EcoDensity: making Vancouver sustainable, livable, affordable

[GenWhy?]

Make staircases, elevators and lobbies not count towards FSR and you'll get beautiful buildings. It won't happen but it would do wonders. We design crappy lobbies because it eats up space we can use for apartments.

Not good.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

Make staircases, elevators and lobbies not count towards FSR and you'll get beautiful buildings. It won't happen but it would do wonders. We design crappy lobbies because it eats up space we can use for apartments.

Not good.

The cynical part of me says that if common areas weren't included in the fsr count, you would still get a crappy lobby. $$$ We still get crappy generic cru facades, and that doesn't count towards fsr.

[Sheba]

Province seeks input on single egress stairway designs

The Province has issued a request for proposal (RFP) seeking a response from consultants with expertise in building design, engineering, and fire and life safety to better understand the potential for single egress stair (SES) designs in B.C. buildings.

...

Current British Columbia Building Code (BCBC) and British Columbia Fire Code (BCFC) requirements call for at least two egress, or exit, stairwells per floor in many buildings three storeys and higher. The RFP seeks options for what would be needed to protect safety, access and egress of occupants, while achieving the benefits of single egress stair designs in buildings up to eight storeys – more flexibility for multi-bedroom apartments, more density within areas of transit-oriented development and the potential to improve energy efficiency in buildings.

...

The RFP will be open to consultants until Feb. 21, 2024.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

B.C. looks to set up housing development program for middle-income residents

Source: Globe and Mail

Gee, I wonder if it will be as successful as this attempt by the province?


BC Housing sues more buyers accused of breaking affordable home rules
Megan Devlin
Mar 7 2024, 10:25 am

BC Housing launched more lawsuits this week going after buyers who broke the rules of an affordable housing development in Victoria.

The defendants are accused of snapping up discounted units in the Vivid at the Yates building even though they already owned homes, didn’t qualify based on income, or didn’t plan on living there.

The building’s below-market apartments were supposed to go to first-time buyers who’d live in the building for a minimum of two years. Buyers also were supposed to make less than $150,000 per year at the time of purchase.

One man named in a lawsuit filed on March 6 is accused of having liquid assets totalling more than $661,000 at the time of purchase in 2018, enabling him to buy the below-market unit without needing a mortgage.

The same year he signed on to purchase the affordable unit in Victoria, he became the owner of another condo in Langford assessed at $547,000. In 2021, he also became the owner of a vacant residential lot in Langford assessed at $753,000...

....Another man named in a different lawsuit filed this week also purchased his $481,000 subsidized unit in cash. In 2022, he was found to be living in China. He said this was due to COVID-19, but it broke the requirement for buyers to live in the building for at least two years after its 2021 completion....

...BC Housing is also going after realtor Janet Yu, who’s accused of helping a dozen buyers secure units in Vivid at the Yates by giving them incorrect advice about their obligations to qualify for the affordable housing project.

The rate of non-compliance among Yu’s clients was “significantly higher” than for the building overall, BC Housing said. It noted several of her clients already owned property, including at least one who possessed a detached house assessed at more than $1 million.

Yu made more than $52,000 in commission securing the affordable unit for her clients....

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vivid-yates-bc-housing-sues-buyers-broke-rules

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Gee, I wonder if it will be as successful as this attempt by the province?

Why wouldn't it be more successful? "In a news release issued at the time, the agency insisted purchasers "could not own property anywhere else in the world" and "had to agree to live in the property for two years before they can sell."

But in explaining a somewhat tortured timeline, Kahlon said Wednesday that those requirements were not actually in place when Vivid began in 2016 under the Liberal government.

"When the project was launched, there was no provisions involved. People could buy property if they had other investments. Their income wasn't really tested," he said."

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Why wouldn't it be more successful? "In a news release issued at the time, the agency insisted purchasers "could not own property anywhere else in the world" and "had to agree to live in the property for two years before they can sell."

But in explaining a somewhat tortured timeline, Kahlon said Wednesday that those requirements were not actually in place when Vivid began in 2016 under the Liberal government.

"When the project was launched, there was no provisions involved. People could buy property if they had other investments. Their income wasn't really tested," he said."

That doesn’t really hold water. It is hard to believe the NDP could retroactively put covenants or restrictions on deals that were already signed. Pethaps one our forumers in the legal or real estate field could comment.

