A start at a new affordable housing strategy... not just secondary suites

Today at the council workshop session, we were taken through various tools that might allow the creation of more affordable housing units in the city. This process is just starting but here are some preliminary points and thoughts:

1. The creation of affordable housing in Kamloops goes beyond simply looking at secondary suites. In fact, a more permissive secondary suite policy may not be the even part of the strategy.
2. City staff feel the most promising strategy, at this early point, may be looking at offering builders the ability to add more units if they include some more affordable units in their projects.
3. We are looking at mainly the market sector, not non profit housing. This means we need to figure a way to work closely with the building community to achieve this community goal.
4. If we pursue a secondary suite strategy, good first step might be passing along appropriate and relevant information to potential suite owners on how to create a legal suite.
5. Two prong strategy: look at both helping create more rentals, and more affordable ownership opportunities.

Comments

[Quimby]

Crime is dropping Nationwide, and in Kamloops. That is a fact. We do not need more police or especially private security firms. This will lead to a police state.

Despite stats, and logic, some politicians have been pushing the tough on crime theme. This is a perfect example of Stephen Colbert's "Truthiness". Forget facts, it just feels right.