Vancouver council will consider a staff report today that recommends allowing secondary suites and laneway houses as small as 19 square metres (about 200 square feet).
The small secondary suites would be only allowed in apartment blocks and mixed-use buildings in commercial areas along arterial routes, in downtown Vancouver and the Southeast False Creek area.
The laneway housing would be allowed in 94 per cent of the city`s residential areas.
The secondary suites would have a separate entrance, full bathroom and kitchen, all within a 20-foot by 20-foot space.
Current zoning regulations allow secondary suites with a minimum floor area of 29.7 to 37 square metres (319 to 398.3 square feet). But city council has made affordable housing a key priority and is trying to find ways to increase rental housing stock.
"Our concept is to try to create more affordable housing," Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie said Monday.
The small secondary suites would be generally new construction because it would not be very cost-effective to retrofit into an existing building, he said, but conceded it could be done.
"This is part and parcel of a four-part program of council to create low-range and mid-range housing," Louie said.
Read the full article here.
The small secondary suites would be only allowed in apartment blocks and mixed-use buildings in commercial areas along arterial routes, in downtown Vancouver and the Southeast False Creek area.
The laneway housing would be allowed in 94 per cent of the city`s residential areas.
The secondary suites would have a separate entrance, full bathroom and kitchen, all within a 20-foot by 20-foot space.
Current zoning regulations allow secondary suites with a minimum floor area of 29.7 to 37 square metres (319 to 398.3 square feet). But city council has made affordable housing a key priority and is trying to find ways to increase rental housing stock.
"Our concept is to try to create more affordable housing," Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie said Monday.
The small secondary suites would be generally new construction because it would not be very cost-effective to retrofit into an existing building, he said, but conceded it could be done.
"This is part and parcel of a four-part program of council to create low-range and mid-range housing," Louie said.
Read the full article here.