温哥华推出新计划降低租赁项目的负担

Just before breaking for the Christmas holidays, Vancouver City Council approved a suite of actions focused on “supporting development viability and unlocking new housing supply” in response to market conditions that have made it challenging for developers big and small to move forward with projects. One of those actions was the creation of a new Rental Development Relief Program (RDRP) “designed to support the viability of mid- and high-rise below market rental housing during challenging financial and market conditions.” The Rental Development Relief Program consists of two streams, both eligible only to projects with below-market rental units in an area with a below-market rental requirement. The projects also have to be mid-rise or high-rise, be smaller than 1.98 acres, be seeking or have received CD-1 (Comprehensive Development) rezoning approval, and have not yet received a Stage 1 Building Permit — with some exceptions for projects that received permits between December 15 and March 20. Stream One offers eligible projects adjustments to affordability requirements, while Stream Two offers affordability adjustments plus policy relaxations as it relates to height and density. Both options are “intended to strengthen project viability, protect housing delivery, and maintain momentum toward citywide housing and affordability goals,” said the City, and the pilot program is set to run until December 15, 2027. Existing below-market rental units are required to be provided at 20% below CMHC city-wide average rents. Through the RDRP, the requirement will be changed to rates that do not exceed city-wide averages for all purpose-built rental units. (One exception is below-market rental units for tenants covered by tenant protection policies, which will remain unchanged.) The City previously provided examples of what the affordability adjustments would look like in a December report, with the maximum rent jumping from $1,294 to $1,618 for studio units, from $1,470 to $1,8…