General Updates and News

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by Colin May

None of them mentioned the elephant in the room - out of control immigration under the Justin Trudeau regime. When you see a photo of refugees sleeping on a sidewalk you know we have a serious problem. The new federal fund will not accelerate the construction of one unit in HRM. for all the obvious reasons mentioned in many press reports.
I eagerly await the arrival of thousands of skilled trades personnel.... if I live long enough.

Right you are, Colin. Who needs those damn foreigners with their plummy accents telling us everything that’s wrong with our country? They should all go back where they came from.

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Colin May

This is not a small win. There will not be sufficient skilled trades to deal with this national housing crisis. None of the proposed projects will move forward at a faster pace. Our home will soon be in a designated Heritage district and will result in higher property prices and reduce affordability for couples who want to have a family.
I am not interested in the number of 'units'. I am interested in the number of homes for families. Families will increasingly choose to live outside the centre and I foresee a dramatic increase in home building for families outside the HRM boundaries, an increase that is visible from Highway 102 in the Enfield area.
I notice certain people talk about 'sprawl' without defining the line where 'sprawl' begins.
Unless immigration levels are reduced to a much lower level the national housing crisis will continue.

Why do you think families will choose to live outside the urban centre?? There are lots of familes who will choose to live in an dense urban environment, especially the immigrant population who come from that type of evironment.

I think that cities are a healtlier places to rise a family than the mundane suburban environments.

[Colin May]

We live in a home built in 1917 on a 30 x 60 feet lot. Raised 3 kids. Been here 41 years. Close to a school, Dartmouth Common is 100 yards away. Dense housing is normal in the area.
Sensible people readily admit in news outlets that loose immigration rules is one of the major cause of the housing crisis and you will hear the same concern in much of Europe.
Who wants to raise kids in a condo and where do the kids play ?
Speaking to people under the age of 40 I hear a lot of ABT sentiment.
I often wonder how many posters on this forum have kids, intend to have kids or had kids.
Looking at a proposed development on Wyse road the construction cost is circa $250,000 per unit and that is before calculating the cost of the property purchase and any profit margin.

[HarbingerDe]

Originally Posted by Colin May

We live in a home built in 1917 on a 30 x 60 feet lot. Raised 3 kids. Been here 41 years. Close to a school, Dartmouth Common is 100 yards away. Dense housing is normal in the area.
Sensible people readily admit in news outlets that loose immigration rules is one of the major cause of the housing crisis and you will hear the same concern in much of Europe.
Who wants to raise kids in a condo and where do the kids play ?
Speaking to people under the age of 40 I hear a lot of ABT sentiment.
I often wonder how many posters on this forum have kids, intend to have kids or had kids.
Looking at a proposed development on Wyse road the construction cost is circa $250,000 per unit and that is before calculating the cost of the property purchase and any profit margin.

I'm still not sure how you propose to make housing more affordable and provide spaces for new families to live without actually building/densifying housing.

You keep pointing out that housing is unaffordable then advocating against very common-sense measures that will (in the long run) help address that issue.

The HRM city council has zero power over Canada's immigration policy. They have all the power over HRM zoning bylaws.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Colin May

We live in a home built in 1917 on a 30 x 60 feet lot. Raised 3 kids. Been here 41 years.
Speaking to people under the age of 40 I hear a lot of ABT sentiment.
I often wonder how many posters on this forum have kids, intend to have kids or had kids.

What are you trying to imply with this sort of statement? Do you think that much of this is choice-based?

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by HarbingerDe

I'm still not sure how you propose to make housing more affordable and provide spaces for new families to live without actually building/densifying housing.

You keep pointing out that housing is unaffordable then advocating against very common-sense measures that will (in the long run) help address that issue.

The HRM city council has zero power over Canada's immigration policy. They have all the power over HRM zoning bylaws.

HRM has lots of buildable land in Hammonds Plains and Ecum Secum. No need to destroy established neighborhoods like our esteemed councillors want to. Future Sen. Savage knows it is time for him to get out of Dodge. Now it's time to throw the rest of the bums out.

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

HRM has lots of buildable land in Hammonds Plains and Ecum Secum. No need to destroy established neighborhoods like our esteemed councillors want to. Future Sen. Savage knows it is time for him to get out of Dodge. Now it's time to throw the rest of the bums out.

More sprawl that will cost the city a fortune down the road. Yeah great idea

[kzt79]

This change is good news and sign that the days of blocking and fighting every aspect of every development are hopefully behind us.

We do need single family homes. I do think children are probably are better off in that sort of environment, although I am open to evidence otherwise. Probably all of us project our own experience and values. No question the city also desperately needs thousands of multifamily units.

It's OK to recognize that different groups have different housing needs and in fact a given person will have quite different needs (and means) over their lifetime. I have fond memories of my time in a student rooming house, and I also greatly enjoy my detached SFH on a lake. I expect when I'm older I'll probably be interested in one of those "luxury" condos downtown that reddit seems to hate so much. We need a wide range of housing and removing barriers to construction and other moves toward increased supply represent a "win".

