Calgarians - Time To Act Is Now

[DonCampbell]

ATTN: Anyone who owns property in Calgary. It is time to get involved!



With the Civic elections coming up, we must find our where our potential councel members stand on the key issues facing the city. The biggest one for most of us is "Secondary Suite" legislation.



The lack of affordable housing options combined with th zero vacancy rate and the new rule that even grandfathered secondary suites that were flooded and need to be repaired to provide safe housing will no longer be grandfathered (and therefore even fewer suites available to tenants) means that our city's economy will grow much more slowly, which affects us all.



The short term thinking (and quite frankly selfishness) of the current anti-secondary suite council members is shocking. Look across the country (and even this province) and you can see the success story that affordable secondary suites can be in a city. We must assume that these anti-suiters are:



1. Not concerned with those who can only afford to live in these suites - even with our dramatically increasing rents in the city

2. Would rather see Calgary continue to sprawl outward, instead of densifying

3. Don't fully understand the economics (and time lines and financing issues) behind the building of large multi-family rental only buidlings

4. Must not see that affordable housing is a KEY component in keeping new Calgarians puring in from other parts of the country. It doesn't matter how many jobs we create, if people can't afford to live here, those jobs will eventually disappear.



It is time to stop the political grandstanding and time to start looking at the reality of our housing situation. Tiem for leaders to lead - with the future of the city in mind.



Here's one way you can help, go to this site and vote for 'Secondary Suite' question to be the first BIG question to be poised to each and every candidate. And I suggest those who say they are not in favour, ask a follow up question regarding how they intend on (without City tax payer's dollars) supporting affordable housing for people across the city.



Visit this site and vote to make sure this is an election issue:



Make A Difference in Calgary's election



Let's keep this city growing, lets make it affordable for people to move to, let's provide licensed and safe housing, and let's show our leaders that we CARE about all demographics in this great city.



Thank you in advance:



Don

 

[Thomas Beyer]

I agree that affordable housing is relevant for sustainable urban growth. Therefore, select densification has to happen.



HOWEVER, I disagree with a blanket approach to allow secondary suites in every single family home across the city. Many older, established neighborhoods are not designed with density in mind that is 100% higher if every house adds a basement suite. Not every home owner that has paid good money for a nice home with a big yard in a quiet neighborhood wants neighbors adding suites and additional traffic on their street.



As such, secondary suites should be allowed in inner city neighborhoods where it makes sense only from a traffic flow or public transit point of view.



I think we need a more selective approach to densification, for example along existing or coming LRT lines, or along arterial roads. There are many streets in Calgary, for example 17 Ave as you travel west, that have very low density, yet are close to downtown or even within minutes to an LRT. The city should rather provide incentives, such as lower taxes, or lower lot levies, or relaxed building codes such as less parking requirements to reduce construction costs of new rental accommodation.



Lenders or regulators also have a role to play here. Banks could lend more money to builders, as it is extraordinarily difficult to get construction financing on a rental property with no pre-sales.

 

[bizaro86]

I definitely agree with Thomas that blanket suites isn't politically realistic nor desirable.



Calgary needs densification, but it needs it in a smart way. I live in the NW and take the CTrain every day. It drives me nuts when we go through Banff Trail Station and Lions Park station, seeing the single family houses abutting the station, and knowing those neighbourhoods are all strictly RC1 zoned. It's unbelievable, but the last Houndsfield Heights/Briar Hill area redevelopment plan had "keeping density down to preserve the single family neighbourhood" as one of the goals. Land right next to a CTrain station, a mall, and major roadways shouldn't be zoned RC1.



Those neighbourhoods should absolutely have low rise buildings to make good use of existing infrastructure and responsibly densify the city. We need a wholesale upzoning from RC1/RC2 near LRT stations to MC1/MC2 more than we need wholesale secondary suites, imo.



Regards,



Michael

 

[Thomas Beyer]

[quote user=bizaro86]We need a wholesale upzoning from RC1/RC2 near LRT stations to MC1/MC2 more than we need wholesale secondary suites, imo.
Amen to that.



And selected other areas, usually along major bus routes or arterial roads. Could be zoned 6 stories on that road, next road over up to 4 stories, then next road 3 stories or triplexes .. then keep the rest single family .. some neighborhoods have already far too many cars. Add 30% to 40% of houses with legal suites and you will guaranteed gridlock in some neighborhoods. As such, a suburb by suburb plan amendment is the answer, but that will take time and consultation, of course.



We need to get people out of their cars, and to do that higher density housing has to be close to public transit, and of course parking, driving and licensing a vehicle in a city needs to be far more expensive. The new urban growth has small cars and more public transit. More here, showing the new, yet to be released VW1 for less than $1000.

 

[DonCampbell]

It would definitely not be too difficult to look at the results and by-laws in other cities who have successfully launched such programs.



No one is even remotely recommending a blanket approach.



Look at the positive results in Abbotsford, the Cornerstone Program in Edmonton and other cities. Take the best of these regulations and create a Calgary specific one.



.

 

[RedlineBrett]

[quote user=bizaro86]We need a wholesale upzoning from RC1/RC2 near LRT stations to MC1/MC2 more than we need wholesale secondary suites, imo.


The city did this in the westbrook mall ARP.



I went and purchased a site and I have a 34 unit rental building planned out that is 120 meters from the train, that I have been waiting nearly four months for even an initial pre-planning meeting with the city. It's looking like late September before I even get to sit down with the planning commission and talk about a development permit. I have been told to expect 9 months for permits after that.



In the last year my company has represented over a dozen REIN members that have purchased RC-2 zoned property and installed secondary suites. The economics are there and most are opting to go with full legalization. Costs between 35 and 45k to do. Not one has had a smooth run through permitting, and several solid, no issue applications have taken nearly eight weeks to approve.



If the city were to open up zoning it wouldn't save investors from the permiting and retofitting process. Everyone keeps missing that. Zoning isn't as much the issue as it was, as there are R2 lots available right now that work. Permiting and red tape is the bigger problem for investors that want to provide legal suites to the public.

 

[sbh]

[quote user=RedlineBrett][quote user=bizaro86]We need a wholesale upzoning from RC1/RC2 near LRT stations to MC1/MC2 more than we need wholesale secondary suites, imo.
Permiting and red tape is the bigger problem for investors that want to provide legal suites to the public.





Yes, I definitely think the process and time it takes to legalize a RC-2 zoned property is a bit long. Elimination of red tape would be very nice, I still don't understand why the neighborhood get's a chance to protest a secondary suite going into a legally zoned area?



I listened to the mayor speak at a recent CRRA lunch and he understands the issues and says he is trying to eliminate red tape. I think affordable housing is a big enough issue in the city to dump some cash into a program that offers money to landlords OR just a group to speed up the process. 8 weeks is a long time for me to wait on permission to bring my suite up to minimum fire and building code standards!



Thanks for posting that link Don!

 

[MichelSelim]

Attached is a file of all the candidates who support secondary suites. Please review and share with your contacts.

Attached files Secondary-Suites-Answers-Sheet1.pdf (54.8 KB)Â