ACTION PLAN Authorized by Financial Agent Arnedo Lucas (778-558-4098) Copyright 2018 YES Party PREFACE

Over the coming days and weeks, we will be announcing our policies on the many other issues facing our city. Today, we are addressing the most pressing issue: our housing crisis.

There are many passionate opinions about the causes and solutions to our housing crisis. They’ve been some of the most contentious Vancouver dinner table discussions for years. However, passionate debates must now make way for compassionate ones. We must accept that there is no you vs. me and only we. We love our city, and we need to say YES to loving our neighbours. We cannot afford to play the politics of division when we have such a crisis before us. We need to stop saying “NO.” Saying “NO” to making room for people in our city has got us into this crisis.

YES Vancouver will: • Legalize and build more affordable housing, • Target speculators, not homeowners • Clean up the development and permitting process, and • Build thriving, inclusive neighbourhoods for families.

There was a time in my own life where, as a young person, our family lost everything and we became homeless despite working hard and doing the right things. There are many people in the same position today. Over the past ten years, we’ve witnessed a 30% increase in homelessness due to everyday Vancouverites losing their access to decent rental accommodations, and we’ve also seen 9,000 fewer children in our classrooms because families had to flee Vancouver.

3 Many seniors are being forced out of the city they’ve known all their lives because we refuse to legalize anything other than large single-family homes in the neighbourhoods where they could live closer to their children. What if the friends who took my family in when we were in need said “no” to us? What if they turned a cold shoulder? In this plan you will find a common sense, long- term approach to putting hard working Vancouver families at the centre of our planning at City Hall. We will build a city that is truly sustainable, where families, young people, seniors, people of all types of backgrounds and incomes – everyone - will be able to contribute to our future together. We will defend the character of our neighbourhoods by remembering that our character is defined by who we are, not the building form we live in. If we continue to push young people and seniors out of our neighbourhoods, it’s our character, our values, and our families that will continue to suffer. As I noted above, compassionate debate is how we fix our broken city. Because, compassion is how we act when we love. And, if we truly love Vancouver, we will take action – we will say YES to taking good ideas, bringing people together, not playing politics and getting the job done. Join us!

Hector Bremner Mayoral Candidate

4 CONTENTS

A CRISIS 90 YEARS IN THE MAKING 6 A GROWING CRISIS - 10 YEARS UNDER VISION VANCOUVER 12 #LETSFIXHOUSING TIMELINE 15 FIXING HOUSING – OUR LONG TERM PLAN 16 LEGALIZE AND BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING 17 TAKE THE LID OFF THE CITY, WITH CITYWIDE PRE-ZONING PLAN 19 PLANNING FOR HOUSING CHOICE – THE MISSING MIDDLE 22 WORK WITH PRE-APPROVED MULTI-UNIT DESIGNS 23 3-YEAR RENTAL MARKET CORRECTION PLAN 23 PROTECT EXISTING RENTERS – ANTI-DEMOVICTION PLAN 26 IMPLEMENTING A CRISIS LEVEL RESPONSE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHERE THE MARKET ISN’T PROVIDING IT 26 SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCIES 28 TARGET SPECULATORS, NOT HOMEOWNERS 29 A VANCOUVER SPECULATION TAX 30 ENDING CORPORATE OWNERSHIP AND PREVENTING REAL ESTATE TAX FRAUD 30 AIRBNB 31 CLEAN UP THE DEVELOPMENT AND PERMITTING PROCESS 32 CONDUCT A CORE REVIEW 33 REMOVE THE POSSIBILITY OF PLAYING FAVOURITES 33 CREATE CHIEF ECONOMIST POSITION 34 COMMUNITY AMENITY CONTRIBUTIONS [CAC’S] 34 LIMIT SPOT REZONING – DEPOLITICIZE HOMEBUILDING 34 PRIORITIZING PEOPLE AND CUTTING RED TAPE 35 BUILD THRIVING, INCLUSIVE NEIGHBOURHOODS FOR FAMILIES 36 SUSTAINABILITY 37 PLANNING FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 38 REHUMANIZE NEIGHBOURHOODS 39 TAKE THE DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE OFF OF LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES 39 OPPORTUNITY ZONES 39 FAMILY FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN 40 COMMUNITY AMENITIES 40 PRESERVE INDUSTRIAL LANDS 41 LEADING THE METRO REGION 41 A RESILIENT CITY 41 CONSULTATIONS THAT INCLUDE EVERYONE 42 SUMMARY 46

5 A CRISIS 90 YEARS IN THE MAKING

You have to know where you’ve come from... It’s no wonder so many people from around the world have come here to make our city their home. Vancouver is one of the best places in the world to live. We have mountains, ocean, beautiful beaches, amazing green spaces and a diverse population from around the world. The entire Lower Mainland has been changing dramatically over the past decade as more people who immigrate to Canada want to move and invest here, and Vancouver has been feeling the greatest strain ever on its housing market. Our housing crisis is one of the biggest in the world. One of the biggest complaints everyone hears about is the fact that, unless you bought into the market years ago, it is impossible to afford to buy a new home, and just as difficult to rent one affordably. This crisis has its roots in another era.

