(10-22-2021, 12:34 AM)nms Wrote: What's the typical cost to build affordable units? I doubt that anyone could build much of anything for $506,000 (253 units x 2000). I would be much happier if each new development (and any major renovations to existing ones) were to provide 20% affordable housing units. Or, perhaps suggest that any request of density increases (adding more floors than zoning allows etc) would require a proportionate addition of affordable units in those buildings. You want to go up 10 more floors than the 10 that are zoned for there? Fine, but half of those floors must be affordable units. You don't want to add affordable housing to your project, fine, stick to the zoning.
Keep this up until there is no more housing crisis in the Region.
I don't think the onus should really be on developers to provide affordable housing in what be would otherwise be non-affordable developments. The lack of affordable housing is primarily an economic and thus political issue. Forcing developers to include a minimum amount of affordable units may hurt housing even more if it makes developers - who are driven by financial motivations - feel like they'd be losing money if there's a mandate to include affordable units.
The government needs to find a way to tackle this economically while also incentivizing developers to build larger scale affordable projects (not just a few sprinkles in luxury condo or apartment towers), which some do indeed do. Ultimately, people aren't making enough money in their lines of work to afford to have a home and that's something that isn't up to developers to solve on their own. Wages need to go up, employees need better protections, unionization needs increase, housing costs need to come down across the board etc. It's a huge issue that will need a multi-pronged approach to solve in the long term.