Josh White

This is one of many moves the City of Vancouver is making to address our housing needs and I'm excited to see the housing it will help create. /8

These solutions enable smaller sites requiring less land assembly and projects that require less capital and are quicker to market. In planning with this code change, we will be updating policy and some zoning regulation to ensure this product really works. /7

Vancouver is in the midst of a variety of planning initiatives that will significantly increase the opportunities for low rise multifamily homes across Vancouver. /6

Two options including single external stairs highly suitable for smaller sites, and space efficient scissor stairs highly suitable for larger sites are available. /5

What the project resulted in was a true win-win-win creating solutions that align with fire safety and rescue imperatives, improve building efficiency, lower cost, and improve unit liveability and flexibility. /4

Council challenged the team to come up with solutions that aligned with the intent of BC's building code updates on Single Egress Stairs. /3

It was also a close collaboration with design, architecture and building community and others. Folks like @lanefab.com were instrumental! /2

A significant move Vancouver made this week was moving forward with enabling novel Single Egress & Space Efficient Stairs. Led by the great team in Development, Buildings & Licensing, supported closely by Vancouver Fire Rescue Service; and Planning this will be transformative for low-rise apartments

There is of course more work to do to ensure we have the policy, regulatory environment and processes that get us to the outcomes we all care about, especially housing affordability, but we are making significant progress. /9

I want to thank the many departments involved in this effort as well as the stakeholders that contributed their insights, ideas and expertise. /8

This built on quick-win actions we took in June, earlier this year.

Each of these actions reduces costs and improves viability incrementally. Stacked together they have material impact, meaning more projects will go from unviable to viable. /7

- Streamlined and enabled more flexibility in several housing policies including in-board rooms, storage space, balconies and amenity spaces
...and more. /6

- A Rental Housing Relief program adjusting our Below Market Rental Program depth of affordability
- A temporary pause in Transportation Demand Management obligations
- Increased discounts on cash-in-lieu public art contributions /5

Vancouver City Council endorsed a sweeping set of actions to address this challenge including:
- An immediate reduction in Development Charges of 20%
- Updated DCL/DCC deferral program backloading more of the payment toward the completion of projects... /4

Many costs are beyond government control, influenced by geo-political factors, however all orders of government directly or indirectly influence costs through their policies and development obligations. In Vancouver, we've been through a long period of both rapid price and cost escalation. /3

This threatens our ability to turn our many approvals in to homes for people and continue our housing momentum. /2

Vancouver supports delivery of more than 20,000 homes amid challenging construction conditions Today, Vancouver City Council approved with amendments a suite of actions to make it easier and less expensive to build homes with the goal of supporting more affordable housing for all residents.

Today, the City of Vancouver took assertive steps toward addressing the cost challenges confronting building housing. Prices and rents have levelled and begun to decline, which is great news for affordability, however costs to deliver remain stubbornly high....

vancouver.ca/news-calenda...

Vancouver unveils sweeping rescue plan as housing project cancellations loom | Urbanized City of Vancouver staff have released a sweeping set of measures to shore up development viability and preserve the housing pipeline.

More (fairly comprehensive overview) here:

dailyhive.com/vancouver/va...

That is for sure a priority broadly, including more city-initiated zoning (eliminating steps,
increasing certainty), radically simplifying policy and regulation, which also serves to simplify and reduce process and timelines.

City of Vancouver eyes changes to make housing development more viable City of Vancouver staff are proposing a series of changes to make housing development more viable in a challenging market.

I spoke to Dan Fumano about proposed actions to address costs affecting development viability to help unlock new housing supply. Prices and rents are dropping, which is good, but costs need commensurately go down if we are to keep building housing.

vancouversun.com/opinion/colu...

Like what the Suns are doing, but have to chuckle a bit at “didn’t get blown out by OKC” without wining as counting now as some kind of W. They are so laughably dominant.

Great food scene.

I live in Cambie Village area. It’s a great place to live, lots of awesome businesses. But “cool” is not how I’d describe it. I am not cool and live there, so can’t be that cool.

Cason Wallace probably had the most success of anyone of late.

Lest we forget

Looks like they could use one more all NBA level wing out there.

Nicely back into Shai scores 30 at will through three quarters and can sit the 4th mode.

Into classical music? My brother’s concert - bass quartet at Jericho Arts Centre Dec 3!

www.bassmas.ca

Very happy for that plucky underdog the LA Dodgers.

Jays left 22 stranded games 6 and 7. Just couldn’t buy a hit when it really mattered.