Comprehensive zoning reforms expected to be confirmed by the province in the coming weeks, are a step in the right direction to address the generational housing crisis, but the delivery of small-scale housing developments will likely remain stifled without further measures.
That was one of the key takeaways of a special event hosted at Ladner United Church last month by Small Housing BC and Deltans for People-Oriented Places (DelPOP), where attendees from across the public and private sphere gathered to explore best practices towards collectively addressing current housing challenges.
Under the expected new legislation, homeowners across B.C. will be allowed to build up to four homes on a traditional single-family lot, giving homeowners and small-scale developers the chance to create secondary suites, duplexes, fourplexes, infill rowhouses, or other multi-home projects.
However, as raised by attendees at the Ladner event, the changing of the zoning bylaws alone will not be enough to stimulate many existing housing projects from small scale developers, with barriers such as high interest rates, onerous planning requirements, amongst other factors, remaining a key stumbling block.
Kathleen Higgins, who demolished her family home of more than 30 years in favour of developing two duplexes to provide homes for her adult children and their growing families outlined: “If we are to see more people gently densify their homes or lots, we need to make it easier and cheaper. For example, we’ve asked Delta for pre-zoning, pre-approved plans and a reduced, or at the very least, deferred fees and deposits for those who build their own small principal residences. We also want a way for homeowners in older houses to be matched with first time buyers so that they can work together to redevelop the land containing the older house.”
In order to see tangible delivery of new housing stock in the form of gentle density projects, policymakers at a local level need to go above and beyond the basic requirements outlined in the provincial legislation said attendees.
Delegates also heard from local citizen-developers, including Sarah Gallop, Howard Smid, and Jeremy Stam on their experiences of getting their gentle density projects delivered, as well as from Delta Coun. Dylan Kruger, housing advocate Gracen Johnson, Small Housing executive director Tamara White, and DelPOP co-founder, Norm Van Eeden Petersman.
