Can’t get this story out of my head. The delays aren’t unusual, the cost comes out at $100k per unit or ~$400/month rent for those non-market homes. Same issues come up for market housing, developers could keep building at lower rents if munis did not impose those delays and uncertainty.

Ryan Jabs@ryanjabs.bsky.social · 2d ago

Another window into why even non-profit housing is so expensive. Saanich delays led to an extra $9milliom (!!) in costs. No one in Saanich is held accountable so they keep dragging their feet and increasing costs. bcbusiness.ca/real-estate/...

Really remarkable article, the Anglican Church is going gloves off against multiple cities. $9M and 6 years of delay to build 85 units of below-market seniors housing on their own land

Ryan Jabs@ryanjabs.bsky.social · 2d ago

Another window into why even non-profit housing is so expensive. Saanich delays led to an extra $9milliom (!!) in costs. No one in Saanich is held accountable so they keep dragging their feet and increasing costs. bcbusiness.ca/real-estate/...

Another window into why even non-profit housing is so expensive. Saanich delays led to an extra $9milliom (!!) in costs. No one in Saanich is held accountable so they keep dragging their feet and increasing costs. bcbusiness.ca/real-estate/...

Can B.C. fix the red tape stalling affordable housing? The Anglican Church says yes

The Anglican Church says years of municipal delays are making affordable housing in B.C. more expensive—and is calling for a six-month approval cap.

bcbusiness.ca

Something I'll never understand - if I want to make substantial enough changes to my house, it has to go through a neighbourhood consultation process, but someone on my block can buy a vehicle that significantly increases the chances one of my kids gets run over.

David Zipper@davidzipper.bsky.social · 5d ago

Which vehicles most endanger the drivers of other cars? Giant pickup trucks — and the Dodge Charger Source: www.iihs.org/news/detail/...

I get why this is vital for some, but the more expensive city makes housing, the fewer number of homes get built and the higher rents become in the long term. Additionally, policies like this reinforce the city’s tall and sprawl development pattern… www.timescolonist.com/local-news/c...

Compensation hiked for long-term Victoria tenants displaced by development

Compensation will start at five months’ rent for tenants in their homes for five to nine years, and top out at 24 months for those with tenancies in excess of 40 years.

timescolonist.com

I’ve seen a number of babies born in buildings I’ve built, many times due to couples having enough room to grow. Housing creates the blank pages that one day will be filled by the lives and stories of our current and future generations. Building it is so important.

Peter Waldkirch 華彼德@pwaldkirch.bsky.social · last wk.

Some nearby house-owners had lawn signs opposing these rental homes up until this building was almost completed, years after it was approved. And I am 100% certain all the people who call this building home today, and those who will for decades to come, enrich and strengthen the neighbourhood.

The two hardest and most unforgiving facts in housing policy are that it actually costs a lot of money to build new homes and that the rents that poor people can afford are not enough to pay off the cost of construction.

Eli Friedmann @eligit.bsky.social · 2w ago

Although I do understand the frustration with the brutally high cost of housing, people tend to deemphasize the actual cost. of materials, maintenance (which goes on indefinitely), insurance etc. The want to think all of the cost is due to the greed of whoever owns the building.

There's nothing "gentle" about a city full of $3m bungalows

One of the big reasons middle housing is missing is that local govs' treat them like they're six to 26 storey builds, micromanaging them with conflicting directions. There's not enough money in middle housing to allow for this, so builders avoid them. The latest recommendation:

Ryan Jabs@ryanjabs.bsky.social · 3w ago

The full report is here, with "the environment" being respondents #1 priority. Someone should explain to them that the environment is best served by building more homes in core neighbourhoods like Esquimalt. esquimalt.ca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=...

Fascinating to see a breakdown on who provides feedback to local governments as it clearly shows why they continue to restrict housing. Only 413 of Esquimalt's 17,533 residents responded to their survey on missing middle homes. The comfortably housed (owners) made up 80% of responses.

Toronto and Vancouver are having issues with cost / policing on pedestrian streets. How does it work in Montreal? Looks like Wellington Street costs about $900,000 for 1.3 km car-free for almost 4 months. Police exist but no “extra” presence. The street is not a major security concern.

But if we really want to: • have walkable transit & retail districts • escape our building industry’s dependence on ever-rising prices by cutting construction costs • minimize displacement during the next population surge • make an age-friendly city woth lots of elevators & 1-level homes then…

Oregon’s model multifamily zoning code regulates size with “FAR.” What do floor area ratios look like? I went to one of the very few small-lot neighborhoods where Portland has re-legalized apartments, right next to I-5 in NoPo. See alt text for their FAR

The research is pretty clear on this. If the local government charges for on site and off site parking to limit it, people reduce their car use. (This is why street permits are important). Instead, Victoria is charging to not build parking. This seems like it will lead to more parking being built.