6 The 1920s were a formative decade for the before amalgamation. Many poorer immigrants still young city. At the start of the decade, the and those from non-British backgrounds settled modern City of Vancouver was three independent in . By the end of the decade Point municipalities: the City of Vancouver, which only Grey and South Vancouver would be amalgamated extended as far south as 16th Avenue; Point Grey, with the City of Vancouver and the first plan for the western portion of the peninsula, west of the amalgamated city would be created. Alma (North of 16th), extending as far east as Cambie farther south, and South Vancouver. The Vancouver’s first city plan was commissioned by East and West side roughly follows the shapes of the city in 1927 and was prepared by American these amalgamated municipalities. Point Grey is segregationist, Harland Bartholomew. The where many of the wealthier residents settled. interim plan was adopted in 1928 and finalized Point Grey was the first municipality in British in the early 1930s. The plan encoded all of the Columbia to take part in the North American ideas and prejudices of the time. Bartholomew trend of creating a city plan. This plan was explicitly created his plan to prevent the spread created to stop the spread of urban problems, of “undesirable” elements, non-caucasians and raise property values and keep out apartments, people of low socioeconomic status. This was which were erroneously equated with slums. done by elevating the single family home to a The pattern of economic disparity between the privileged status and requiring the purchase of east and the west side of Vancouver got its start at least 4200 square feet of land making them

1927 2018

7 out of reach to those Bartholomew and many influential Vancouverites considered undeserving. Successive civic governments tweaked the plan over the years as Vancouver grew but the foundations have remained unchanged. Its impact is still being felt today. The plan designated over 70% of the residential land mass for single family homes. If you couldn’t afford one, you would live either downtown or move away from the city. It doesn’t have to be that way. As World War Two raged the federal government intervened, over city government objections, to ease restrictions in order to house war time industrial workers. They issued Order No. 200, which effectively legalized secondary suites and multi- The retention of Vancouver unit conversions of detached housing. Much of conversion of mansions in Shaughnessy to multiple housing units date as a city of single family to this period. The city fought against these measures, homes has always been doing everything in its power to limit the scope of housing liberalization. Once the order was rescinded in the 1950s, the close to the heart of those city moved to undo it. engaging in this plan The Vancouver Charter was introduced in 1953. This provincial statute grants the city a number of different powers than Arthur G. Smith those under BC’s Municipalities Act. Chairman of the Vancouver Town Starting in 1956, with the adoption of a revised zoning bylaw, Planning Commission, 1928 the City began removing illegal secondary suites. Then, as now, secondary suites provided significant housing for the student population. Students pressured the city to keep the suites open, due to a persistent shortage of student housing in the city. The students’ efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. The secondary suite issue did not go away. Despite the city’s efforts to enforce the ban, suites were common. Secondary suites were a political football for decades, from the 1980s until finally legalized in 2004. The 1960’s were a period of growth, especially with the transformation of the West End. Vancouver needed accommodations for renters, and it was decided that this was the place to build them. Towers like that were certainly not allowed elsewhere. In 1967, as part of a controversial

8 project of urban renewal, the city also began levelling Hogan’s Alley neighbourhood, the heart of Vancouver’s black community, and parts of Chinatown. The neighbourhood and nearby Strathcona were also home to several other immigrant groups who were unable to live elsewhere in the city due to housing discrimination. The city has recently taken steps to address the historical injustices committed against these communities, but more needs to be done. West End 1956

Beach Ave, West End 1960s West End today- A globally recognized neighbourhood Plans to build a new freeway in the area were buildings are in the form of thin point towers with halted following an extended public outcry. Plans a podium at street level wrapped with townhouses for more housing to be built in the West End were providing “eyes on the street.” It is the model used also halted, and most planned growth in areas throughout downtown, and has been lauded around outside of the downtown peninsula were blocked. the world. Development in the South False Creek and later the downtown helped to revitalize the urban core, The problem is that ‘Vancouverism” is only practiced but constraining the growth of the rest of the city in a small part of Vancouver, while the rest of the has helped to contribute to the current crisis. city remains under the same exclusionary zoning created in 1927. In the 1980s and 90s, former Expo 86 lands across False Creek and Yaletown allowed for an In subsequent decades, production of housing urban housing boom that led to the concept of slowed. Where neighbourhoods once grew “Vancouverism,” where downtown residential organically, a rigid zoning bylaw clamped down,

9 Source: Statistics Canada constraining and restricting growth. In the However, with the completion of Yaletown 1990’s, changes to the Strata Act and the federal and Olympic Village, the city has exhausted its government slashing rental subsidies, including supply of available industrial land for brownfield the decision of the federal government to get residential development. The structural flaws in out of the social/non-profit housing sector, killed the city’s plan could no longer be glossed over the construction of rental housing, creating a by cannibalizing Vancouver’s industrial base. Over structural shortage of rental accomodations. the last decade, we have seen escalating housing prices and a shortage of industrial land. The history of housing in Vancouver is one of restriction and imposed artificial scarcity. In past For almost 35 years Vancouver’s City Council, decades, the pressure of growing population was irrespective of which party was in power, upheld a partially accommodated by converting industrial common commitment to the values that underlay land into residential areas. The repurposing of the Vancouver contribution to the Liveable Region underutilized industrial land near the core of the Plan. That consensus has been undermined over City was a major success story in the history of the past 10 years and trust with citizens needs to Vancouver. There are now thriving communities be rebuilt. on the former industrial sites of Yaletown and South False Creek.

10 Vancouver is trying to run a 21st century city off of an early 20th century city plan

Vancouver is projected to continue to grow over the coming decades from interprovincial migration and immigration. This is a good thing! Since Vancouver’s founding, newcomers have enhanced the dynamism and range of opportunities that make Vancouver such a great city. If we don’t build homes for them, they’ll choose elsewhere, and slowly our city will be hollowed out and only the very fortunate will be able to call Vancouver home. Our growing and aging population requires a growing housing stock. The Federal Government controls immigration policy and sets entry targets. Current annual target is about 330,000. This Chart illustrates why increased immigration is necessary to maintain the Canadian workforce. The 2018 projection for the Lower Mainland is about 42,000 with an expectation that this may result in about 7-8000 in Vancouver. And more seniors will be needing housing than ever before. Vancouver has had incredible successes as a growing community. In 150 years it has transitioned from a small colonial town on the edge of the Pacific to a thriving cosmopolitan global city. We can be proud of the work of past generations while recognizing there are missteps that need to be fixed. It’s our future that’s at stake. Will we say “YES” to a positive, welcoming city, or will we say “NO” and close the doors to a more inclusive future?

