{"id":35132,"date":"2008-09-24T10:00:31","date_gmt":"2008-09-24T17:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacing.ca\/vancouver\/?p=35132"},"modified":"2021-07-12T15:55:56","modified_gmt":"2021-07-12T22:55:56","slug":"the-costs-of-unaffordability-introduction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/vancouver\/2008\/09\/24\/the-costs-of-unaffordability-introduction\/","title":{"rendered":"The Costs of Unaffordability – Introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The past few months have seen increasing concerns of recession and economic turmoil.  <\/span>With an American economy teetering on the edge of a dark precipice and rising fuel costs affecting all aspects of our daily lives, a growing number of people have been boasting the death of housing affordability as an issue of importance in Vancouver.  <\/span>Instead, many argue that concerns around surviving the incoming wave of recession will be the most urgent urban dilemma and that affordability should necessarily fall by the wayside.<\/p>\n

Although a cooling housing market and an increasing housing inventory seems to give merit to this argument, I am averse to unsubstantiated generalizations, especially when dealing with exceedingly complex organisms like cities.  <\/span>To me, the argument oversimplifies the complex forces that truly affect our cities and their development.<\/p>\n

Population growth is one of the primary forces behind urban development \u2013 both physically and economically.  <\/span>Despite the fact that market forces and speculation also play a large role, it is mainly because they anticipate an increase in population and the demand that comes with it.<\/p>\n

With this in mind, the argument outlined above – that equates national economic trends to local population growth – undermines the larger global forces that lead to an increase in urban inhabitants.  <\/span>As we will see, this point is particularly relevant to Vancouver.<\/p>\n

Decades ago, Constantinos Doxiadis<\/a> \u2013 father of Ekistics, the science of human settlements \u2013 stated that the population size of a particular urban settlement depended on 2 critical aspects: its role in the larger settlement system of which it is a part, and its ability to provide the fundamental services required by its inhabitants.<\/p>\n

Addressing Doxiadis\u2019 first point, at the global scale, the increasing growth of urban populations worldwide is unquestioned.  <\/span>Simply put, more people are moving into cities for a variety of reasons. This is certainly the case in Canada and was made explicit by the results of the Canadian Census in 2006.<\/p>\n

As a part of this system, Vancouver is well situated at Canada\u2019s western edge\u2014the country\u2019s gateway to the Orient\u2014and is home to one of the most active ports in the country.  <\/span>Furthermore, it is one of the three major urban centers that make up the Cascadia corridor, alongside Portland and Seattle. <\/p>\n

Thus, there is little doubt that Vancouver\u2019s important location within this larger national and global system has contributed significantly to its prosperity to date.  <\/span>Moreover, this secures its long-term future as an attractive node for immigrating populations seeking to benefit from the economic bounty that results. <\/p>\n

Vancouver\u2019s great standing, however, loses momentum when considering its role to provide its inhabitants with the services they require\u2014of which a home to live in is the most basic. Within this context, discussions regarding housing affordability, contrary to becoming irrelevant, become critical to securing Vancouver\u2019s future well-being.<\/p>\n

This series will humbly attempt to explore and untangle some of the key issues related to affordability and its effect on the development (economic and otherwise) of Vancouver. More specifically, I will look at the detrimental costs of unaffordable housing as it relates to population diversity and the environment. <\/p>\n

This is not meant to be a comprehensive study. Rather, it is a personal attempt to cut through to the heart of a topic that is often brushed over by local politicians and municipal officials with slick tongues and vague promises.  <\/span>Unfortunately, its real impacts have forced friends and family to start looking for better lives in different cities in the face of ever-decreasing hope that our city will ever be able to offer them affordable options.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Other pieces in this series:<\/em><\/p>\n