SHBC

This Small Housing Guidance Paper examines the viability of redeveloping houses in single family neighbourhoods with more homes on the same property, presenting recommendations that will assist various actors involved in setting financial and cost recovery policies as it relates to new gentle density development.

Key policy considerations explored include:

Enabling Tenure Options (Rental & Ownership)

Allowing individual ownership, or strata-titling, for each home on a lot will encourage more new units to
be constructed versus requiring that a property have a single owner (i.e. the owner rents out the additional units, or all residents share a single mortgage).

Leveling the cost playing field and reducing risk

Constructing multi-unit buildings is more complex and costly than single family homes; by offering standardized designs and simplifying approval processes it is possible to reduce the uncertainty and costs involved.

Building in affordability

Given the small number of units involved in these projects, it is administratively simpler and more financially viable to take any affordability requirements or financial contribution (if required) and combine them for affordable housing on a larger site.

For the comprehensive suite of Small Housing Guidance Papers, check them out in the Toolbox Resource Library. Simply search for “Guidance Paper”.

This Small Housing Guidance Paper presents recommendations that will assist various actors involved in planning for and financing growth related infrastructure, especially as it relates to new gentle density development.

With Provincial policy set to increase development potential as-of-right in many residential areas, Small Housing – with support from consulting firms Urban Systems and ECONorthwest – convened a roundtable discussion to explore the relationship between gentle density housing types and local infrastructure.

This Guidance Paper presents recommendations that will assist various actors involved in planning for and financing growth related infrastructure, especially as it relates to new gentle density development. It provides background information and identifies challenges and recommendations in seven key areas:

1. Development finance tools
2. Local government capacity and understanding
3. Other order of government funding
4. Water and fire protection
5. Sewer system capacity
6. Stormwater management, and
7. Electrification

Key insights:

• The Province may consider a phased implementation of the Homes for People legislation. The first phase may be applied to areas of the community that have known infrastructure sufficiency, access to transit, and are not located in sensitive or hillside areas, until infrastructure impacts are better understood and regulations can be put in place.
• Local governments have expressed a desire to “speak a common language” when it comes to implementing the new legislation. It is recommended that the Province provide guidance for infrastructure and development planning with consistent definitions for communities throughout; including land use definitions, development standards, road standards, etc.
• Throughout the roundtable discussion, it became clear that additional planning and consultation needs to occur between government and other sectors who will be involved in implementing Homes for People.

This Small Housing Guidance Paper identifies existing and emerging tools for local governments to increase the supply of gentle density and enhance its affordability.

This guidance paper brings together insights and perspectives collected through two expert roundtables where participants identified existing and emerging  tools for local governments to increase the supply of gentle density and enhance its affordability.

Key insights:

• Gentle density housing is more attainable than single-detached homes due to shared land costs, smaller square footage per unit, and shared building surfaces.
• The local government tools (see below) can make it easier to build this form of housing, and can help to bring down the costs of development. This, in turn, will help to incentivize the production of new supply. As more supply comes online, housing prices cool.
• If local governments stack the tools (and their related cost reductions), they may be able to create sufficient incentives to make the inclusion of below-market units viable within a development.
• There are additional tools that can be leveraged by community partners, such as non-profits, lenders, and other levels of government, that can further support the creation of new and affordable gentle density homes.

Tools for Local Government to support affordability:

• Pre-Approved Plans; Pre-Zoning Allowing for Ownership Tenure: Strata or Freehold; Regulatory Relaxations; Cash-in-Lieu Infrastructure Fund; Limiting Greenfield Development; Parking Reductions; Expedited Project Streams; Delegated Approvals; Certified External Professional Review; Density Bonusing; Reduced Fees; Tax Exemptions

Tools for Non-Profits, Lenders, and Senior Governments to support affordability:

• Create and resource a central knowledge holder; Provide administration support for housing agreements and affordable rentals or ownership; Oversee pre-approved plans; Develop supportive lending products; Create additional services and supports for local governments; Provide greater authority for local governments to enable gentle density; Develop new tools to incentivize gentle density

Key insights:

In the heart of Gitksan Nation’s expansive 33,000 square kilometres in northwest British Columbia lies Anspayaxw, a community committed to its people.

In 2021, Anspayaxw initiated a Rapid Housing Initiative, addressing the critical need for safe and affordable housing for band members, including families and Elders.

As this Small Housing Stories of Practice report outlines, the community’s dedication materialized in the construction of four groundbreaking sixplexes on Soapberry Drive. These 24 new rental units, built between 2022 and 2023, mark a decade since the last multiplex project on Reserve Land. Notably, the development prioritizes accessibility, offering homes tailored to the diverse needs of community members.

Key insights:

Deep in the heart of the Central Interior-Fraser Canyon region, Xaxli’p, an integral part of the St’at’imc Interior Salish Nation, embraces its ancestral land along the Fraser Canyon and southern Coast Mountains. Rooted in the profound connection between the people and their territory, Xaxli’p embarked on a transformative journey in 2019 with the development of a Land Use Plan.

As this Small Housing Stories of Practice report outlines, the community recognized the increasingly pressing housing shortage, and responded by launching the Rapid Housing Initiative in 2021. In February 2022, the completion of a family-based fiveplex marked a significant milestone, providing safe, affordable, and culturally connected housing for Xaxli’pmec families in need.

As Xaxli’p First Nation looks to the future, two additional multiplexes are poised to further enhance the community’s capacity to thrive in harmony with their ancestral land.

Key insights:

Nuutsumuut Lelum is located on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation on Vancouver Island in Nanaimo, BC.

The Island Urban Indigenous Wellness Society (formerly Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre) is a not-for-profit organization with a focus on early childhood development, prevention, collaboration, and Culture. They acknowledge the critical importance of supporting Indigenous communities with healthy development in the early years.

Led by the Island Urban Indigenous Wellness Society, Nuutsumuut Lelum is a 25-unit affordable housing project emerged from a two-year collaboration with government agencies and community organizations.

As this Small Housing Stories of Practice report outlines, beyond providing safe and culturally appropriate housing for Urban Indigenous Youth, Elders, and families, Nuutsumuut Lelum embodies a commitment to environmental, social, and cultural sustainability. Built to the rigorous Passive House standard, it harmonizes energy efficiency with Indigenous values, creating dignified homes where community members thrive.

Explore the transformative journey from concept to reality as Nuutsumuut Lelum continues to foster unity and celebration since its inauguration in June 2018.

Key insights:

LíÌwat Nation’s vision for a strong and united community is embodied in their Housing Plan (2018-2033). Focused on preserving rights, language, culture, and traditions, the plan aims to provide safe, secure, and affordable housing. Identifying a need for 170 new units by 2033, the Nation has consistently built 10 to 12 houses annually, prioritizing multiplexes like duplexes and rowhouses.

As this Small Housing Stories of Practice report documents, beyond construction, LíÌwat Nation actively supports citizens in accessing financing for home renovations and purchases, fostering a thriving community where residents can fish, hunt, gather, create, grow, work, and live together harmoniously.

Explore the narrative of this impactful housing initiative, from its inception to tangible outcomes and future aspirations.