[seamusmcduff]

Unfortunately a lot of planning and housing policy is written/iterated on by discovering all the ways people will find to abuse it.

[Sheba]

Hopefully this is the right place to post this - B.C. government introduces new home-flipping tax legislation

The British Columbia government has introduced legislation enacting its new home-flipping tax on Wednesday.

The province says the tax will target speculators and improve housing supply.

“Wealthy investors are using housing as a short-term investment to make a fast profit while people looking for homes can’t get into the market,” Finance Minister Katrine Conroy told media after introducing the bill in the B.C. legislature.

...

Under the proposal, first announced in the 2024 budget, anyone who buys a home and then sells it within two years of purchase will be taxed.

Profits on homes sold within one year will be subject to a 20 per cent tax. The tax amount will decline the longer the property is owed, hitting zero after two years of ownership. The tax will be retroactive to the 2023-2024 tax year.

...

If passed, the tax will take effect in January 2025.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Hopefully this is the right place to post this - B.C. government introduces new home-flipping tax legislation

I was happy to see that they carved out an exception for presale contracts and added a primary residence deduction.

Ultimately still feels like a toothless virtue signal tax to me, but it is what it is.

[Sheba]

Somewhat related (and I didn't want to start a new thread) - These Canada Post properties in B.C. could soon deliver housing

A nondescript industrial location in North Vancouver and a squat, one-storey building in Port Moody across from train tracks, are among Canada Post properties in B.C. on which the federal government is looking to develop housing as part of its latest budget.

The two B.C. sites, along with a half dozen other potential properties scattered between the mainland and Vancouver Island, are among 1,700 Canada Post properties in as many communities across Canada that featured in Tuesday's budget as ripe for housing development.

"Many of these sites often house one-storey Canada Post buildings, which could be leveraged to build new homes across the country, while maintaining Canada Post services," said the budget, which focused on how to build nearly four million new homes in Canada by 2031.

...

Among those six are two in B.C., including a building at 120 Charles Street in North Vancouver and another at 45 Mary Street in Port Moody.

It could take some work however, as the site in North Vancouver is tucked away in an industrial area with little housing nearby, meaning the property would need to be rezoned for residential. It's currently zoned for industrial use under the district's official community plan.

...

The Port Moody location is more promising with services and transportation in the neighbourhood, which is already zoned to allow housing between three and eight storeys.

...

Budget 2024 says the government will launch a Canada Post Housing Program to support affordable housing providers to build on Canada Post properties later this year.

Meanwhile, it also mentioned six other potential Canada Post sites for the program in B.C., which are in Gibsons, Langley and Sechelt on the Mainland and Chemainus, Qualicum Beach and Saanichton on Vancouver Island.

[Sheba]

I'm not sure if this should go here or under transportation - B.C. buys 14 properties for housing near site of future Surrey SkyTrain station

The B.C. government has purchased 14 properties to serve as the future site for 700 homes in Surrey near the future Surrey-Langley SkyTrain line.

The properties account for about 1.6 hectares of land, which will include the future 152 Street Sation and accompanying development.

Along with housing, the properties will also include space for grocery stores, retail and commercial space, child care and educational services.

“From the beginning of the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain planning process, we recognized the tremendous potential to include housing and amenities for people near these station locations,” Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said.

“We made the necessary legislative changes so we could buy land to support transit-oriented developments along the route, and today’s announcement is the latest example of us delivering on that promise.”

The B.C. government’s housing policy has focused heavily on transit-oriented development, including recent legislative changes requiring municipalities to allow higher density near transit hubs including SkyTrain.

The policy also includes buying land near transit hubs.

...

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Somewhat related (and I didn't want to start a new thread) - These Canada Post properties in B.C. could soon deliver housing

As pressing as the need for residential development might be, the North Vancouver property isn't well-suited for this. Not only is it in the middle of industrial land, but it is also less than 400 metres away from the North Shore's waste transfer station and 600 metres away from Chemtrade, which produces liquid chlorine.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

As pressing as the need for residential development might be, the North Vancouver property isn't well-suited for this. Not only is it in the middle of industrial land, but it is also less than 400 metres away from the North Shore's waste transfer station and 600 metres away from Chemtrade, which produces liquid chlorine.

