Staff presentation: Final report on Mayor's Housing Affordability Task Force

MAYOR’S TASK FORCE ONON HOUSINGMAYOR’S TASK FORCE HOUSING AFFORDABILITYAFFORDABILITYFinal Report and Staff RecommendationsOctober 2, 2012 Staff RecommendationsFinal Report andOctober 2012

OVERVIEW1. Task Force – Focus and Process2. Task Force - Recommendations3. City Action Plan for Implementation – Priority Actions for Immediate Implementation – Additional Implementation Actions4. Next Steps

Task Force Focus and Process

Vancouver’s Affordable Housing Challenge• Vancouver has the highest house prices in Canada – well beyond the ability of most households to afford even a modest condo• Vancouver households paying more than 30% of their income on housing: – 40% of all households – 50% of households headed by people under 34• The challenge continues to grow – August 2012 RBC report indicates that: – affordability measures further deteriorated for all housing types in Vancouver – affordability levels are now very close to the worst on record.

Vancouver’s Affordable Housing ChallengeHousing Affordability challenges threaten the City’s: – Diversity “Vancouver’s economy depends on attracting and retaining – Livability talent. Affordable housing of all types, including market rentals, – Economic Competitiveness is essential to the City’s current and future competitiveness.” John Tylee, Director of Policy and ResearchVancouver Economic Development Commission

Target Groups in Need of Affordable Housing• Lower income singles and couples with critical needs for suitable rental accommodation;• Singles and couples struggling to buy their first home;• Families with children who want to live in the city rather than have to move to more suburban locations; and,• Empty nesters and seniors wishing to downsize without having to leave their neighbourhood.

Who is the Task Force?Mayor’s Task Force launched inDecember 2011Co-Chaired by Mayor Robertsonand Olga Ilich (property developer &former provincial Cabinet Minister)17 members representing a rangeof stakeholders & expertise• Non-profit housing providers• Real Estate and Development industry• Planners and Architects• First Nations• Members of City Council

Task Force Purpose1. Develop innovative recommendations from an evidence base that will help Vancouver become a more sustainable, diverse and affordable city2. Focus on affordability solutions for households with moderate incomes (in the range of $21,500 to $86,500) Affordable Rent/Mortgage at 30% of income: Affordable Affordable Home Monthly Price Rent/Mortgage Payment $21,500 $540 n/a $86,500 $2,160 $450,000* *Assumptions: 10% down, 4% interest, 25 year amortization

Task Force ProcessTask force organized itself into four working groups Finance Form Working Groups Flows Partnerships

Task Force ProcessTwo Task Force Round Tables reported back on key issues: Academic Building Form and Design(led by UBC professor Erick (led by Architect Michael Geller)Villagomez) reported on economic reported on built form andconditions contributing to regulatory improvements thataffordability challenges 10 could improve housing affordability

Task Force ProcessPublic Engagement• Presentations to Council advisory committees (Seniors Advisory Committee, Vancouver Planning Commission)• Re:THINK HOUSING Ideas Jam with the Vancouver Design Nerds Society• “No Place Like Home” Story Telling Sessions in Community Plan areas (e.g. Marpole, West End, Grandview-Woodland)• Re:THINK HOUSING ideas competition• Place Speak Survey – to ask for public feedback on the Task Force Interim Report recommendations

Task Force Processre:THINK HOUSING – an open ideas competition tobroaden the discussion on possible solutions toVancouver’s affordability challenges

Task Force Processre:THINK HOUSING• 70 applications submitted – locally and from diverse countries around the world• Task Force Jury reviewed applications and selected winners• Public voted on Peoples’ Choice winners – 8,000 votes cast in 2 weeks

Task Force Processre:THINK HOUSING – Winning Submissions• $8,000 prizes awarded to 3 winning submissions, selected by the Task Force jury • Bridge Housing – density bonus to build over existing buildings and infrastructure • Thin Streets – transforming streets in housing sites • Human Space – using side lots to create shared equity and enable additions to single-family homes• Co-Housing emerged as strong theme in Peoples Choice awards

Final Task Force RecommendationsEnding hom elessness Rental housing OwnershipShelters S Os R Supportive Non-m arket Purpose Sec ondary Rented Condos Other Housing Rental -built Suites Condos Ownership (Soc ial Rental Housing) Mayor’s T ask Forc e on Housing Affordability 1. Increase supply & diversity of affordable housing 2. Enhance the City’s and the community’s capacity to deliver affordable rental & social housing 3. Protect existing social & affordable rental housing & explore opportunities to renew & expand the stock 4. Streamline & create more certainty & clarity in the regulatory process, & improve public engagement

City Action Plan for Implementation

City Approach• Public & Stakeholder engagement• Talk Housing With Us – Spring/Summer 2011• Input to Housing & Homelessness Strategy• Council approved strategy – July 2011• Staff support to Task Force – 2012• Council report including Priority Actions for Implementation• Building on previous engagement and approved strategy

Talk Housing With Us Engagement• Public & stakeholder input into Housing & Homelessness Strategy through Talk Housing With Us: - Stakeholder Workshop – April 27, 2011 - Renter’s Round Table – May 26, 2011 - Housing Un-conference – June 4, 2011 - Community dialogues• Key Themes: - More affordable & social housing needed - Concern over decreasing affordability and lack of rental supply - Need for low-cost housing for seniors & working families - Clear leadership from the City needed

