3859 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Location, Location, Location. This location can't be beat. Zela is a very quiet street in the heart of south Oak Bay, just a few short blocks to the ocean and Windsor park. The seller's had planned to build, and have plans, survey, TPP, structural and even an available build contract if you want to get started right away. The permit application is in with the municipality and is up next for review so should be no delays here. OR check out Oak Bay's new missing middle initiative and put up a multiplex on this beautiful little lot. 

 

$1,140,000

 

https://www.realtor....y-south-oak-bay

[dasmo]

Definitely made things more affordable!

[Victoria Watcher]

Density-restricting covenants attached to the land titles of more than 60 lots in a Coquitlam subdivision are pitting neighbours against one another. Some want the decades-old restrictions dissolved to allow for multi-unit developments, while others want to retain the neighbourhood’s single-family character.

 

Historical covenants such as these across Metro Vancouver present a challenge to efforts to increase density on residential lots to address B.C.’s housing-shortage crisis.

 

“Covenants that are over 60 years old restricting land to one-family use restrict the ability to create more housing solutions in our communities,” said Bill Laidler, a real estate agent and developer who wanted to assemble a dozen of the Coquitlam homes in question but backed out, in part, because of the split over the covenants.

 

The number of such covenants is not known, but some industry observers have suggested they could be in the thousands.

 

So far, the provincial government — which recently passed legislation requiring municipalities to change their zoning bylaws to allow for multi-unit developments on single-family lots — has said its legislation does not override the historical covenants and urged homeowners caught in this predicament to consult their lawyers.

 

In the Chineside neighbourhood of Coquitlam, covenants were written in the 1950s and 1960s covering 59 lots on Thermal Drive and nine lots on Como Lake Avenue. They were registered by the developer Harbour Chines Ltd., which was dissolved in 1976 and no longer owns any of the lots.

 

The restrictive covenants specify, among other things, that no more than one single-family dwelling can be built on a lot with an area of less than 10,000 square feet, or one two-family dwelling on a lot greater than 10,000 square feet.

 

Some homeowners had thought the recent provincial legislation would render the covenants obsolete and are pressing for the provincial government to close what they see as a loophole.

 

 

https://www.timescol...venants-9384907

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm trying to think of areas we likely have covenants.  I think Broadmead and Dean Park, for starters.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 August 2024 - 09:16 AM.

[Nparker]

...Historical covenants such as these across Metro Vancouver present a challenge to efforts to increase density on residential lots to address B.C.’s housing-shortage crisis...

Canada doesn't have a housing shortage crisis, it has an over-immigration crisis.

 

[dasmo]

Greedy… The covenant is there so the area remains a community as per those that chose to create it. To prevent greedy outsiders from destroying it like this guy…. “ “Covenants that are over 60 years old restricting land to one-family use restrict the ability to create more housing solutions in our communities,” said Bill Laidler, a real estate agent and developer who wanted to assemble a dozen of the Coquitlam homes in question but backed out, in part, because of the split over the covenants.”


Basic freedom of self determination, at a community level needs to be maintained.

[Tony]

Not a new issue. Not a single cause. Here is another partial explantation that goes back to 1993. 

 

In 1993, the last federal budget tabled by Brian Mulroney’s Progressive Conservative government ended all new federal funding for social housing construction outside of First Nations reserves. The feds were out of the business of creating new social housing, as they put it. This was a marked change from previous decades when the federal government helped finance about 20,000 units of social housing per year—from direct public housing in the 1960s and into the ‘70s to non-profit and co-op housing in the 1980s.

 

There are other reasons as well. The recent increase in the number of students attending diploma type programs is one of them and it is being addressed as is the need for support for more affordable housing at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.

[Victoria Watcher]

^ 20,000 new units a year. The feds used to finance.


Canada accepts 3,300 new arrivals PER DAY.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 August 2024 - 11:04 AM.

[Tony]

Are there any racial based covenants left in BC that have legal status?

[dasmo]

Indian Reserves?

[Tony]

Do first Nations  have control of immigration?

 

Do the  Musquieam and Tsawwwassen and others allow aliens to live in their country under agreements and control who is or can become a member of the group despite certain federal regulations?

 

Interesting question.