[LikesBikes]

If anything the changes are still too light IMO. Most of these SFH neighbourhoods on the peninsula are nothing special architecturally but are blessed with walkability, bikeability, good transit and the infrastructure to support higher density. Why do we need to limit these places to 8 units when there could be demand for 8 storeys. Also, one thing I really disagree with planners on is focusing the highest density on our major streets. Of all the streets I could live on on the peninsula, the Robies, Quinpools and Young Streets would be at the bottom of my preference list due to the pollution, noise and all in all bad vibes created by car traffic. I wish we could allow for high density on the side streets where lots of people can live peacefully, away from those harmful impacts.

All in all though I'm really glad, and pleasantly surprised, this passed unanimously. Anecdotally, everyone I know under the age of 40 or so supported this and older people were much more mixed. It's nice to have a politician give more care to Millenials and Gen Z over boomer for once.

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Colin May

We live in a home built in 1917 on a 30 x 60 feet lot. Raised 3 kids. Been here 41 years. Close to a school, Dartmouth Common is 100 yards away. Dense housing is normal in the area.
Sensible people readily admit in news outlets that loose immigration rules is one of the major cause of the housing crisis and you will hear the same concern in much of Europe.
Who wants to raise kids in a condo and where do the kids play ?
Speaking to people under the age of 40 I hear a lot of ABT sentiment.
I often wonder how many posters on this forum have kids, intend to have kids or had kids.
Looking at a proposed development on Wyse road the construction cost is circa $250,000 per unit and that is before calculating the cost of the property purchase and any profit margin.

Where will kids play? in the same neighbourhoods that already exist where kids play.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by Colin May

Who wants to raise kids in a condo and where do the kids play ?

Do you think most kids around the world grow up with their very own yard? They don't. I have two kids and I actually own a house, a Hydrostone rowhouse. We have a backyard, sort of, but it's more a patio area backing onto the lane. For real roughhousing na running around the kids play in our abundant neighbourhood parks, of which we have several within a few blocks, all of are very far from being used to capacity.

It would be very convenient to just be able to boot the kids into a big backyard rather than have to take them to the park, but on the other hand, the parks are bigger and better than a solo backyard could be, and the kids bump into friends and neighbours there, rather than play in isolation. A trade-off, but better I think.

[ArchAficionado]

Yeah, as a 25 year-old coming up in the world and trying to be in the position to own *any* home by the age of 30 so that I can start a family in a safe and stable environment, I can see what you're advocating for, Colin, but I also agree with other posters (perhaps of my age demographic, not that I'm trying to make this a generational beef in any way) that we need more of ALL types of housing. Indeed, the immigration is irresponsible right now, but if the feds are going to keep that up, we simply have no choice but to build as much of everything as our developers and supply chains are able to produce - highrises, suburbs on highway corridors, you name it. We need all the housing we can get.

That's why this bill passing is definitely a positive change, because in this type of an economic environment / extreme housing crisis, zoning should not be a factor limiting any sort of construction, because we absolutely, desperately need every solitary unit we can get!!

Furthermore, I agree that I'd prefer to raise my children in a freestanding home or townhouse with a small private yard, and that it is appropriate to build some SFH, albeit in a much more compact form (small lot sizes, more verticality, and less half acre mcmansions with a 200' wooded gully between every street), but again, there is a large sector of the populus that would be perfectly happy just to have a 500 square foot apartment that they can actually own and hence lock in a stable cost of living, and not be increasingly gouged for rent that is going up at 3 times the rate of the supposed inflation rate.

The housing crisis is obnoxious at this point - doubling of prices, bidding wars for slummy rentals, and yet developments still get denied on the basis of "character" or "too tall". We should literally have the army deployed to build basic 2 bedroom apartment buildings anywhere there is the space to do so. It's that bad!

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by ArchAficionado

The housing crisis is obnoxious at this point - doubling of prices, bidding wars for slummy rentals, and yet developments still get denied on the basis of "character" or "too tall". We should literally have the army deployed to build basic 2 bedroom apartment buildings anywhere there is the space to do so. It's that bad!

There is no Army to build anything. All units are at best 66% of manning IF they are lucky. Another Trudeau policy of he don't GAF.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Colin May

We live in a home built in 1917 on a 30 x 60 feet lot. Raised 3 kids. Been here 41 years. Close to a school, Dartmouth Common is 100 yards away. Dense housing is normal in the area.
Sensible people readily admit in news outlets that loose immigration rules is one of the major cause of the housing crisis and you will hear the same concern in much of Europe.
Who wants to raise kids in a condo and where do the kids play ?
Speaking to people under the age of 40 I hear a lot of ABT sentiment.
I often wonder how many posters on this forum have kids, intend to have kids or had kids.
Looking at a proposed development on Wyse road the construction cost is circa $250,000 per unit and that is before calculating the cost of the property purchase and any profit margin.

