2376 replies to this topic

[tjv]

As Isitt pushes his City of Victoria-made affordable housing solution, the CEO of BC Housing has stated that government can't afford to build its way out of BC's housing crunch.

 

- https://biv.com/arti...-housing-crisis

 

Instead what we have is obstruction at the municipal level and a desire to paint the private development sector as the cause of housing problems. The fact that our municipal leaders have got this point so embarrassingly wrong is a perfect example of ideology leading the charge in lieu of facts and pragmatism.

Its not governments responsibility to build endless affordable housing and frankly I am not sure how a private developer can fix the problem either.  The reality is we need a changing mindset where you might not be able to afford to live alone here and roommates will become the norm.  If you don't like it then don't live here, try Saskatoon but dress warm.  That is the cold hearted truth because I can't think of a single reasonable solution

[tedward]

As Isitt pushes his City of Victoria-made affordable housing solution, the CEO of BC Housing has stated that government can't afford to build its way out of BC's housing crunch.

 

Surprise, surprise. Once again Mike, et al, purposefully misrepresent Isitt.

He never said government should, "build its way out of BC's housing crunch." What he said , as quoted earlier in the thread was, “I would love for the city to be aggressively developing affordable rental housing and for the city to be the main developer in the city for the next three or four years to house poor people,”

 

The private sector has never, and will never, "be the main developer" of low-income housing. Let us also recognize that "main" doesn't imply "all" and that he is talking about a limited time-span to increase rental stocks which as far as I can tell everyone has been saying is an issue for decades.



 

[Nparker]

Its not governments responsibility to build endless affordable housing...

It certainly isn't the responsibility of a municipality of fewer than 80,000 people to build affordable housing for the masses.

[Midnightly]

does anyone know the stats breakdown on low income/affordable/government/subsidized housing to the ratio of non-subsidized housing for Victoria proper vrs whole crd?

 

is Victoria the only place in the crd with "low barrier" housing for the hard to house?

[Victoria Watcher]

Surprise, surprise. Once again Mike, et al, purposefully misrepresent Isitt.

He never said government should, "build its way out of BC's housing crunch." What he said , as quoted earlier in the thread was, “I would love for the city to be aggressively developing affordable rental housing and for the city to be the main developer in the city for the next three or four years to house poor people,”

The private sector has never, and will never, "be the main developer" of low-income housing. Let us also recognize that "main" doesn't imply "all" and that he is talking about a limited time-span to increase rental stocks which as far as I can tell everyone has been saying is an issue for decades.

most low income people live in private housing.

[Mike K.]

Surprise, surprise. Once again Mike, et al, purposefully misrepresent Isitt.

He never said government should, "build its way out of BC's housing crunch." What he said , as quoted earlier in the thread was, “I would love for the city to be aggressively developing affordable rental housing and for the city to be the main developer in the city for the next three or four years to house poor people,”

The private sector has never, and will never, "be the main developer" of low-income housing. Let us also recognize that "main" doesn't imply "all" and that he is talking about a limited time-span to increase rental stocks which as far as I can tell everyone has been saying is an issue for decades.

I never said he said that.

The CEO of BC Housing said that, as Isitt pushes for more government-built housing that he calls the only solution to housing poor people, as Isitt referenced them.

Who has the right answer? A councillor who no development experience, or a CEO of a housing organization overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars of social housing development at any one time?

[mbjj]

What will happen to what appears to be several houses in the way of that proposed Vic High development? What if folks don't want to leave their homes?

[Victoria Watcher]

Its not governments responsibility to build endless affordable housing and frankly I am not sure how a private developer can fix the problem either.  

 

if all governments reduced regulations it could pave the way for developers to build big simple projects.

 

if for example the government allowed 3 and 4 floor walk-ups (no elevator) that had 16 bachelor suites on each floor except 14 on the bottom to allow for common laundry and no parking.  and allowed these units to have limited or no setbacks so they easily fit on a big sfd lot you'd find these little units would rent for quite a low price. $700 or less.  small fridge small stove no dishwasher.  no tub just shower and sink and toilet. common hot water individual electric meters.