Susan Kim 김수잔@susankimyyj.bsky.social · 4w ago

Hammond: Core concern remains. Parking demand won't change because we change a bylaw. Caregivers, tradespeople, people with mobility needs will be impacted. Not everything needs to be built around private cars, but these bylaws don't have enough safeguards. Can't wait 5 years for review. Voting no.

Caradonna: TDM is in fact required, then, if bikes are baseline required. Staff: Yes, in terms of bike parking as a City standard. We don't necessarily consider it a TDM but it's a way to move people away from cars. Standard practice. Specific TDMs now are to require more bike parking.

City staff using the word “Optional.”

You Keep Using That Word

ALT: You Keep Using That Word

static.klipy.com

Susan Kim 김수잔@susankimyyj.bsky.social · 4w ago

Other Considerations: • Introduce optional cash-in-lieu of TDM (residential car share and bicycle parking) • Exempt Urban Industrial Lands properties from vehicle parking requirements per recent Council direction • Provide several paths to zero parking

Here we go. Council getting pitched by staff on a massively expensive new tax on more sustainable car free housing in the city of Victoria. If it’s accepted, we’ll see more expensive housing, fewer mid size buildings (4-6 storeys) and more sprawl.

Susan Kim 김수잔@susankimyyj.bsky.social · 4w ago

Back from lunch. We're onto bylaws, including the Amendment Bylaw for Off-Street Mobility Regulations. Onto the staff presentation.

Wow… the “progressive” city of #yyj planning and transportation staff are proposing a tax of $20k+ per parking spot that isn’t built. So developers are going to build parking or we won’t build housing. Do these people read any research? pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...

Today we were devastated to learn that the pedestrian hit by a cyclist downtown last week has passed away. As we reflect on this tragic loss of life, it's also an important reminder that road violence is not normal, and should never be treated as such. visionzerovancouver.ca/2026/07/08/r...

Road violence is not normal

On June 29, a cyclist struck two pedestrians in downtown Vancouver, sending one to hospital in critical condition. (Tragically, a week later the man passed away). As a road safety advocacy group, w…

visionzerovancouver.ca

Esquimalt council hearing a proposal on the 13th for a sauna pilot at Gorge park. Could be a pretty cool amenity to help further activate one of #yyj ‘s oldest parks and waterways: esquimalt.ca.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=...

Downzoning in Chicago, like in many areas, resulted in: —Less housing —Higher housing costs —Higher white population share

Joseph Miscimarra 🇺🇸@jmisci.bsky.social · 4w ago

Not to rub salt on the wound but this is a tiktok post from one of the Metra board members that Brandon Johnson just re-nominated. Just pure left-NIMBYism So I am not expecting much upzoning or TOD effort from Metra anytime soon (unless it’s 100% affordable and therefore unsustainable)

Pg. 4: “Despite the erosion of consistent fireproof logic in the evolution of contemporary building codes, an estimated 75 percent of the codes still focus on some sort of fire protection, while other social and environmental impacts are overlooked or disregard.”

19th century housing vernacular: determined by the local availability of materials, economic realities and building techniques. 21st century housing vernacular: determined by semi-arbitrary differences in local building codes.

"Voicing support for missing middle and affordable housing options while implementing policies that make it difficult to build or restrict it outright, will result in missing middle housing not being built." #Kitchener2051 pub-kitchener.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...

I can’t help but be a bit disappointed by the way the B.C. Government’s housing push has sputtered out

Owen@oweninvan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

North Saanich's target wasy a pathetic 60 homes. Instead of meaningfully enforcing any of their housing laws, BC gov is spending all their time going after 3 cities whose targets were less than a rounding error to begin with (in terms of metro needs).

It's surprising that there isn't one question on housing in this survey -- as transport demands are tied to our sprawl-encouraging housing policies. The CRD should be educators on this, so it's a missed opportunity that they aren't gathering at least a little bit of perception info.

Condon is saying that young people are just complainers. Again this is a room of pensioners that are on the top arm of this k

This is why. The Netherlands does not allow single-stair buildings taller than 5 stories.

Damn, these Dutch floor plans are awful. There is really no way out of it, no matter how good your architects are and how good the buildings look from the outside – double-loaded corridor buildings suck. www.archdaily.com/1042421/nieu...