Editor:
Re: “Expect delays on housing reform results” and “BC to have ‘one-stop shop’ for homebuilding permits” (Jan. 20)
I, for one, support this initiative – it cannot come soon enough. I know of one group of young folks who are presently jumping through all the hoops (SCRD, Ministry of Transport, Health permits, and more) to build themselves affordable housing on a subdivided lot they’ve owned for five years. The subdivision process has now taken two years. The local government requirements and charges are adding to the substantial costs, which will likely make their housing unaffordable, just like in Vancouver where they all currently live.
While acting responsibly as stewards of the environment – forest, land, air, water and wildlife – they are going beyond the requirements demanded of them, including donating one of the 10 building lots for affordable housing.
Yet, the development cost charges and the arbitrary charge of five per cent of the eventual lot value for the park fund add substantially to their costs, before shovels are in the ground. I support development cost charges insofar as they represent actual costs to install infrastructure for this small subdivision, but not just to raise municipal funds.
In order to build an affordable community, something has to give. The extra charges to any developer, not just this small group of people who are building for their own families, will be passed on to the eventual homeowners. And that’s not a sustainable model for affordable housing, let alone a community.
Municipalities, even small tax base ones like ours, can do much more to support affordable housing, both in rental stock and homes owned by their occupants.
G. Hunt, Hopkins Landing