Components of change in the Lower Mainland. Graphic supplied by: Andrew Ramlo

11 A GROWING CRISIS - 10 YEARS UNDER VISION VANCOUVER

12 Over the past decade, home prices have shot up at an unsustainable rate. All sectors of the market have seen over a 100% increase since Vision Vancouver took power. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) Price Index has increased over the past 10 years by 92.8% and 109.6% in West and East sides, respectively . Owning a home is now out of reach to all but the most privileged. It does not need to be this way.

As prices rose many of Vancouver’s exclusive neighbourhood shed population as families were forced out. Key service professionals in education, health care , police and fire services cannot afford to live in the City. Both small and large business employees have no choice but to live elsewhere. With much fanfare, Vision Vancouver made the bold promise in 2008 to end homelessness, which shot up 28% instead. Over 2000 individuals are now homeless in Vancouver. Vision Vancouver inherited the laneway house initiative when they took office. Passed in 2009, the city began allowing owners in single family zones (RS) to construct a small separated house that could be rented. However, the requirement that each laneway home be architecturally unique added costs and the program was predictably unable to scale up to effectively meet the growing city’s need for housing. Under Vision Vancouver, no city-wide plan was created. Various community and Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver

13 corridor plans were created. Even then, rather than a clear, unambiguous plan, where areas were zoned for the city’s needs, Vancouver created plans that were often little more than guidelines for developer initiated rezonings. This lack of certainty fueled speculation and clogged up the city’s development permitting process as the number of rezonings swelled. Vision Vancouver also made a big mistake constraining the development potential of the False Creek flats -- so close to downtown -- allowing for very little housing in this area, especially rental. Most industrial uses are no longer viable there. YES Vancouver feels that this area is the perfect place to mix residential, employment, public lands and transit.

14 #LETSFIXHOUSING TIMELINE

August 2017 – in NPA Nomination for council byelection on a plan to fix housing October 2017 – Wins Byelection on platform to “end piecemeal, building-by-building, lot- by-lot and project-by-project rezoning. This will be replaced with zoning changes over larger zoning areas within the city that will November 2017 – Councillor allow flexibility to achieve greater residential Bremner sworn into office density and diversity.”

December 2017 – Councillor Bremner motion to fix “Vancouver’s worst zoning” by beginning the rezoning process for North West Point Grey, a neighbourhood where January 2018 - Councillor Bremner announces only mansions can be built and he will be seeking the NPA nomination for proposes allowing rental homes and mayor seniors housing January – April 2018 – Building the lets fix December 2017 – Anti-housing housing team, recruiting members from activists in the NPA participate in a diverse social and political backgrounds take over of the party’s board

April 2018 – Councillor Bremner brings forward motion at council to prezone Cambie Corridor May 2018 – The NPA board, in a vote April 2018 – Two anti-housing activists, led by anti-housing advocates, block supporting a rival for the mayoral nomination, Councillor Bremner’s candidacy file frivolous “conflict of interest” complaints by rejecting the party’s greenlight with the City committee’s recommendation that Bremner’s name be on the ballot

July 2018 – YES Vancouver is formed, candidates for Mayor, Council, School Board September, 2018 - Housing Plan and Park Board are selected released

15 FIXING HOUSING – OUR LONG TERM PLAN

16 LEGALIZE AND BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Vancouver has a critical shortage of housing. consultation about our plan, focusing on how Faced with a rental vacancy rate of 0.9%, a we can not only make room for the homes we crisis level, renters are struggling to find homes. desperately need now, but plan for the homes Inventory of homes for sale was for years at we need over the next 50 years. We will take the record lows, and has only just started to creep steps to ensure that not only are there suitable up. Bidding wars for these scarce homes have homes for the generation coming of age now, we driven prices to record heights. Yet, despite this will plan for future generations. crisis it is virtually illegal to build townhouses and apartment buildings in over 70% of the city’s We will start by saying YES to building the residential land. A city that reserves over 70% of homes we need and will increase the city’s home the land for a privileged 35% of the residents is building target to 12,000 homes in the first year, neither sustainable nor equitable. YES will take subsequently raising it to 20,000 homes per immediate action to address the shortage. We year with half being purpose-built rentals and will will legalize housing city wide, lifting the ban on create a rapid rental market correction program duplexes, rowhomes, and apartments. that will build 50,000-75,000 purpose built rental units. The target will be periodically revised A YES Vancouver government will begin to maintain consistent per capita housing targets. immediately with public engagement and

17 Great cities have four floors and corner stores in every neighbourhood. With our plan to legalize housing, we will facilitate organic growth by creating flexible zoning, allowing a variety of typologies between and including single family and four storey apartment buildings, with or without ground-floor commercial space. • Zoning in areas with close proximity to transit will allow for a greater quantity of housing. • A broad legalization of housing options will ensure that growth is dispersed across the city, avoiding the Vision Vancouver approach, where one area at a time is designated for growth, and then faces concentrated rush of activity. • Community services needs and investments will be directed by the community through comprehensive consultation. Some of the city’s most beloved buildings are 100+ year-old houses and apartment buildings with four storeys. In a housing crisis, there is no justification for continuing to ban 4 storey structures - a relatively modest, ground-oriented form of housing. By lifting the excessively strict zoning that has artificially constrained neighbourhoods, we will ensure Vancouver zones for and builds enough housing to end the housing scarcity that has been the norm in Vancouver for decades. A city with structurally affordable housing is one where people will no longer be forced to bid against each other in a desperate attempt to secure a place to live before it’s too late.

The city plan will prezone for the next 50 years of growth, while creating sufficient housing abundance to create structural affordability in the Vancouver housing market.

18 TAKE THE LID OFF THE CITY, WITH CITYWIDE PRE-ZONING PLAN

Today Vancouver is buckling under the stress of our outdated plan – unaffordability, siloed communities, declining per capita homebuilding, stagnant or retreating small business environment and an inflexibility to change. Some believe raising or lowering taxes will address these systems, others believe in limiting immigration. Or, they simply think there is no problem at all and that we should simply do nothing. When our government has acted it has been reactive, lacking the courage to plan for a longer time horizon than the next 4 years. Spot rezonings are the norm and scarcity defines the average Vancouverite’s search for housing. Uncertainty is the norm for communities and homebuilders alike. These old conversations have run their course, we have moved beyond this – and it’s time our political leadership did too.

