Well the fact that TEAM for an Unaffordable Vancouver got skunked in today's by-election is something to celebrate. Council seats should only go to those who come with solutions and the ability to reason through different alternatives.

Passionate about what we are doing to create Liveable Cities! Plenty of turbulence in 2025 but we're on track for a busy year!

Whoever drafted the Broadway Plan Opposition Letter included a whopper of a lie. Prove me wrong.

Vancouver Island developers: you can change lives by putting development homes to temporary use! My friend Louis James runs refugee settlement programs for the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society and is always on the hunt for accommodations. linkedin.com/in/louis-james-1b881b259

Limits to Chinese state Artificial Intelligence

@liveablecity.bsky.social honoured to co-lead this learning journey with Perkins+Will, PWL, and a wider team for Nch’ḵaỷ Development Corporation +Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation - listening to stories of the lands to imagining and modelling new futures in 'plans and pro formas'. Story here: tinyurl.com/msexsypx

Fresh thread on @cityhallwchvan.bsky.social financial illiteracy. If this project generates $4.6M in Y1 net operating income, where do they get the stupid idea this generates $107M in "wealth". No clue what it costs to develop and finance such a building? cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2025/01/22/2...

I support a new plan for Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Old plan pushed out regular development and downzoned properties.

Vancouver's DCL Waiver for Secured Rental Housing at Market and Below Market rates is a small fraction of the unit cost. It's in fact a credit for affordable housing that is the target of DCL funds. Appalling is the almost $47,000/unit Regional & City taxes levied on a typical new apartment.

Spacing Magazine published an uninformed article critical of Vancouver's Broadway Plan, alleging City didn't consider economics of alternate intensities of rental. Facts: Appendix K of the City's report: council.vancouver.ca/20220518/doc... and Tenant Protection: vancouver.ca/people-progr...

NEW RENTAL HOUSING, Vancouver BC Against all the noise and biased negativity, here are six randomly selected applications showing typical floors with very livable suites. www.shapeyourcity.ca/1270-1290-w-...

Food for thought for the design of homes, shared common areas and public spaces for new higher intensity developments ...

Great article by @brandondonnelly.bsky.social Where are the Data Centres in METRO Vancouver? Where will the next ones go? And how do we manage all that energy and heat waste? brandondonnelly.com/data-center-...

Vancouver's Broadway Plan rental incentives are creating FAR MORE AFFORDABILITY than what exists on the ground today, creating an enormous redevelopment multiple vs existing units.

The Broadway Plan is generating affordable housing. New Policy requires factual comparisons of alternatives, how they fit with local incomes and impact financial viability. Here's Liveable City Planning's math: lnkd.in/gGsbfaeP

1) Are foreign investors really at the heart of our housing market problems? 2) Why is CPP more heavily invested in rental housing ABROAD vs Canada? 3) Can we use the energy + capital of foreign investors like the Australians do by restricting new investment to new RESI real estate only? Thoughts?

An old summary article I prepared years ago remains relevant. 1/ Vancouver is land constrained ... 2/ Metro Vancouver's population is growing 3/ We need to focus on housing price stability 4/ We can't have low housing prices & low density wordpress.com/post/michael...

Douglas Todd (Van Sun) suggests multifam apts are a "disconnect" b/c a survey shows '43% prefer detached homes; only 22% want apartments'. Such cognitive dissonance. A bit of financial literacy needed .... Far less than 10% of Vancouver households can afford a detached home based on income.

Lazy journalists are falling for the "Birdshit Architecture" critiques of those opposed to the Broadway Plan. All applications feature ground level renders that illustrate landscaping, public amenities, local shops, street trees etc. We can have +Intensity and +Amenity

Find me ANY planning incentive program in North America that has created as many new rental home planning applications in such a short time ... @mikeklassen.bsky.social @petermeiszner.bsky.social @ptfry.bsky.social @lisadominato.bsky.social @christineboyle.bsky.social @fabulavancouver.bsky.social

My Manifesto I'm here to shine light, creativity, analysis, challenge, agency, positive energy and pragmatism to the debate on affordable housing and planning policy. I believe in the creativity of our design and development community. I believe Transit Oriented Density x Design is the way forward.

This is a powerful reminder that multifamily is the way forward, condos are attainable but require a lot of income, even market rental is affordable in comparison. It's tough to make a rental building pencil with 20% of units at rents 50% below economic rents.

Great Broadway Plan chat on CKNW @MikeSmythNews. Facts over F.E.A.R. and opponents’ misinformation. Vancouver needs +intensity to create +homes at market & below-market prices. Opponents get VERY quiet when you ask them for a plan and budget for their “alternative” housing solutions.

Liveable City Planning Design & ProForma Charrettes completed. 2 Days. 5 Sites. Multiple Markets. 6,000 new rentals modelled real-time with 3D Concept Plans + matching development ProFormas (full development budgets and 10-year hold/sell analysis).