably union) job - in the homeless industry - is not the way to get out of this cycle.  it's a great way to continue it.

 

what does "no longer requires the supports" mean in this case?   he's recovered from addiction or other medical issue?   it's all very odd language used by these poverty pimps.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 05 November 2019 - 11:03 AM.

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#2093 Mattjvd

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 11:15 AM

giving a former homeless person a (probably union) job - in the homeless industry - is not the way to get out of this cycle. it's a great way to continue it.

what does "no longer requires the supports" mean in this case? he's recovered from addiction or other medical issue? it's all very odd language used by these poverty pimps.


Hmm, I'd think it's probably a pretty good thing. Shawn would be able to connect with they people they are providing services to on a level many other staff wouldn't and be an explample to them of someone who got off the street and got a decent job.

#2094 Jackerbie

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 11:30 AM

what does "no longer requires the supports" mean in this case?   he's recovered from addiction or other medical issue?   it's all very odd language used by these poverty pimps.

 

If going by the BC Housing definition, "supportive housing" offers a variety of non-medical support systems to tenants, which may include job and skills training, counselling for mental health or substance abuse, and referrals to other health care and community service providers.



#2095 A Girl is No one

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 04:32 PM

Business is booming!

#2096 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 05:03 PM

Housing developments are popping up across the capital region, but whether you’re for them or against them it may be good to attend an upcoming housing density strategies discussion in downtown Victoria.

 

YIMBY Victoria: Yes, in My Back Yard is taking place at the KWENCH venue at 2031 Store St. on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m.

 

Housing density advocates Sonja Trauss and Adrian Cook will be presenting at the solutions-oriented discussion, which hopes to address the key barriers standing in the way of creating new housing.

 

 

 

 

fyi this is the single father of 5 that the government said don't put his kids on the city bus.

https://www.vicnews....ntown-victoria/

 

video of that story:  https://www.bttoront...-the-bus-alone/

 

his blog 5kids1condo:  https://5kids1condo.com/


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 05 November 2019 - 05:09 PM.


#2097 Mike K.

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Posted 05 November 2019 - 09:59 PM

I attending tonight.

Interesting tidbit is the fellow does not own the condo and says it sounded better to call it 5kids1condo rather than 5kids1apartment.

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#2098 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 06 November 2019 - 08:25 AM

A Greater Victoria resident working full time earning the provincial minimum wage would have to work 90 hours a week to afford a two-bed room apartment, according to a new study. Only residents of Vancouver (112 hours) and Toronto (96) hours would have to work more.

 

 

https://www.vicnews....g-mininum-wage/

 

 

no.  a person earning the provincial minimum wage might have to make a few other choices.  but working 90 hours a week is not the only available one.

 

90 hours per week means $5609.25 per month gross.  $4304 net take-home.  probably more in some benefits if that second bedroom is for a child.


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 November 2019 - 08:28 AM.


#2099 Nparker

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Posted 06 November 2019 - 08:27 AM

Why does one person need a 2-bedroom apartment?


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#2100 Citified.ca

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Posted 06 November 2019 - 08:45 AM

58-suite-affordable-seniors-and-family-oriented-rental-project-eyed-for-Harriet-Road-corridor.jpg

An artist's rendering depicting a 58-unit affordable rental proposal for 11 Chown Place in Victoria's Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood. The project is proposed to rise amid a 108-suite cluster of seniors residences on a 5.5-acre parcel along Harriet Road between Gorge Road East and Maddock Avenue East.

 

58-suite affordable seniors and family-oriented rental project eyed for Harriet Road corridor

https://victoria.cit...-road-corridor/


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