On Wednesday, March 23rd, Dr. Dawn Parker from the School of Planning was featured on CBC’s “The Morning Edition – K-W" with Craig Norris. In this interview, “What will it really take to build more affordable housing?”, Dr. Parker shares her thoughts on the 55 recommendations released by the Housing Affordability Task Force, which purport to curb soaring dwelling costs.
Some of the key measures set out by the task force include (1) increasing housing density in both urban and suburban areas; (2) increasing density within neighbourhoods which exclusively accommodate single-family homes; (3) repeal municipal policies that center around preserving neighbourhood character; (4) create urban design standards that are uniform within the province; (5) limit public consultation regarding housing developments.
To read the full report, as released by the province, see the link here.
Professor Dawn Parker questions the premise of the report that residents and planners are the main barriers to affordable housing supply. She also argues that increasing the supply of dwellings will not make housing more affordable on its own, since high-rises, for example, cost around two and a half times more to build than low-rise buildings. Supporting the report’s recommendations 1) and 2), she says that filling in the "missing middle" in Waterloo region housing, i.e., specifically increasing the number of low-rise apartments, row houses and townhouses, will be much more effective at reducing the cost of housing.
To listen to the podcast, follow the link here.
To read CBC’s article, click the link here.