Vancouver mayor wants to ‘cut red tape’ for rental, social housing applications

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Part of Vancouver’s plan to help people outlast COVID-19 is to cut more red tape at city hall.

Mayor Kennedy Stewart is putting forward a motion at Tuesday’s council meeting to speed up the application process for new rental and social housing.

.@kennedystewart putting forward motion Tuesday to streamline applications for new rental and social housing. Speaking during his latest briefing on #Vancouver‘s #COVID19 response, the mayor denies this is about fast-tracking ALL development projects. #vanpoli #bcpoli @NEWS1130

— Marcella Bernardo (@Bernardo1130) May 7, 2020

“It’s what we’ve heard from a variety of for-profit and non-profit builders saying that this would help them a lot to really cut out an extra few months at the beginning of the process. Of course, we’ll continue to monitor this to see how it’s working,” he says.

Stewart also says he’s been hearing from builders who think the application process is unnecessarily long.

“Right now, there is a kind of a pre-development process that’s mandatory. What I’m asking council to consider is this pre-application process would be voluntary. More experienced applicants would be able to come directly into the regular re-zoning process.”

Speaking during his latest briefing on the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stewart suggests this is not about fast-tracking all development projects.

“What it may mean is that more applications come to city council for consideration, but they get there faster — moving control a bit more into the hands of council in terms of making these decisions, but also speeding up the process.”

As for how soon local restaurants can start up again, Stewart is hosting more feedback sessions to find new ways to use public space or let some businesses stay open longer.

He says that may eventually include nightclub owners who may have to wait several months for a green light to reopen without violating physical distancing orders.

Stewart’s latest roundtable discussion to help local businesses map out next steps is with members of the film and tv industry.

He says that includes figuring out when borders will open again and he admits he’s concerned because that industry is completely shut down now.

He adds he likes the idea of making Vancouver a hub for movie-makers –much like the National Hockey League is looking at doing the same.

The city’s approach to stimulating the economy is a three-stage plan that includes finding housing for Vancouver’s most vulnerable.

“This is not a temporary period of emergency measures before a return to normal,” says Gil Kelley, General Manager of Planning, Urban Design and Sustainability. “There will be a new normal and as part of that we need adaptive, transformative change to address vulnerabilities that are already present in our housing system.”