19 It’s time to say YES to a 21st Century Vancouver Plan which takes the best of what is working as well as learns from the mistakes of the past. A good example is the False Creek lands. When the viaducts are removed, this area needs to be another downtown, with mixed residential, commercial, and retail. This should stretch out throughout the False Creek flats, and much more housing should be built there than is currently planned.

This October, you can say YES to a Vancouver Plan that will:

Consolidate the various OCP’s and Create diverse housing options in all plans into one comprehensive plan parts of the city for people at all stages through a rigorous consultation of life, from young adults living away 1 process that puts affordability and 2 from home for the first time, to families action at the core of its objective. raising children, to seniors looking to downsize in their community.

Drive development and community Reverse the decline in per capita improvement not based on the home building to create an abundance economics of just buildings, but the of housing. 3 actual community itself. 4

Prioritize highest and best use of our Put jobs, transportation, services, limited land base. community centres, and libraries at the heart of the plan - building livable 5 6 and vibrant neighbourhoods around them.

Ensure community mix is achieved by Liberalize commercial use, creating putting function first and letting great more opportunity for arts, culture, forms take shape, and communities to 8 commerce, tourism and social life to 7 grow and shape organically. We don’t thrive in order to create a healthy and need to tell people how to live, we just resilient economy. need to enable them do it.

20 The new YES Vancouver plan will address both the immediate needs of Vancouverites today, and recognize our responsibility to future generations, ensuring long term resiliency is built into our processes. YES Vancouver will consult on and adopt a 21st century city plan within 9 months of taking office.

AGING IN PLACE – SENIORS HOUSING ENCOURAGED THROUGHOUT THE CITY

Seniors are having increasing trouble finding affordable housing. Many are being “renovicted” and their housing torn down for redevelopment. Those who are securely housed face trouble finding suitable housing to downsize into. Many families need to travel to less expensive areas of the Lower Mainland to care for their aging parents. It shouldn’t have to be that way. Many seniors housing projects face intense neighbourhood opposition. The Casa Mia project in South Vancouver, for example, faced multiple attempts to block it. YES believes seniors deserve support, proximity to their loved ones, and a home suited to their needs. This is a key way to rehumanize our neighbourhoods. We support the construction of dedicated seniors housing in all neighbourhoods to allow seniors to age in place closer to their loved ones.

21 PLANNING FOR HOUSING CHOICE – THE MISSING MIDDLE

The adoption of missing middle housing is the invest in their properties by allowing them to add next reasonable evolution of the built form for a variety of infill housing, including duplexes and the city. We say YES to reforms that will make multi-unit conversions. By allowing infill housing missing middle housing legal and economically to be built without requiring land assembly, we viable in all residential areas. reduce cost, delays and avoid the speculative rush around development. The new city plan will simplify the zoning bylaws, reducing the number of residential zones from YES Vancouver believes that we must secure over 50 to a more manageable number. Adding middle income affordable housing developed by simplicity and clarity will give communities and non-profits, and exploring alternative financing home builders alike a more transparent and mechanisms so that young people and those understandable idea of what types of builds are entering into the market can find a way to allowed. purchase a home and build equity over time. YES Vancouver believes in housing choice, we say YES Vancouver will include serious efforts YES to providing opportunities for homeowners to towards “third sector” housing to provide secure, affordable and stable housing for middle income earners.

22 WORK WITH PRE-APPROVED MULTI-UNIT DESIGNS

YES Vancouver will work with industry to create quality, pre-set, made-in-Vancouver design parameters for multi-unit housing. These pre-approved designs will allow quick permit issuing, ending needless and inefficient staff work re-approving nearly identical buildings.

3-YEAR RENTAL MARKET CORRECTION PLAN

YES will bring relief to the more than half of Vancouver households which rent. Renters are grappling with an out of control rental market. Rents are rising at an unsustainable rate and the rental unit vacancy rate of 0.9% is at crisis levels. CMHC considers 3% to be the absolute bottom of a healthy rental market. Vancouverites are worried about being priced out of their homes and fear not being able to find a new home. Rental housing forms the backbone of the city’s residences, serving locals with local incomes. YES Vancouver will embark on a rental market correction plan to stabilize rents and bring the vacancy rate up to a healthy 5%. YES Vancouver will raise the rental vacancy rate to 3% with a long term target of 5% vacancy, by facilitating the building of 50,000 new rental homes over the next 3 years. We integrate vacancy rate targets into the planning process.

23 OUR GOAL: BUILD 50K-75K UNITS OF QUALITY, STABLE PURPOSE BUILT RENTALS

We will ensure Vancouverites have affordable, quality and stable rentals by saying YES to construction of purpose-built rentals across the city. The single best predictor of rents going up or US cities with an injection down is the vacancy rate. Seattle and Portland has seen rents of housing supply are stabilize and fall, due to more rental homes being built. We want to apply the lessons of Seattle to Vancouver. Under the current witnessing lower rents. city government, the vacancy rate has been closer to 0% than more favourable 3%. “Tenants are gaining With a vacancy rate of below 1%, renters are forced to compete the upper hand in urban against renters for scarce housing, bidding-up rents. Instead, centers across the U.S. YES wants to encourage competition to attract tenants. For rents to be affordable, rental homes must be available and as new amenity-rich abundant. aapartment buildings … To make housing widely available YES Vancouver will work to are forced to fight for approve 50,000 to 75,000 new rental accommodations and customers.” - Bloomberg flood the rental market, pushing down rents. News -- September 7, 2018

THE PLAN: HOW? Rental construction faces challenges in being economically viable relative to constructing condos. In order to correct this imbalance, the city implemented the Rental 100 program to balance the incentives between condos and apartments. That nudged the rate of construction of new rentals above the anemic levels of past decades, but fell short of constructing sufficient housing to meet the growing population’s demand for rentals. YES Vancouver will expand and strengthen the program.