 

you put them on shelbourne bay quadra mckenzie cook pandora gorge burnside and johnson etc. the busy streets right on transit and away from quality owner-occupied sfds.

 

they fit nicely on corners.

 

 

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 April 2019 - 08:12 AM.

[Nparker]

Sort of a vertical tent city then.

[Victoria Watcher]

Sort of a vertical tent city then.

 

not at all. these are privately run. it's in the landlords' interest to have the best tenants.  in order to save wear and tear and damage and to attract and maintain other good tenants.   all perfectly good free market monetary motivators.  and all the things absent in most social housing.

 

governments simply need to allow them.  and private developers will build and run them. and frankly the small size and limited amenities make them rent at a fairly low price.  and it works for private developers because they have paid relatively little to build them and acquire the land. 62 or 63 suites on a sfd lot.  $550,000 annual income from a building that costs under $4m to build on an a lot that cost $500,000.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 April 2019 - 08:19 AM.

[Mike K.]

Instead we have outrageous DCC costs, density up-lift costs, extremely long approval phases and a myriad of restrictions.

Now Isitt wants to have 30% of the units subsidized by residents of the remaining 70%.

It’s unworkable. But perhaps that’s the point, and the solution to the obstruction is a City-led development division.

[Victoria Watcher]

Sort of a vertical tent city then.

 

these would be 200-250 square feet.   and with 8-foot ceilings.  so 4 to 8x larger than most tents.

 

the north american average sfd lot is 8600 sq. ft.  these only need 6,000 to 7,000 sq, ft. for 16 units on each floor plus hallways and stairs.  

 

allow this type of building and by the end of 2021 you'd have 40 of them built and occupied housing over 2500 lower-income people.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 April 2019 - 08:33 AM.

[Nparker]

So instant slums. Your neighbourhood first.

[Victoria Watcher]

So instant slums. Your neighbourhood first.

 

why do you say that?  price does not directly correlate to quality of tenant or care for the property.

 

i already described the neighbourhoods they'd be in.   they would front onto very busy traffic streets.

 

do you find this building in your neighbourhood objectionable nparker?  these would be just like these but taller.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 April 2019 - 09:19 AM.

[Midnightly]

What will happen to what appears to be several houses in the way of that proposed Vic High development? What if folks don't want to leave their homes?

 

 

the complex on gladstone (1211 gladstone) is low income housing, they are already in the process of relocating all the families living there..

[tjv]

It certainly isn't the responsibility of a municipality of fewer than 80,000 people to build affordable housing for the masses.

Who cares what the population of a municipality is, it  could be 8,000 or a province of 8 million, its still not governments responsibility.  We need a changing attitude that its perfectly fine to have a roommate whether you are the working poor or a young professional

[tjv]

these would be 200-250 square feet.   and with 8-foot ceilings.  so 4 to 8x larger than most tents.

 

the north american average sfd lot is 8600 sq. ft.  these only need 6,000 to 7,000 sq, ft. for 16 units on each floor plus hallways and stairs.  

 

allow this type of building and by the end of 2021 you'd have 40 of them built and occupied housing over 2500 lower-income people.

Come to my street - zoning requirements are minimum 2 acre lots, max 5% lot coverage all within 15 min to town during rush hour.  Total waste if you ask me

[DustMagnet]

Come to my street - zoning requirements are minimum 2 acre lots, max 5% lot coverage all within 15 min to town during rush hour.  Total waste if you ask me

 

Yeah, but if you densify your neighbourhood then the time to downtown will increase.

[Victoria Watcher]

Come to my street - zoning requirements are minimum 2 acre lots, max 5% lot coverage all within 15 min to town during rush hour. Total waste if you ask me

I agree. and that’s why I say all that needs to happen is government zoning / regulation changes.

[spanky123]

Come to my street - zoning requirements are minimum 2 acre lots, max 5% lot coverage all within 15 min to town during rush hour. Total waste if you ask me

Yeah but isn’t that because you are on well water and septic?