Time to solve the problem of affordable housing

The question of how to resolve the lack of affordable housing is quickly emerging as a chief concern. Despite the lack of public consultation, this is likely become a primary election issue for both municipal and provincial governments.

Islanders may soon expect a flurry of bureaucratic proposals that the various political parties will bring forward and we will be left to wonder what the added cost to taxpayers will be to build subsidized housing or enforce ineffective regulations.

Before things get too out of hand, I would like to propose three rather simple solutions that can have immediate, long-term and effective impacts on addressing the problem.

First, I agree with the late Jim Munves, whose letter to the editor was published posthumously by the Guardian, Thursday, Sept. 6. For years, Jim had been advocating the need for Island-wide mass transit. He helped conduct a thorough study that demonstrated how an Island-wide bus system would help revitalize rural P.E.I.

Not everyone needs or wants to live in the urban centres, however the cost of owning and commuting in a car is too expensive for many people. A transit system will also provide a means for people who are living in the downtown core to get to work in other places, perhaps outside the city. Thereby helping to make urban living more affordable for them.

If we’re going to get serious about fixing the housing affordability problem in highpriced markets, accessible transportation that connects people and jobs is fundamental to creating economic opportunities that will help ease the housing issue. Housing and transit can no longer be treated as separate topics. Instead, they need to be treated as interlocked elements of sustainable living. An Island-wide transit system is necessary and would go a long way in helping to alleviate the urban housing problem.

My second suggestion is for the city to allow and even encourage increased population density.

From Halifax to Vancouver many urban residents are building tiny houses, microapartments or rightsized studios in the homes and backyards of urban houses. The trend seems to appeal to all kinds of people from youths to seniors and is forcing city leaders to get creative with housing bylaws.

Many of the houses in Charlottetown have unusually large yards for a city. Quite a few even have barns left over from the days when people kept horses and livestock. The trend toward tiny living can reduce the residents cost of living, provide supplemental income to property owners and help create a more vibrant city.

Third, I suggest that any developer who wants to build a condominium, apartment or subdivision be required to include 20 per cent of the units for lowincome residents. If necessary, government could provide the investment for this portion of the development and get a return on investment through the rental income of the property.

Recognizing the impact that the lack of affordable housing can have to the health of the local economies is not a unique problem to Charlottetown. Many major cities have implemented programs that engage employers in providing financial support for workforce housing.

Solving the problem does not have to become a complicated bureaucratic nightmare. We don’t need to waste time and resources conducting studies or pointing blame at government or tourism entrepreneurs. It simply requires the will to solve the problem.