24 TREAT RENTAL HOUSING LOW VACANCY RATE AS ITS OWN COMMUNITY POLICIES AMENITY CONTRIBUTION One of the most important YES Vancouver believes a crisis amenity contributions is available situation merit a crisis response. and affordable rental housing. For In periods of critically low rental projects where a rezoning vacancy (below 3%), in order is required, the city requires a to accelerate the provision of large up-front cash payment in desperately needed rental homes, the form of a Community Amenity rental projects will be granted Contribution. This frequently makes additional floor space above the projects unfeasible, due to the other incentives and reduced long payback periods for rental Development Cost Levies. construction. In order to incentivize rental construction instead of condo development, YES will exempt rental projects from Community Amenity Contributions. Relieving the critical rental shortage is itself the amenity contribution.

AMORTIZE DEVELOPMENT FAST TRACK PERMITS COST LEVIES OVER MULTIPLE YEARS Rental permits will be fast In order to relieve the cash flow tracked and placed into a priority challenges that rental development permitting queue, with first faces, we will allow the Development priority to projects that have close Cost Levies (DCLs), fees paid to the proximity to existing and planned city for the cost of infrastructure, infrastructure and amenities. parks and other development expenses, to be paid in installments over the first 10 years of the building’s operation.

25 PROTECT EXISTING RENTERS – ANTI-DEMOVICTION PLAN

A YES Government will avoid the mistakes of other local governments. In parts of the metro region, vast swaths of low- rise affordable rental buildings were demolished to build massive towers, while keeping all areas with detached single-family homes unchanged due exclusionary zoning. This created displacement and a demolition crisis. Vancouver cannot afford to replicate the Metrotown demoviction disaster. YES Vancouver will take the redevelopment pressure off of affordable rental units by allowing rental housing to be built throughout the city. YES will strengthen the rate of change policy and tie it to the vacancy rate. During periods of critically low rental vacancy, below 3%, the rate of change policy will apply to rental buildings of 4 or fewer units. A demolition permit will not be issued for buildings under this policy unless all tenants are relocated at no cost or rent increase and additional 5% of units in the new building are below market units, beyond that required by other city policies.

IMPLEMENTING A CRISIS LEVEL RESPONSE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHERE THE MARKET ISN’T PROVIDING IT

YES Vancouver will work with partners in the non-profit sector and senior levels of government to provide affordable and no-barrier housing to those not served by the market. The Property Endowment Fund (PEF) was first established to manage our assets in such a way as to yield a benefit to citizens and allow the City to ensure the highest and best use of the land base. 26 Additionally, we have the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency (VAHA), a civic counterpart to BC Housing. YES will support the urgent Through a rigorous review and independent analysis, we will say YES to putting these assets to work for the people of construction of non-profit Vancouver. housing by creating Office We will use these agencies to identify enough of the Director of Non-Profit sites to offer nominal 99-year leases to qualified Housing Approvals to oversee building partners through an open bid process 1 where the partner will incur the construction and support non-profit housing costs to build housing, where the City, through providers in applying for and VAHA, will manage 50% of the units in perpetuity in order to offer them on an income tested receiving permits. means. YES Vancouver will remove We can say YES to using city lands to build 2 thousands of long-term affordable housing units non-profit housing from the to people in need on a long term and stable regular permitting stream and manner. This model works in jurisdictions around the world, it will work here. placed into a dedicated priority permitting process, putting For the most vulnerable, those classified as these projects first in queue. 3 “street entrenched” and suffering from mental health and addiction, we will deliver No Barrier Housing on a scale not seen in Vancouver’s There will be dedicated staff history. In fact, this opportunity has existed for years, however, politics got in the way. to assist non-profit housing providers navigate the city’s YES will continue the Temporary Modular 4 Housing program until permanent, long term complex processes. We will housing is built to house the homeless. eliminate city fees for this kind of housing. Housing solutions for the Downtown East Side will be part of a comprehensive mental health, 5 addiction and housing plan.

We will say YES to reducing any local bylaw barriers, expedite permits and ensure flexible zoning to deliver the highest levels of units.

27 YES Vancouver will work with partners to deliver 15,000 units of non-market, not-for-profit rental housing over the next 10 years by utilizing 99 year leases on city land

SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCIES

The state of many of Vancouver’s Single Room Occupancy (SRO) accommodations is deplorable. They do not meet basic health or safety standards. YES Vancouver will aggressively enforce the Standards of Maintenance Bylaw for SROs. As part of our non-market housing policy, we will work with non-profit partners and senior levels of government to provide alternative accommodations to the privately-run SROs.

28 TARGET SPECULATORS, NOT HOMEOWNERS

It is uncontroversial that speculation is common in the Vancouver real estate market. Housing should first and foremost be for shelter, not a method of getting rich quick. While some have chosen to scapegoat foreigners and newcomers to Vancouver, we do not have to choose between upholding Canadian values of openness and inclusiveness and fixing housing. We can solve the crisis without giving into xenophobia.

29 A VANCOUVER SPECULATION TAX

In order to prevent speculation and flipping YES Vancouver will work with the province to introduce a speculation tax of 50% of the capital gains on the sale of unimproved, non-owner occupied homes and presale assignments within 24 months of purchase. This will target flippers, making room for homeowners. The Empty Homes Tax (EHT) is one of the tools in the tool box to address Vancouver’s housing challenges. We support its goal of ensuring that units aren’t simply sitting empty and unused. However, it is important that the tax only impacts those who are willing to leave their homes unoccupied and not properties being developed. We will conduct a review of the EHT to ensure that it is effectively serving its purpose.

