Imagine housing options

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Kelowna needs to consider changes to the way it does business if it's going to attract more affordable housing.

That's the opinion of Michael Geller, a Vancouver-based architect and developer, and head of the Geller Group. He spoke to city council Monday as part of council's Imagine Kelowna Speaker Series.

Geller touched on the housing choices council should consider, in terms of forms of housing, and forms of tenure, "which will benefit you significantly."

He said cities used to look to the federal and provincial government for affordable housing, but those programs are winding down.

"I think what we want to talk about, and what the citizens of Kelowna want to talk about, is how can we create a broad mix of housing choices," said Geller.

He pointed to several creative solutions being used in other cities in the province, the country and around the world.

Laneway housing: Vancouver has become successful in promoting laneway housing.

Laneway apartments: Little apartment buildings built behind some of the apartments. It's also happening in Vancouver.

Micro Suites: We should offer them to people who do have choice. We should be offering a broader range of choices. Not just smaller suites but why not smaller houses. Normally, single family housing is around five homes per acre, these are 12 or 15 homes per acre.

Semi-detached housing: This is two side-by-side homes where each sits on its own lot. In New Westminster, they are proposing that every single-family zoned lands in that city be zoned to allow for duplexes as well.

Heritage homes: Many buildings are old and inefficient and builders would rather knock them down. Let somebody build a coach house behind them and sell it. It creates new housing choices and protects heritage homes.

Basement suites: They are often the most affordable housing in the city, but they shouldn't just be in single family houses. Why not in duplexes or townhouses as well. Most B.C. municipalities don't let it happen.

Factory built modular housing: Take vacant pieces of land that are not going to be developed for a number of years, and put up temporary housing using moduals. Over time, they could be relocated.

Imagine Kelowna is an initiative by the city to envision what the city might look like 40 years into the future.