It's closer to Northwoods Village than either of those, and Northwoods Village itself isn't substantially further away from the transfer station or Chemtrade.

Being near Chemtrade is one thing, but near the waste transfer station is a non-issue considering the development around Marine Drive Station is literally across the street from the Vancouver waste transfer station. Fraser Mills will also be a similar distance away from the Coquitlam transfer station.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by mcj

It's closer to Northwoods Village than either of those, and Northwoods Village itself isn't substantially further away from the transfer station or Chemtrade.

Being near Chemtrade is one thing, but near the waste transfer station is a non-issue considering the development around Marine Drive Station is literally across the street from the Vancouver waste transfer station. Fraser Mills will also be a similar distance away from the Coquitlam transfer station.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, of course, but this property would make for a relatively small redevelopment (35m x 20m if I'm measuring correctly) surrounded by industrial zoning. Northwoods Village is a very different setting - on the opposite side of Dollarton Highway - that doesn't require you to walk or bike through industrial traffic. (There's a lot of heavy truck traffic on Riverside throughout the day.) As for the transfer station, if you've ever been in that area on a hot summer afternoon, it's not the most pleasant scent to live in.

For clarity, this isn't a "NIMBY" response on my part, we live on the other side of the District. Knowing the area, though, it's not somewhere I'd wish upon people for a home. It might make more sense to sell or redevelop the property to get extra value out of it's current zoning and then use that profit to fund residential development elsewhere.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, of course, but this property would make for a relatively small redevelopment (35m x 20m if I'm measuring correctly) surrounded by industrial zoning. Northwoods Village is a very different setting - on the opposite side of Dollarton Highway - that doesn't require you to walk or bike through industrial traffic. (There's a lot of heavy truck traffic on Riverside throughout the day.) As for the transfer station, if you've ever been in that area on a hot summer afternoon, it's not the most pleasant scent to live in.

For clarity, this isn't a "NIMBY" response on my part, we live on the other side of the District. Knowing the area, though, it's not somewhere I'd wish upon people for a home. It might make more sense to sell or redevelop the property to get extra value out of it's current zoning and then use that profit to fund residential development elsewhere.

Marine Gateway is almost half the distance from the Vancouver Transfer station. I wouldn't really take that into account.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Marine Gateway is almost half the distance from the Vancouver Transfer station. I wouldn't really take that into account.

The smell down there can be pretty ripe if the conditions are right. If they're air conditioned no big deal, if not...

[GenWhy?]

Villages Planning Program – Scope of Work

The Plan lays out overarching policies for Villages, including:

• Creating new housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income households, in a variety of low-rise buildings up to six storeys;
• Expanding existing retail clusters to improve business viability, with a focus on neighbourhood-serving retail-commercial uses;
• Co-locating public open spaces with shops, services, and community spaces to support local businesses and provide opportunities for social connection; and
• Retaining trees and native soils, where possible, and integrating ecological landscaping.

"The planning program for 17 Villages is anticipated to take approximately 18 months"

[whatnext]

Hard to argue with cold hard numbers:

Mortimer
@mortimer_1

27m
The missing middle affordability math...

You could have bought the entire original house for $2,680,000 in 2019

Now you can buy the new half duplex for $3,498,000 (and have the fun dealing with your co-neighbour)

2455/2453 W 10TH AVE, Vancouver

https://x.com/mortimer_1/status/1852142397167489025

[Feathered Friend]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Hard to argue with cold hard numbers:

Mortimer
@mortimer_1

27m
The missing middle affordability math...

You could have bought the entire original house for $2,680,000 in 2019

Now you can buy the new half duplex for $3,498,000 (and have the fun dealing with your co-neighbour)

2455/2453 W 10TH AVE, Vancouver

https://x.com/mortimer_1/status/1852142397167489025

Cold hard numbers, you mean like how the single family home next door to the west is now worth $5,074,000 according to BC Assessment? or how the adjacent one to the east is valued at $5,061,000? Not that it's worth engaging on Twitter, but I expect more nuance on SSP.

[chowhou]

Also conveniently ignoring that the previous 1930s house structure was assessed at $80k and the new duplex structure was assessed at around $670k per side while under construction for a total of at least $1.33M in additional structure value on this lot, but of course why would we ever assume whatnext thought this one through...