{"id":28828,"date":"2016-07-04T10:00:55","date_gmt":"2016-07-04T17:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacing.ca\/vancouver\/?p=28828"},"modified":"2016-07-29T16:08:50","modified_gmt":"2016-07-29T23:08:50","slug":"yimby-movement-forming-vancouver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/vancouver\/2016\/07\/04\/yimby-movement-forming-vancouver\/","title":{"rendered":"Is a YIMBY Movement Forming in Vancouver?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A few weeks ago, I was imploring young people to get out and make some noise on housing affordability<\/a>. Well, it turns out some of them\u2014a few of whom I know and respect in the local urbanist community \u2014were already getting organized.<\/p>\n

Last week at a Vancouver City Council meeting, about 7-10 young people spoke in favour of a new rental housing complex on Commercial Drive<\/a>. The building consists of two towers, four and six storeys high, plus other units including townhouses and 117 rental units. It is near transit and there are buildings of similar height in the area.<\/p>\n

One of those in favour of the proposal was Adrian Crook of 5kids1condo<\/a>, who spoke about\u00a0the need for affordable rental housing:<\/p>\n

\u201cPurchasing my condo isn\u2019t an option. I\u2019m self-employed and a single income household, so I have to keep my fixed costs down in the event my income fluctuates\u2026\u2026So what I\u2019m left with is looking for purpose-built, family-friendly rental buildings like what\u2019s being proposed today.\u201d<\/p>\n

As he was giving a presentation to Council, he was heckled and accused by those opposed to the building of\u00a0being a \u201cshill\u201d for the developer.<\/p>\n

\"Proposed<\/a>
Proposed Rental Housing Development at 18th Ave and Commercial Drive.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another man, whose voice cracked as he spoke about struggling to get by and wanting to live in a building like the one being proposed, said,\u00a0\u201cThe people who are in favour of this project, are just asking to live<\/i> here. When you say it\u2019s too tall and calling them a\u00a0\u2018shill\u2019, you are talking to people who are just trying to get by in Vancouver\u2026. and it\u2019s kind of not okay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those opposed to the development appeared to be\u00a0predominantly seniors who own single family homes and were concerned about the added density, height and impact on parking and trees.<\/p>\n

In the end, council voted in favour of the project.<\/p>\n

This is an example of what should be happening at City Council meetings – a balanced range of voices from opponents\u00a0and supporters. Typically, council meetings are full of homeowners opposing developments that will impact their neighbourhood and property values. Many of their concerns are legitimate, however these issues can often be addressed in planning and designing the built form without flat out stopping the development. We rarely have people coming out to speak in favour of housing projects.<\/p>\n

But, this may be changing.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven modest developments like this, where it is really hard to poke holes in it, are still being attacked,\u201d Adrian said in a recent Georgia Straight interview. \u201cThere is a realization that unless some consistent voice comes from the more progressive camps here, you are going to see a lot of these developments die on the vine.\u201c<\/p>\n

The YIMBY (Yes in My Backyard) movement is already heating up in unaffordable housing markets like New York, Washington and San Francisco<\/a>,\u00a0and it now seems that a Vancouver YIMBY movement is growing.\u00a0The Twitter handle @yvryimby<\/a> is active in online conversations about real estate, and Commercial Drive resident Kyle MacDonald, who once bartered a red paper clip for a house<\/a>, is trying to broaden their reach. After attending the Council meeting last week, he was interviewed by CBC and stated:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re starting a movement, it\u2019s part of the worldwide YIMBY movement \u2014 Yes in My Back Yard \u2014 which is counter current to Not In My Backyard.\u00a0If you go to #YVRYIMBY you can find an eclectic assortment of people around the city with different versions of what they would like to build in their backyard.\u201d<\/p>\n

I hope this is a sign of things to come, as more young people add their voice and grow the\u00a0movement for sensible, affordable housing in Vancouver. We can\u2019t continue to be a livable city for all, if we only allow the same old voices to be heard at\u00a0council.<\/p>\n

\"Hundreds<\/a>
Hundreds of protestors object to Marpole rezoning proposals outside City Hall in September 2013 \u2014 Vancouver Courier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

***<\/p>\n

Jillian Glover<\/strong> is a communications specialist in urban issues\u00a0at Modus Planning, Design & Engagement<\/a>. She is a former Vancouver City Planning Commissioner and holds a Master of Urban Studies degree from Simon Fraser University. She was born and raised in Vancouver and writes about urban issues at her blog, This City Life<\/a>, named one of the best city blogs in the world by The Guardian.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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