Small apartments meet housing need in Vancouver
The Globe and Mail recently published an article about small renovated apartments in Vancouver – a city where affordable housing isn’t common. While some tiny homes are being used for social housing and getting people off the streets the article also focuses on a development targeting 270 square foot “micro-lofts” at “work working downtowners.”
Vancouver bylaws allow for apartments this small in renovated buildings but require 400 square feet for new construction.
Some debate about affordable housing in this city has focused on apartment size. I don’t believe it is fair to warehouse people in tiny apartments in an attempt to quickly “solve” a housing problem, but perhaps out large geographic stomping ground has swayed some of us to think to big. Maybe small apartments can be comfortable for Saint John housing developments and their residents.
1 comment:
This practices is already being applied in SJ, via the Tannery Court franchise of Avide/Co-Op Atlantic.
If you look at the "Support Tannery Court" FaceBook site, you can see the layout of their 20x20 ft. apartments.
(http://www.facebook.com/#/photo.php?pid=32331465&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=49773954467&aid=-1&id=121403234&oid=49773954467)
Mind you, there's no flatscreen included in the $640/mth rent, and the sq. footage is larger than 270 sq. ft.
It is interesting that they are aiming at 30 residences for "people making about $25,000 a year."
Tannery Court's model is 50... who are the "hardest to house"...
Density has become the catch phrase in Saint John, but I think Vancouver may have a better understanding of what "density" may mean to Community.
A building of 20-30 maybe about right.
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