[Sparky]

^ I think you will find that history will bear witness that the last time the First Nations were in control of the immigration process....it didn't work out well for them.

[mbjj]

Canada doesn't have a housing shortage crisis, it has an over-immigration crisis.

I was talking to a friend the other day who works at an establishment downtown. She said just in the last little while five fellows from India have arrived to work there. Each fellow has his own apartment and the married ones are now bringing their wives over. These are  "temporary" foreign workers. So that's five apartments needed just for this one establishment. 

[Tony]

The temporary foreign work permit is also one to gain permanent residence status and to citizenship.

It sounds like that is the goal of some of these workers.

 Do they have any special skills?

Edited by Tony, 23 August 2024 - 07:21 PM.

[Matt R.]

I was talking to a friend the other day who works at an establishment downtown. She said just in the last little while five fellows from India have arrived to work there. Each fellow has his own apartment and the married ones are now bringing their wives over. These are  "temporary" foreign workers. So that's five apartments needed just for this one establishment.

Not every tfw comes here on a path to pr or citizenship. Some come and work their two years or one year or whatever and move on to the next thing. Seems to me like most of these guys from India are on that dual entry stream and want to stay.

[Victoria Watcher]

$23,800,000

 

Prime development opportunity at the SW corner of Ash Street and West King Edward Ave in Vancouver's Cambie Corridor! This site offers 200' x 150' lot, totaling 30,000 sq. ft. Strategically located seconds from King Edward SkyTrain station, providing unparalleled convenience and connectivity. Key Features: Unmatched Location: In the heart of the Cambie Corridor, close to top amenities, parks, and schools. Transit-Oriented Development: Within the Transit-Oriented Development Guidelines, ideal for high-density, mixed-use potential. Development Ready: Potential Cambie Corridor Plan. Don't miss this rare opportunity to secure a premier development site in one of Vancouver's most desirable areas. Act now to capitalize on this strategic location and the growing demand for urban living spaces.

 

 

https://www.realtor....reet-vancouver\

 

 

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 August 2024 - 03:06 PM.

[dasmo]

So four three million dollar houses with affordable basement rentals turned into four six million dollar development opportunities that will turn into twenty three million townhouses with no affordable rentals.

Way to tackle affordable housing!

Edited by dasmo, 24 August 2024 - 11:08 PM.

[mbjj]

The temporary foreign work permit is also one to gain permanent residence status and to citizenship.

It sounds like that is the goal of some of these workers.

 Do they have any special skills?

Not that I'm aware of. 

[Matt R.]

All the people we’ve hired under the dual entry program have post secondary degrees in their field in order to make the cut on points. There are hired under a skilled labour program, but there are other less onerous programs as well but they generally do not lead to citizenship or even PR from what I’ve seen.

They are the ones working for a and w, Tim hortons, doing cleaning, dishwashing, serving tables, etc, and likely go on to their next contract in a years time somewhere else or back home.

None of you or your friends/family went abroad to work in their youth? There are international programs to help people do this exact thing. Some people find it really beneficial.

[dasmo]

Nothing wrong with foreign worker programs, student visas or immigration. What is wrong is using these programs for corrupt purposes.

[Victoria Watcher]

In passing its Transit-Oriented Development Area (TOA) legislation late last year, the provincial NDP government set up an inevitable tug-of-war with B.C. municipalities, some of which immediately decried the perceived provincial overstep into their jurisdiction.

 

Now that the June 30 deadline for municipalities to designate properties within the 104 TOAs across B.C. has passed, we are beginning to see the resistance emerge, sometimes with fireworks.

 

Burnaby, for example, has refused to participate at all, while Coquitlam has designated properties, but is discouraging applications until some undefined future date when they might enact the policies required to support the new density.

 

The result is a chaotic regulatory patchwork in the Metro Vancouver region. In most jurisdictions, details that can make or break an investment have yet to be solidified, and timelines to get the complete picture are murky at best. Rumours and speculation are thriving in an environment where policy guidelines are half-baked, and nobody can be certain what will happen next week, let alone next year.

 

Understanding how the various policy layers affect a property has never been more important.

 

Our survey and report card on six major Metro Vancouver municipalities confirms that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to land-use policies.

 

 

https://www.theorca....tchwork-9402003

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 29 August 2024 - 08:32 PM.