With the City of Campbell River passing the first reading of a new bylaw to legalize secondary suites, the Campbell River and District Coalition to End Homelessness (CRDCEH) is voicing support of the proposed changes.
“With a vacancy rate of .5%, single family units primarily inhabited by one or two people, and a majority of our housing stock comprised of single family homes, this change has the capacity to support a significant increase in affordable housing,” Kristi Schwanicke, CRDCEH Coordinator, said in a press release.
The four major findings of the recent Affordable Housing Benefits Everyone report completed by the CRDCEH and the Strathcona Community Health Network (SCHN) were that Campbell River residents want:
More affordable housing to rent and to own
Greater diversity in housing types, such as townhouses, tiny homes, and apartments
Better regulation to encourage affordable and diverse housing
More infill and density with access to transport networks and amenities
Legalizing secondary suites would address each of these concerns outlined in the Affordable Housing report by giving those buying and renting more options, increasing housing diversity, encouraging densification, and by showing that the City is willing to use their regulatory powers to encourage more affordable and diverse kinds of housing.
“The city has shown it is serious about addressing the housing crisis that has recently become obvious in Campbell River. Legalizing secondary suites would be economic, effective, and an immediate way to have a positive impact on access to housing,” Schwanicke said.
Secondary Suites are legal in all other comparable communities across the province because they are a simple and cost effective way of increasing the availability of affordable housing. The need for local interventions in our own community has never been greater.