Federal

Key insights:

Manufactured housing holds promise as an affordable form of housing that could expand homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income households.

This report, from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, reviews the available literature to assess the principal barriers to greater adoption of manufactured housing, including:

• lingering negative perceptions of the quality of the homes despite notable improvements in quality over time;
• zoning and other land use regulations that limit the ability to site these homes in many communities;
• market conditions that erode the cost advantage of manufactured homes; the unique nature of the supply chain for these homes that makes it difficult for consumers to obtain homes in many urban areas;
• and limits on access to affordable financing.

This report was authored by Christoper Herbert, Alexander Hermann, Daniel McCue & Chadwick Reed.

This research paper examines Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs) from an affordability lens, addressing both affordability for renters and whether or not DADUs are affordable to build.

Cities across North America are facing unprecedented challenges related to housing affordability, climate resilience and economic sustainability. In many cities, infill housing policies are being adopted in response to these issues. This research focuses on one particular type of infill housing – Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs). DADUs, also known as laneway homes, garden suites, or carriage houses, are independent rental units typically built in the backyards of single-detached homes.

Key insights:

• DADUs offer opportunities for downsizing, age in community, multigenerational living, additional rental income, and adaptable housing across the lifespan, often considered as a form of affordable housing.
• A policy comparison across nine municipalities in Canada and the United States identifies DADU best practices and common characteristics among municipalities with high DADU uptake.
• A secondary analysis of Edmonton’s DADU permitting data explores the spatial distribution of DADUs concerning affordability.
• A survey of DADU owners and prospective builders in Edmonton uncovers barriers to development, excluding tenants from the survey.
• Policy recommendations from the comparison include reducing regulations for flexibility in DADU size, height, and orientation. This involves eliminating parking minimums, owner occupancy requirements, location restrictions, and contextual regulations tying DADU dimensions to the primary dwelling. Such measures aim to foster a successful DADU market.

Research paper authored by Ashley Salvador, University of Waterloo (November 11, 2020).

This CMHC study investigates residential projects that have overcome barriers to infill development, including development cost, public opposition, and regulatory processes.

Key insights:

For each project detailed in the report, the following resources are provided:

• Technical specifications
• Successes and obstacles faced from developer, resident, and municipal planner perspectives
• Lessons learned are shared for consideration for future projects.

Selected infill projects span a variety of regional and municipal contexts across Canada, and are reflective of different scales of development, ranging from 16 condo units to 1,600 unit apartment complex developments.

Case studies include:

• Angus, Montréal, Quebec
• Bishop’s Landing, Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Co-opérative d’habitation du Couvent de Saint-Henri, Montréal, Quebec
• Convoy Quay Gardens, Bedford, Nova Scotia
• Cranberry Commons, Burnaby, British Columbia
• Fifth Street Lofts, Edmonton, Alberta
• Garrison Woods, Calgary, Alberta
• Gower Gardens, Gibsons, British Columbia
• Harmony, Toronto, Ontario
• Koo’s Corner, Vancouver, British Columbia
• Les Lofts du Pont, Montréal, Quebec
• Les Lofts Laliberté, Québec, Quebec
• London Lane, Guelph, Ontario
• Parkside Mews, Ottawa, Ontario
• Portland Park Village, Toronto, Ontario
• Salsbury Heights, Vancouver, British Columbia
• Seagram Lofts, Waterloo, Ontario
• Sterling Place, London, Ontario
• The Carlings at Arbutus Walk, Vancouver, British Columbia
• The Prince Edward, Moncton, New Brunswick
• The Renaissance at North Hill, Calgary, Alberta
• Waterford Suites, Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Western Elevator Lofts, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Opening Doors is the final report from the B.C. – Canada Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability. The group was established in 2019 to identify actionable recommendations to increase housing supply and improve affordability in B.C.

Key insights:

The report features 23 policy recommendations that can be categorised under 5 broad calls to action, including:

• Creating a planning framework that proactively encourages housing
• Reforming fees on property development
• Expanding the supply of community and affordable housing
• Improving coordination among and within all orders of government
• Ensuring more equitable treatment of renters and homeowners.

More granular policy recommendations are detailed in the report also, including:

• Streamlining approvals processes
• Increasing transparency on development charges
• Extending tax advantages to renter households
• Phasing out some subsidies offered to homeowners

This CHMC study investigates successful examples of regulatory, planning, and financial initiatives at the municipal level that have helped to overcome obstacles to infill development (including contaminated sites grants, accessory apartment development, and development fee exemption programs).

Each initiative highlights local stakeholders’ responses, the impact of the program on local development, program cost (including staff time allocated), and long-term program evaluation.

The study identifies common success factors between initiatives which include linking intensification to other policy goals (e.g., efficient use of public infrastructure funds), ensuring there is robust public engagement, identifying a policy champion, creating a supportive municipal policy environment, and monitoring program outcomes.

This report has been prepared by Ray Tomalty, Co-operative Research and Policy Services.

This collaborative report from Happy Cities/ Hey Neighbour Collective summarizes discussions from municipal staff (planners & policymakers), developers, community organizations, and researcher perspectives on how to facilitate social connection in multi-unit housing.

Multi-unit residential buildings can help densify and increase housing supply in growing, land-constrained cities. If designed appropriately, multi-unit residences can also provide occupants the opportunity to lead more socially connected lives.

Key insights:

As the report outlines, elements for social connectedness were identified through group discussions, and included:

• Tenure alternatives
• Feeling safe
• Having exposure to other tenants.

Supportive policies (e.g., exploring alternative ownership models) and design features (e.g., creating clusters of smaller amenity spaces) were articulated to help advance these outcomes.

Along with key challenges, a roadmap is articulated to help collective evidence and increase awareness of the importance of social connection, and pilot the proposed concepts in new housing projects.