Category: Affordability, Housing and Homelessness
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Victoria’s Big Housing Moves – Building the Future We Need
This piece was originally printed in the Times Colonist. Not everyone wants to raise a family in a downtown condo. And, with the cost of single-family dwellings hitting an all-time high, too many families in Victoria can’t afford a $1.4 million starter home. The “missing middle” fills the gap between these two scenarios. Missing middle…
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More Affordable Housing, More Quickly – Victoria Makes First of Three Big Housing Moves
At a public hearing on Thursday evening, speaking in favour of Victoria’s proposal to allow affordable housing and co-ops to be built more quickly, Irene from Vic West said when she thinks about the character of her neighbourhood, its the people in her neighbourhood thinks of. Irene wasn’t alone. She and others talked about the…
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Part 4. Missing Middle Housing and More Inclusive, Climate-Friendly Cities for the Future
This is the final part in a four-part series to make as strong a case as possible for Missing Middle Housing in all neighbourhoods in Victoria. This initiative is key to the city’s future. In a nutshell, Missing Middle Housing will allow for more inclusive housing forms “as of right”, which means without needing to…
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Part 3. Missing Middle Housing, Design Guidelines, and the Protection of Neighbourhood Character
The City is currently undertaking consultation on a proposal to implement Missing Middle Housing in all neighbourhoods and allow for more inclusive housing forms “as of right”, which means without needing to go through a rezoning process. The Missing Middle Housing initiative is focused on creating more townhouses and houseplexes (including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, etc.)…
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Part 2. Missing Middle Housing, Tenant Protections, and How Missing Middle Upzoning Alone Won’t Solve the Affordability Crisis
NB Please consider this post a “long read”. I appreciate you taking the time to sift through the complexities and nuances. Please share this post with others who also might be interested in understanding the multi-faceted approach the City is taking to addressing the housing crisis. The City is currently undertaking consultation on a proposal…
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Council Summer Wrap Up – Housing, Bike Lanes, Sports Fields, and More
Thursday was our last Council meeting before a summer recess, and it was a long one! It was probably one of the most exciting days in my almost-decade at the Council table in terms of big moves that lay the ground work for the future. Here’s a synopsis of the key decisions and, where applicable,…
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‘Functional Zero’ – Ending Chronic Homelessness in Victoria
These buildings are samples of the types of homes under construction that will provide transitional and permanent housing for those currently experiencing homelessness or living in supportive housing, freeing up space for people experiencing homelessness to move in. There are thousands of units under construction in our region, including at least 500 with rents of…
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City Staff Propose Bold Approach to Expediting Affordable Housing
For the past few years, Council has been hearing from many residents about the impact of the housing affordability crisis in Victoria. Seniors who live on fixed incomes have a hard time affording housing; students who pay high tuition costs and then high student loan payments are in a similar boat. And many women-led single-parent…
