British Columbians are Seeking Modern Home Choices

The COVID-19 health crisis has presented many challenges, but throughout this crisis I have seen first-hand how quickly communities can adapt. These types of creative solutions should inspire our municipal housing processes. My hope is that going forward in this new normal we continue to see more positive changes for people of all ages and budgets.

As a young person in Metro Vancouver, I struggle observing the actions of many councillors and the words of many members of the public who often act like my preferred home type is somehow less valid. My generation is no longer looking for white picket fences and back yards you could put another single-family house on. With a rental vacancy rate of 1.0% most people my age are just interested in having a place to call home.

Unlike previous generations we don’t need ample space to store all of our worldly possessions. We want a bright home within walking distance of the grocery store and a twenty-minute commute to the office. For most of us the idea of a single-family home evokes imagery of endless chores and an impossible price tag. Apartments offer a turnkey freedom that single-family homes never could, and the opportunity to live closer to our workplaces.

Young people want to be able to rent or own apartments, townhomes, condos and laneway homes that are transit accessible and built in diverse neighbourhoods with amenities. Due to rising costs and concerns around climate change many young people are choosing to forgo car ownership and rely solely on transit or car sharing to get around. Which is good for the environment, but only possible if they live in transit accessible areas.

In an ideal world I could wake up in the morning, hop in the elevator in my building and walk into the local café below my apartment. I’d be able to walk to the bus and have a quick commute to my downtown office. After work I’d be able to visit a grocery store close to my home or meet up with friends at the Thai place next door.

Unfortunately, the Metro Vancouver region isn’t approving enough new housing for my dream to be a reality. On top of a lack of housing starts, many multi-unit dwellings that could provide expanded home choices for people like me are only seriously considered by city councils for arterial streets. Construction on arterial streets is great, but limiting multi-unit home construction to arterial streets artificially constrains the regions ability to grow. If Metro Vancouver allowed these multi-family homes to be built on streets other than arterials we would see a vast increase in home choices for people like me.

I believe Metro Vancouver has so much to offer young people like myself, but it means elected officials will have to recognize the need for more housing options to accommodate existing residents and those who want to join us in this beautiful region.

To be clear this isn’t about banning single-family homes, it is about legalizing unique home options for all. Single-family homes serve a purpose in our society and they should continue to be available to those who want to live in them and are willing to pay for the preference to do so. At the same time, we need to see an increase in available home choices so people of all ages, and incomes can choose suitable homes that meet their needs and desires. For many young people like myself this means being able to choose homes that are different than those sought out by previous generations. It is possible to live happily in apartments, townhomes, condos or laneway homes, but it will require the Metro Vancouver region to reimagine what the ideal neighbourhood looks like because younger generations already have.