ENDING CORPORATE OWNERSHIP AND PREVENTING REAL ESTATE TAX FRAUD

YES Vancouver will work with the province to end corporate ownership of residential real estate and require individuals to disclose the source of funds being used for real estate transactions

Residential real estate should be owned by individuals, not by anonymous numbered companies that evade paying property transfer taxes by selling shares of the company. Exemptions would be granted for properties being redeveloped (a letter of intent must be filed with the city), for employee and workforce housing, and for professional property management firms operating purpose built rental buildings.

30 YES Vancouver will also work with the provincial government to require the source of funds to be disclosed for all real estate transactions. This is a standard feature of securities law and we will work to extend this provision to real estate. We support the work the BC government is doing to establish a beneficial ownership registry.

AIRBNB

Vancouver has a vibrant tourism industry, an important driver of the city’s economy. Tourism continues to grow; however, the city’s accommodations have not only failed to keep pace with the growing demand, but has lost 1,700 hotel rooms. Much of this unmet demand for hotels has been picked up by AirBNB, which has stressed an already tight rental market. YES Vancouver will work with the tourism industry to expand the city’s hotel capacity to ensure visitors have available and affordable accommodations that do not negatively impact the rental housing market. As part of our Core Review, we will examine the effectiveness of regulations and enforcement of AirBNBs in the City of Vancouver.

31 CLEAN UP THE DEVELOPMENT AND PERMITTING PROCESS

32 CONDUCT A CORE REVIEW

YES Vancouver will commission an independent core review of the city’s development and permitting system. We will identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the housing permitting process. We will examine best practices from other jurisdictions around the world. We will identify and make technological, procedural and systemic improvements to the development permitting system. A world class city deserves a world class permitting system. The core review will have the mandate to identify and propose changes to:

Reforming the Community Remove the possibility of playing Amenity Contribution favourites, 1 2 system,

Capping permit wait times Limiting the reliance on spot 3 for multi-unit constructions, 4 rezonings,

Remove redundant or Identify any other deficiency unnecessary steps in the in the development 5 permitting process, 6 permitting system.

REMOVE THE POSSIBILITY OF PLAYING FAVOURITES

YES Vancouver will end the cozy relationship between developers and city hall. We believe no developer should get a special deal. We say YES to transparency and treating all players equally.

33 CREATE CHIEF ECONOMIST POSITION

YES Vancouver believes evidence based policy should guide all decision making. A YES Mayor and Council will appoint a Chief Economist for the City of Vancouver. The Chief Economist will provide expert advice to city staff and council on the economic impacts of policies and decisions. Economic impact reports will be included for rezoning and planning decisions.

COMMUNITY AMENITY CONTRIBUTIONS [CAC’S]

Currently, Community Amenity Contributions, a large cash or in kind contribution by developers to the city, are negotiated behind closed doors between the developers and the city. We believe this lack of transparency and certainty undermines public confidence and creates the opportunities for special treatment and corruption. YES Vancouver will end negotiated Community Amenity Contributions by creating a fixed rate system at preset levels for each square foot over the current maximum density. This was successfully used in the Norquay plan and we will expand it city-wide. YES will expand consultations to ensure that neighbourhoods can have a much greater say in directing where and how the CACs are spent. YES will no longer negotiate Community Amenity Contributions behind closed doors, and will provide transparency and certainty by using a pre-set amenity contribution rate.

LIMIT SPOT REZONING – DEPOLITICIZE HOMEBUILDING

A majority of new multi-unit buildings are forced to go through a lengthy rezoning. This not only adds a year or more delay before needed housing can be built, adding costs that are passed on to the final owner or renter, it invites political interference and corruption potential. Every rezoning requires a council vote, putting the fate of developments in the hands of politicians and creating the opportunity for developers to compete for political attention. Most major cities do not rely as heavily on spot rezoning, and Vancouver needs to make the shift now. It will also help us get housing to people faster. If we were to continue our current process, we would have to start a council

34 meeting now and hold it for the next 50 years straight to build the housing we need in our city. YES will take the politics out of development by pre-zoning the city. No more building-by-building votes. No more uncertainty for communities that feel like the zoning bylaw isn’t worth the paper it is printed on. While truly exceptional projects may require a spot rezoning, a YES government will keep this to a minimum. YES Vancouver will take the politics out of building housing by ending the overreliance on spot rezonings.

PRIORITIZING PEOPLE AND CUTTING RED TAPE

Vancouver is notorious for red tape and social and family housing. It is unacceptable that burdensome regulation, hurting hard-working desperately needed non-market and market Vancouverites by restricting their access to housing is languishing on a permitting staff housing, jobs or even creating a business. person’s desk. YES Vancouver will target permit wait times for multi-unit projects to be capped at We will say YES to the adoption of a Smart City 6 months. approach. This means integrating technology which will ensure we have better data to make decisions with, and provide the same level of service nearly all similar cities provide, including fast approval process times. We will end the requirement that plans and documents be submitted on paper and accept digital CAD and Building Information Modelling (BIM) files. • Smart City Approach • Priority Permitting Queues • Preapproved designs We will say YES to delivering housing and jobs space fast and effectively. Under a YES government the city will work to streamline the building approval process, to speed construction of new homes and move housing units to market faster. This will include the ability to prioritize Typical line up at the permit office

35 BUILD THRIVING, INCLUSIVE NEIGHBOURHOODS FOR FAMILIES

YES Vancouver believes it is time for our neighbourhoods to evolve from housing mono- cultures to vibrant, complete communities. Neighbourhoods should be places where people can live, work, shop and enjoy all our city has to offer. We will rehumanize our neighbourhoods, putting people at the centre. Neighbourhoods should be diverse in housing form and should welcome people from all demographic backgrounds.

