Housing

Apartments under construction during the framing and roofing phase

This chapter of the Comprehensive Plan outlines Vancouver’s strategy to provide housing options for all residents. It is based on the following feedback received during the plan development process:

  • Plan for the housing needs for all community members over the next 20 years.
  • Allow for middle housing (such as backyard cottages, duplexes, townhouses, four-plexes, and sixplexes).
  • Identify racially disparate impacts, displacement, and exclusion in policies and regulations, and begin to undo those impacts.
  • Provide a diverse mix of housing types that meet different needs, incomes, cultures, and stages of life of community members.
  • Make housing and homeownership affordable and attainable.
  • Prevent displacement and protect vulnerable residents.

Below are the key goals that support the vision for this chapter:

Chapter Goals

GoalDescription
H-1: Housing ProductionIn 2045, the city will have added a minimum of 38,000 net new housing units to its current stock, eliminating the current housing deficit and providing enough housing to serve Vancouver’s diverse and growing community.
H-2: Diverse and Accessible HousingA wide range of new housing types are provided to fit a variety of household sizes, cultures, incomes, and abilities, and where community members can access housing that meets their needs at all stages of life.
H-3: Reduce HomelessnessThe City and its partners work collectively to provide adequate transitional, permanently supportive, and affordable housing in the community, so that all residents have access to safe and stable housing.
H-4: Prevent DisplacementThe City and its partners work collectively to prevent displacement of community members due to direct impacts and market forces by providing resources that support residents remaining stably and securely housed.
H-5: Access to HomeownershipHomeownership is attainable for people across the income spectrum, particularly communities previously excluded from buying a home through racial covenants and discriminatory lending practices.
H-6: Affordable HousingVancouver community members have access to affordable housing regardless of income, including market rate and income-based housing options, and the City prioritizes long-term preservation of existing affordable units.

Explore the full chapter including the policies that help implement it’s vision, or return to the Comprehensive Plan page.