What are the NPA's Plans for Affordable Housing

For the next three weeks, the Minute will highlight the policy solutions of the three major parties on affordable housing, citizen engagement and transportation. This week it's the Non-Partisan Association's (NPA) turn to tell us their plans for affordable housing.

The Public Mood: This week the Vancouver Sun published a poll that put affordable housing as the number one concern of British Columbians. Nearly four out of ten people surveyed put the issue at the top of their list of municipal concerns heading into the Nov. 15 election.

The NPA Slogan: Making Vancouver a more affordable city by increasing housing choices.

Vancouver Facts: According to the 2006 federal census, the median family income in Vancouver was $64,007. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation recommends that no more than 32 per cent of a families gross family income should be spent on housing or $1,706 for our average family above.

The NPA Solution: The Non-Partisan Association is promising more market rental unit construction through developer incentives such as density bonuses, relaxing city bylaws on parking requirements and other regulations to encourage creation of new housing units, increase housing types and tenure on remaining Southeast False Creek lands, and secondary suites, and making city land available for the construction of purpose-built market rental housing. Click here for details.