36 SUSTAINABILITY

YES Vancouver is committed to a sustainable and an environmentally sound city. The two largest sources of emissions are buildings and transportation . A YES Vancouver civic government would ensure new construction for housing will enhance and support sustainability. We will expand and improve green building performance requirements and support architect’s and engineer’s development and implementation of innovative methods and materials. We say YES to creating walkable neighbourhoods and communities where homes, work, retail and amenities are located within walking distance of each other. We say YES to taking a strategic policy approach to developing a city transportation plan to accommodate future growth without burdening our infrastructure or increasing emissions from transportation. Building homes right means less not more strain on our transportation system. We believe the best transportation plan is a good land use plan. Housing and transportation policy can and should work synergistically with each other. People should be able to live, work and access amenities.

37 We must remember, if we don’t build homes, the people who would have lived in them don’t disappear. They are merely pushed further out. We have offloaded the construction of homes to Langley and Maple Ridge, forcing those who work and enjoy our cities wonderful recreation and cultural amenities to travel long distances, causing congestion and pollution. If Vancouver is to truly be the greenest city we must ensure there is affordable and available housing, near where people work and play.

PLANNING FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

A healthy community is one where everyone has access to a mix of homes, small business and amenities.

Nitric Oxide Pollution

38 REHUMANIZE NEIGHBOURHOODS

YES Vancouver believes all residents of Vancouver, regardless of circumstances deserve to live in healthy communities. Seniors should be able to age in place and young people starting out on their own -- who are willing to live in smaller spaces as they begin their adult lives -- shouldn’t have to move to the edge of the Lower Mainland just to find a place to live. We support the construction of more new housing on quiet, unpolluted side streets. Living near major roads can pose health risks due to noise and pollution . This would be a return to the tried and true form common in the neighbourhoods that were built out in the 1960s and 1970s, and can help break down the monoculture of many of the neighbourhoods. YES Vancouver will ensure all fair and equal access to housing away from noise and air pollution.

TAKE THE DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE OFF OF LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES Vision Vancouver’s policy of pushing all new ensure new commercial developments include housing on to busy, noisy and polluted arterials more affordable narrow storefronts, helping has effectively made the only acceptable place to entrepreneurs find reasonably priced commercial build new apartments where existing businesses space to launch their small business. are. This has escalated land values, leaving small businesses paying for the redevelopment By allowing significant off arterial housing to be potential in their taxes only to be hit again when built, YES Vancouver will take the development the building owner sells to developers. When pressure off of the small businesses that are the new development opens the retail space is the foundation of Vancouver’s economy – and usually large, expensive, and suitable only for big neighbourhoods. chains. Entrepreneurs and new small business, YES Vancouver will take the development pressure rarely have the resources to take advantage of off of small businesses brand new commercial developments. YES will

OPPORTUNITY ZONES At the core of a 21st century city plan for Vancouver must be neighbourhoods that work for today’s families. That means ensuring the jobs, services and amenities we rely on are at the centre of our planning process, just like the great cities of the world do.

39 YES Vancouver will guide the city plan to success by identifying the areas of our city that are supporting families and small businesses now, and then invest in those areas with better policies to enhance this organic success. This means more job spaces near where people want to live, with public spaces and amenities integrated together. The end result will be a common sense approach that allows Vancouver to focus on the function of our neighbourhoods, not just the form of the buildings in them.

FAMILY FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN

We can be very proud of our downtown, and families are a key part of every community. As Vancouver shifts from detached to multi-family housing maintaining a family friendly environment is important. YES Vancouver will maintain the current requirement for developments include 25% two bedroom units and 10% three bedroom units. Additionally, to incentivize amenity space for families, we will exclude such areas from being counted towards Floor Space Ratio (FSR) limits and DCL/CAC costs. We will focus on creating family friendly amenities and parks in new growth areas.

COMMUNITY AMENITIES Vancouverites take pride in the wonderful parks, community centres and cultural centres the city offers. As our population grows it is imperative to preserve and expand them. In order to achieve the goal of 1.1 hectares of park land per 1000 residents, parks will need to be expanded and created. We say YES to expanding our parks and amenity centres. To do this Vancouver will have to use its land more efficiently and de-sprawl the city. By using land more efficiently for housing we will free up land for parks. Adding homes should be accompanied by more schools and childcare spaces. YES Supports the construction of new schools in Coal Harbour, East Fraser Lands/River District, and the Cambie Corridor. YES will integrate school board into the city planning process and work with the BC Ministry of Education to ensure a growing city has the school capacity for new families.

40 PRESERVE INDUSTRIAL LANDS

Metro Vancouver is experiencing a shortage of industrial land. Past city governments have converted industrial land to residential, contributing to the shortage. YES will preserve important industrial jobs by preventing the encroachment of residential buildings onto industrial lands. YES Vancouver will preserve Vancouver’s industrial land.

LEADING THE METRO REGION

YES Vancouver believes Vancouver should be a regional leader on taking action to fix the housing crisis, while understanding the problem is regional and all municipalities need to do their fair share to fix the problem. YES Vancouver will work to create a Metro Vancouver Mayor’s Council on Housing and Homelessness, similar to the Mayor’s council for transit. Vancouver will work to create a Mayor’s Council on Housing and Homelessness

A RESILIENT CITY

Vancouver is in an earthquake zone and many of our public buildings, including schools have not been retrofitted to survive a strong earthquake. Many of our existing businesses are working in buildings that are not likely to survive a major earthquake. The Building Codes are designed to enable people to survive an earthquake without standards to ensure building survivability. After protecting life, the City’s responsibility is to rapid recovery. The economic stakes for citizens is directly related to Vancouver’s capability to continue to have economic sustainability post an earthquake. YES Vancouver will develop and adopt an Earthquake Recovery Plan based upon the best science and the recovery experiences in other cities.

