Affordable Housing

There are a number of different strategies that Summerland can undertake to assist with the provision of affordable housing in our community. These are outlined in the report by the Affordable Housing Committee presented to Council and include suggestions on the use of secondary suites (we were the first community in the Okanagan Valley to permit their use when we adopted the 1996 Official Community Plan), inclusionary zoning, density bonusing, the use of municipal land for affordable housing and the development of housing partnerships. More detailed discussion of these examples is available from Smart Growth BC’s “Review of Best Practices in Affordable Housing” which is available as a pdf file on their website – www.smartgrowth.bc.ca Additional information can be found in Local Government Guide for Improving Market Housing Affordability available on at: http://www.housing.gov.bc.ca/housing/affordable/index.htm
Did you know that the City of Langford requires that 10% of the homes in any subdivision over 10 units is to be sold as affordable for $160,000? Langford's Affordable Housing Policy sets out minimum construction standards, the approval process and the qualification process for potential home owners. Why not do something similar here?

The Whistler Housing Authority is an agency that helps provide affordable housing for residents and workers in the Resort Municipality of Whistler. The Banff Housing Corporation is a non-profit agency designed to provide affordable housing for the entire range of Banff residents. And the Capital Regional District Housing Corporation is a non-profit provider of over 1200 rental units of affordable housing throughout the various communities in the Capital Regional District in Greater Victoria.
Let's remember that affordable housing is the cornerstone of a healthy and economically strong community.