Then sell me your house for what you paid for it, adjusted for only the increases in CPI.

Your tune will change right away. You have experienced luck, nothing more.

[Colin May]

"Your tune will change right away. You have experienced luck, nothing more."
Hilarious. My job disappeared, a change in international business operations, a month after we bought the house with a 13.5% mortgage.
Few people chose to live in downtown Dartmouth, the burbs were the place to be. School up the hill, the school board wanted to close the school. That was quite a fight and now it is full.
If you have an any investments such as RRSP or RHOSP or are in a pension plan I very much doubt you would be happy with a rate of return of the CPI.
If we sell we need another place to live and we looked at an apartment in Avonhurst in the belief we could sell the house and use the proceeds to pay rent. Rent is now a little short of $3,000 a month (parking extra).
There are seniors who sold homes before the market for single family homes went crazy.
They are now worried that their money will run out before they die.
Winning the lottery is luck, selecting a place to live is complicated and requires hard work and sacrifice.

[Keith P.]

One thing that HRM Council has proven hugely successful at (other than just pissing away tax dollars) - with this latest move they have created a degree of strife and divisiveness among the populace unlike any I have ever seen before. It makes The Great Bike Lane Debate seem like small potatoes by comparison. Well done, Council!

They should all resign.

[HarbingerDe]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

One thing that HRM Council has proven hugely successful at (other than just pissing away tax dollars) - with this latest move they have created a degree of strife and divisiveness among the populace unlike any I have ever seen before. It makes The Great Bike Lane Debate seem like small potatoes by comparison. Well done, Council!

They should all resign.

The strife was created by the fact that I can't find a 1-bedroom to rent for less than about $1800/mo while people like you pay $900/mo mortgages on your 4-bedroom houses and actively fight against people like me ever having a chance of owning a home condo/4plex/single-family detached or otherwise.

If this objectively good decision by Council makes some comfortable and privileged homeowners a bit angry, I could frankly care less.

Young working professionals deserve a place to live. We deserve an affordable place to live, and the decades of NIMBY obstructionism can't draw to a close any sooner. I don't know a single person under the age of 35 who is opposed to this council ruling... What does that tell you? You already got your home. Nobody is going to force you to turn it into a 4plex. Maybe we should be enacting policies that will allow my generation even a sliver of the privilege you've been afforded in life.

Thank you.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Colin May

"Your tune will change right away. You have experienced luck, nothing more."
Hilarious. My job disappeared, a change in international business operations, a month after we bought the house with a 13.5% mortgage.
Few people chose to live in downtown Dartmouth, the burbs were the place to be. School up the hill, the school board wanted to close the school. That was quite a fight and now it is full.
If you have an any investments such as RRSP or RHOSP or are in a pension plan I very much doubt you would be happy with a rate of return of the CPI.
If we sell we need another place to live and we looked at an apartment in Avonhurst in the belief we could sell the house and use the proceeds to pay rent. Rent is now a little short of $3,000 a month (parking extra).
There are seniors who sold homes before the market for single family homes went crazy.
They are now worried that their money will run out before they die.
Winning the lottery is luck, selecting a place to live is complicated and requires hard work and sacrifice.

How much was the house? Nobody cares about 13.5% mortgage if the overall price wasn't high. Sounds like you managed despite the type of setback that would put someone on the street today.

I do want to have kids and am also fiscally responsible. I almost own my condo by throwing all of my money at it, but there is no way I'm paying/able to pay $800k for a house that was $300k about five years ago and $100k 25 years ago. My ROI isn't anywhere close to that in any of my investments. You're tell me you can turn 300k into 800k in 5 years? Doubt it... you wouldn't be on this forum.

You're basically throwing shade at other people's ability to do something that was entirely opportunity based at the time.

So - will you sell your house at a reasonable price or be part of the problem?

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by HarbingerDe

The strife was created by the fact that I can't find a 1-bedroom to rent for less than about $1800/mo while people like you pay $900/mo mortgages on your 4-bedroom houses and actively fight against people like me ever having a chance of owning a home condo/4plex/single-family detached or otherwise.

If this objectively good decision by Council makes some comfortable and privileged homeowners a bit angry, I could frankly care less.

Young working professionals deserve a place to live. We deserve an affordable place to live, and the decades of NIMBY obstructionism can't draw to a close any sooner. I don't know a single person under the age of 35 who is opposed to this council ruling... What does that tell you? You already got your home. Nobody is going to force you to turn it into a 4plex. Maybe we should be enacting policies that will allow my generation even a sliver of the privilege you've been afforded in life.

Thank you.

There is no point in arguing with these types, they don't get it.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by HarbingerDe

The strife was created by the fact that I can't find a 1-bedroom to rent for less than about $1800/mo while people like you pay $900/mo mortgages on your 4-bedroom houses and actively fight against people like me ever having a chance of owning a home condo/4plex/single-family detached or otherwise.

None of this will suddenly result in $150,000 homes suddenly being built.