41 CONSULTATIONS THAT INCLUDE EVERYONE

Our housing plan is based on the principle of inclusion. We need to modernize our consultation process to include more Vancouverites in the discussion about how we move forward. No one is happy about the state of engagement we have at City Hall. While we conduct endless hours of public engagement, the process is exhausting and the outcomes are assumed to be pre- determined. YES Vancouver is committed to robust community engagement. We need to hear the voices of those who are unable to attend public hearings, and use every method possible to engage with all citizens, no matter their housing status. YES is committed to a system of consultation that ensures that everyone’s interests (those of the current population, and those who are joining us) are accounted for regardless of age or income. Under a YES government, as we build the desperately needed housing we require, the public will also have a far greater say over how community amenity contributions are spent in their communities.

Clear, effective public input and regular engagement and review of policy

We will say YES to a fundamentally different approach to they way your City communicates with you, by being a partner with communities, organizations, community groups and businesses. This will include more interactive engagement that will empower better decision making. Most importantly, we say YES to ending the use of our non-partisan staff in partisan gamesmanship. We will stand as a council before our policy objective and answer for them. We will bring in the best practices for the public service, so generations of Vancouverites can be rest assured that their public service is free from political influence.

42 Take a leadership role in the region by utilizing the Vancouver Charter to innovate first and open source policy when other communities are ready

The City of Vancouver is unique, as it has its own charter, providing greater autonomy over its jurisdiction. So far, we’ve used it only to add layers upon layers of quirky red tape onto ourselves, putting us at a significant competitive disadvantage to our neighbours. We say YES to adopting great solutions, based on evidence based approaches and effective community engagement, in building code, planning, zoning and taxation in order to maximize affordability, job creation, community investment and long term resiliency for future generations. And then regularly open source this policy to our counterparts in the region, ensuring others can benefit from our work. Additionally, we say YES to a regional Mayors’ Task Force on Housing and Homelessness. We cannot address the crisis on our own, however, we cannot wait to take action. Vancouver will lead in the region again, building relationships across the region and collaborating on real results.

43 STATUS QUO CONSULTATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS

EXISTING PATCH- WORK OF AREA PLANS AND POLICIES

PRE-APPLICATION DEVELOPER NEGOTI- DISCUSSION WITH ATES WITH CITY CITY

APPLY

REZONING NO REZONING

APPLY FOR REZON- DEVELOPER NEGOTI- APPLY FOR DEVELOP- ING ATES WITH CITY MENT

DEVELOPER NEGOTI- STAFF REVIEW ATES WITH CITY STAFF REVIEW

DEVELOPER NEGOTI- DECISION BY DIREC- OPEN HOUSE ATES WITH CITY TOR OF PLANNING

PUBLIC COUNCIL MEETING

COUNCIL VOTE

STAFF WRITE ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT

COUNCIL PASSES BY- LAW AMENDMENT PERMIT ISSUED 44 YES VANCOUVER CONSULTATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS

CITY WIDE PLAN COUNCIL #LETSFIXHOUSING PREPARED (PRE- APPROVES CONSULTATION ZONING) CITY PLAN

ONGOING ANALYSIS & CONSULTATION

APPLY FOR COMMUNITY DECISION BY DEVELOPMENT STAFF REVIEW BENEFITS DIRECTOR OF PERMIT CONSULTATION PLANNING

PERMIT ISSUED

45 SUMMARY

46 Legalize missing middle housing (Four Simplify the zoning bylaw, consolidate 1 Floors and Corner Stores) in all residential 9 the 50+ residential zones into a few, areas. broader zones.

2 Raise home building target to 20,000/year. 10 Identify and create opportunity zones. Rapid rental market correction program to Create quality, pre-approved multi-unit 3 build 50,000-75,000 purpose built rental 11 housing designs. units. Create no barrier housing for the 3.1 Raise the vacancy rate to 5%. 12 homeless. Treat rental housing as its own Build 15,000 non-market housing units 3.2 Community Amenity Contribution. 13 over the next decade.

Amortize development cost levies Use city land with 99-year leases to 3.3 over multiple years. 14 build social housing in conjunction with the province and non-profits. Fast track purpose built rental permits 3.4 by placing into a priority permitting 15 Create an Office of Non-Profit Housing queue. to assist the non-profit sector in permitting and building housing. 3.5 Strengthen rate of change policies. 16 Create a Downtown East Side strategy 3.6 Minimal upzoning in areas with high that integrates housing, mental health numbers of purpose-built rentals. and addiction treatment support.

4 Allow higher density near regular transit. 17 Enforce Standards of Maintenance Bylaw. 5 Create a 21st century city wide plan. 18 Create alternatives to privately run Liberalize commercial use and expand SROs. 6 opportunities for arts, culture and commerce. End corporate ownership of residential 19 real estate. 7 Create options for single lot infill housing, including duplexes, triplexes and multi-unit 20 Require the source of funds be conversions. disclosed for real estate transactions.

8 Modernize parking requirements. 21 Speculation tax of 50% on capital gains on the sale of a property within 24 months of purchase.

47 Expand number of hotel rooms in the 22 Maintain requirements that developments city. 36 include a minimum percentage of family units. Review effectiveness of AirBnB 23 regulations and enforcement. 37 Density bonus on site amenities. 24 Conduct a Core Review. Expand park space, to maintain 1.1 38 hectares of park land per 1000 residents. Replace closed doors CAC negotiations 25 with preset contribution rates. 39 Create a post-disaster resiliency plan. 26 Reduce spot rezonings by prezoning.

27 Cap permit times at 6 months. Learn from other city’s best practices 28 and incorporate state of the art technology in the permit review and approval process. 29 Create a Chief Economist position. Minimize on arterial residential 30 development, focus on unpolluted side streets, while taking the pressure off small businesses.

31 Require narrow store fronts for new commercial developments.

Preserve industrial lands – no industrial 32 rezoning.

33 Create a Mayors’ council on housing and homelessness.

Create walkable, transit-oriented 34 neighbourhoods.

35 Improve consultations by including more Vancouverites in the conversation.

48 Leo Heba Stephanie Ostler Hector Bremner Jas Virdi For Park Board For Council For Mayor For Council

Phyllis Tang Brinder Bains Julian Prieto Glynnis Chan For Council For Council For School Board For Council