City of Kelowna asking residents to provide feedback on infill housing

With Kelowna’s population expected to grow by 50,000 people by the year 2040, the city is asking residents to provide input to help shape its approach to infill housing in core neighbourhoods through an online survey.

Back in April, the province announced plans that will require cities to increase infill across B.C. in an effort to combat a province-wide housing shortage. According to one City of Kelowna official, the core neighbourhoods the city is looking to target include parts of Rutland, Pandosy and Glenmore.

“Infill housing is a really important way for us to start to accommodate the kind of growth that we’re facing in our community in our existing neighbourhoods,” said City of Kelowna infill and housing policy manager, James Moore.

“You’re looking at things like secondary suites, carriage homes, houseplexes, townhomes, those kinds of things that can start to open up housing choices.”

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The city recently announced it is experiencing a housing deficit between 3,750 and 5,000 homes. Moore adds that infill housing has the potential to help lower housing costs, while helping the city meet its housing needs.

“What this will do, is improve the ability for more Kelowna residents to be able to afford to live in our existing neighbourhoods,” said Moore.

“Right now, about 90 per cent of our residential neighbourhoods are only zoned to allow the most expensive housing in the city. Now, starting to open that up, what does that look like and how can we open up access for more Kelowna residents to afford to live there.”

While Moore believes there are financial benefits to integrating different housing types throughout certain areas of the city, one resident isn’t so sold on the idea.

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“I think there’s a better way of doing it, than putting four houses on one single family lot, it does not increase affordability at all,” said Kelowna resident, Susan Ames.

“We’ve already seen it doesn’t work.”

Ames says one way Kelowna could lower the cost of rent would be to stop allowing short-term rentals.

“If they stopped allowing these towers to be Airbnb, what would happen — those places would be available, and it would probably help because it would be a place for people to live,” said Ames.

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“Right now, those are just built for tourists.”

To have your say on the future of infill housing in Kelowna, you can fill out the online survey by clicking here.