Housing And Development Action Plan

According to an Insights West poll conducted recently, a majority of

Richmond residents questioned said that housing was their numberone issue right now. RITE Richmond is taking the lead on affordable
housing and development and city council candidates Carol Day and
Michael Wolfe will push for action on this.
Under our leadership, new developments will go through an improved
civic engagement process. We will ensure a fair process for local
citizens to accept any changes (i.e. scale and pace) that will affect their
neighbourhoods. The Day-Wolfe team will:
1. Insist on better communication with existing home owners, by
broadening the area required for consultation, and mailing out
letters written in simple language that clearly explain the process
and opportunities to challenge a rezoning application.
2. Inform how a citizen can access information through regular
channels and through the freedom of information act
3. Work with developers to create more affordable options for first
time buyers, and develop special zoning for homes that are built
with more modest finishes, smaller size and simpler designs. This
back-to-basics approach could include houses under 1,000 sq ft
on smaller lots and potentially duplex or four-plex options.
4. Offer zoning concessions for developers who build smaller homes,
and sell to buyers that are certified to be lower income. These

homes should accommodate families, seniors and people with

disabilities.
5. Communicate meaningfully with community groups that band
together to oppose a development, and be willing to consider
alternatives and revisions to the application to the rezoning
application. We will hold special meetings with grass roots groups
prior to committee meetings and council meetings
6. Create new rezoning opportunities not available in Richmond; an
example could be " down-zoning", which allows for a specific area
in a neighbourhood to limit the size of new homes to maintain the
character of a mini-neighbourhood. The model could be the
down-zoning option available in the Corporation of Delta.
Residents can request down-zoning through a series of
procedures that ensure fairness and proper protocol.
7. Work with developers to create new opportunities that enhance
the existing neighbourhoods.
8. Work alongside developers to hear their creative options that
could allow for new kinds of density that could have less impact
on existing neighbourhoods.
9. Encourage staff to listen to new ideas from developers, and think
outside the box. When necessary, change zoning to allow for
projects that will enhance existing neighbourhoods.
10.
Work with YVR to encourage them to allow for low interest
loans to homeowners in Burkeville to support the residents that
wish to alleviate noise due to airport operations, by making home
improvements that could include soundproofing. The loans could
cover triple glazed windows, attic and wall insulation and other
improvements.

11.
Invite councillors to attend meetings with the public that
involve changes to property zoning or road changes. Examples
could be construction of new fire halls, changes in road rerouting,
and new infrastructures.
12.
Instruct staff to study the benefits vs. cost of a Vacancy tax
for homes that remain empty for more than 6 months. Study
whether such a tax could be used towards infrastructure.
13.
Instruct staff to research the possibility of a foreign
ownership tax and see if this would be a federal-only or
provincial-only option. Once this information is available to the
City, decide whether lobbying the provincial or federal
government for changes would be prudent.
Quotes from the Day-Wolfe City Council team:
Carol Day says: "It's time we get back to basics, and encourage builders
to create homes that are affordable and allow for children of
established Richmond families to stay in Richmond."
" The down-zoning option that Delta has allowed is an option for home
owners in a specific area to maintain their quality of life, and not face
the possibility of a monster home being built next door."
"The people of Richmond should be able to live in their neighbourhoods
and have a say in how that neighbourhood grows. We must respect the
existing neighbourhoods and ensure quality of life is not negatively
affected by change."