City of Vancouver Action Plan Priority Actions for Immediate Implementation

City of Vancouver Action Plan Action 1: Implement an Interim Rezoning Policy that increases affordable housing choices across Vancouver’s neighbourhoods Location Affordability Review after and Form Criteria 20 based applications Criteria

Connected City Housing Form:On Arterial Focused

Connected City Housing Form:Off Arterial Focused

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 2: Implement the Thin Streets concept identifiedthrough the re:THINK HOUSING competition Identify Thin Identify Thin Identify process Street Pilot Street Pilot for additional Project in Project in West Thin Streets Grandview End using lanes projects in Woodland and rather than other parts of Marpole streets the City

City of Vancouver Action PlanWhat is the Thin Streets concept?Thin Streets: Turning Asphalt into Affordable HousingChristina DeMarco, Vancouver

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 3: Develop an operational and organizational model fora new Housing Authority, including a business plan.The model and business plan will address: Guiding Mandate Governance Principles Assets & Leadership Financing & Staffing

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 3: Develop an operational and organizational model fora new Housing Authority, including a business plan.Advantages of a Housing Authority model include ability to: • Respond nimbly to partnership opportunities with the non-profit and private sectors, as well as senior levels of government • Rely on the skills of an experienced Board of Directors to optimize the City’s investments in affordable housing • Consolidate City’s non-market portfolio for administrative efficiency

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 4: Use the current Community Planning programs in theWest End, Marpole (including Phase 3 Cambie Corridor),Grandview Woodland & the DTES to:Identify areas appropriate forgrowth and enable those areas togenerate affordable housingthrough density increasesMaximize opportunities to createtransition zones between arterialsand single family neighbourhoods toenable more affordable groundoriented housing forms

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 5: Revise and clarify Council’s inclusionary housingpolicies to emphasize a flexible and creative approach toachieving affordable housing in large developments Emphasize Prioritize Add flexibility delivery of units achievement of to ensure affordable at least 20% affordable units housing units social housing are built even rather than sites when funding is in absence of available funding

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 6: Identify additional City-owned lands that may beunderused and undertake planning work to bring them forwardfor affordable housing development Current Site Examples could RFEOI/RFP identification include sites process for additional served by underway on 6 site is already transit, False City-owned underway Creek North Sites option-to- purchase sites, etc.

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 6: Identify additional City-owned lands that may beunderused and undertake planning work to bring them forwardfor affordable housing development • Long history of using City land for affordable housing – 9,600 units of affordable housing on City land – Primarily mixed income - rents range from Income Assistance ($375) to low end of market rent • Innovation needed in absence of government housing programs: – Arbutus Centre – City secured 100 social housing units through rezoning – Alex Gair – 70 units social housing proposed through rezoning – Current RFEOI – non-profit partner critical to long-term affordability

City of Vancouver Action Plan Additional Implementation Actions

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 7: Increase housing supply and options in strategiclocations throughout the city Develop and initiate planning programs that have greatest potential for contributions to affordable housing supply (e.g. station areas, key transit corridors)

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 8: Increase the supply of additional secondary rentalunits• Expand laneway house initiative to allow laneway houses in additional single family zones• Explore feasibility of laneway houses in duplex zones• Expand the zoning districts and housing forms for secondary suites (e.g. duplexes, row houses, etc.)• Consult with industry on revisions to BBL requiring all new ground oriented development to be built “suite ready”

City of Vancouver Action PlanAction 9: Create opportunities for the development of moreco-housing projects

City of Vancouver Action Plan Action 10: Enhance the City’s family housing requirements to encourage more 3+ bedroom units in new development

City of Vancouver Action Plan Action 11: Support the development of Community Land Trusts & new social financing mechanisms for affordable housing • Work with key financial and community partners explore new financing mechanisms and support the development of new Community Land Trusts

City of Vancouver Action Plan Action 12: Evaluate the Impact of expiring federal operating agreements and expiring City leases and develop options to: • Preserve affordability of existing affordable housing • Take advantage of opportunities to renew and expand the stock

City of Vancouver Action Plan Action 13: Evaluate the City’s rental protection regulations with goal of preserving housing stability and affordability while identifying opportunities to renew and expand the private market rental stock

City of Vancouver Action PlanAdditional Implementation Actions Action 14: Develop and implement rezoning and development permit process improvements that recognize the priority nature of the City’s affordable housing goals

City of Vancouver Action PlanAdditionalImplementation Actions Action 15: Take steps to provide applicants with more certainty in the City’s approach to financing the infrastructure and amenities needed to accommodate growth

Next Steps

Building on City ActionsWork is already underway on housing initiatives: – Community Plans (underway in four communities) – Laneway house and secondary suites initiatives – Achieving housing through rezoning (e.g. Arbutus Centre) – STIR/Rental 100 – significant increase in rental housing development – Vancouver Services Review project to improve permits and licensing processes – REFOI for affordable housing on 6 City-owned sites

Integrating Task Force Recommendations Task Force 1. Increase 2. Enhance 3. Protect 4. Streamline Actions supply and City and existing processes and diversity Community affordable createCity capacity housing stock certaintyPriority Actions1. Interim rezoningpolicy2. Thin Streets3. HousingAuthority4. CommunityPlans5. InclusionaryHousing Policy6. City-ownedlands

Delivering on Housing & Homelessness Strategy Ensure 2,900 5,000 5,000 6,000 20,000 capacity to units units units units unitsmeet needs of street Mayor’s Task Force on Housing Affordability homeless

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Staff presentation: Final report on Mayor's Housing Affordability Task Force

by Vancouver Mayor's Office on Oct 02, 2012

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