Toward More Inclusive Neighbourhoods

Building Partnerships with
Local Govemment

In 1995, THE MINISTRY OF Housing, Recreation and Consumer Services decided to look at the issue of community resistance to non-market housing. This resistance -NIMBY, as it is commonly called - greatly slows or prevents the development of needed affordable housing at the same time as it precludes neighbourhoods from being inclusive and welcoming to all British Columbians. It was quickly realized that there are very few resources for housing sponsors to use to understand and address NIMBY in British Columbia. As a result, the Minister asked five people, including a municipal councillor, a realtor and three representatives of non-profit societies, to form a special task group. Working with an independent consultant, the task group was asked to learn from previous experience in order to produce practical tools to assist those working to develop or acquire non-market housing. Their work has led to the publication of a series of guides.

Role of Local Governments

Local government plays an essential role as a policy maker and a regulator on all aspects of the physical development of our communities. Wearing these two hats, B.C . 's municipalities and regional districts have had considerable influence on the location and design of non market housing throughout the province. This guide has been produced to assist housing providers in working with local government in the development process. The approval process varies throughout the province and housing sponsors are encouraged to investigate the various procedures unique to the community in which they are planning to develop.

What Local Governments are Saying - Advice to Sponsor Groups

Telephone and personal interviews were undertaken in 1995 with 46 local government representatives to learn more about non-market housing and the municipal approvals process. Almost everyone who participated in these interviews had first-hand experience with negative neighbourhood reactions to non - market housing proposals. In their respective roles as advisors and decision-makers, local government staff and politicians had seen a wide range of proposals for rezonings, development permits or variances - many had been successful, some had been turned down.

As a result of their experiences, local government representatives had a number of key observations and suggestions that will be of interest to housing sponsors as they approach the municipal approval process.

Do Your Homework

• Take the time to find a site in a municipality where local government is supportive of affordable housing and then work closely with the land use and social planners on developing a good proposal. Learn from others - lack of success; not all municipalities are receptive to non - market housing at the time a sponsor is interested in developing or acquiring in an area. The result may not be worth the time and effort.

• Choose the proposed site or group home purchase with care and considerable forethought. Even in communities where there is political support for non-market housing, don't assume that the proposal will be approved. If a rezoning or major variance is required, the project will have to stand on its own merits.

• If possible, for family developments, choose a site that is prezoned as multi-family. Although the price may reflect the higher density, the process of rezoning a lower density site to a higher density may be lengthy and, ultimately, unsuccessful. If no prezoned site is available, look for a site that is in an area undergoing transition, being redeveloped or in a newly developing area.

• For some special needs clients, a sponsor group should consider acquiring an existing building, or units in an existing building, instead of purchasing a detached home. Acquisition of an existing permitted use does not require a municipal approval process.

• Be well informed on the municipality's expectations. If there are design guidelines in place that apply to the proposed site, these should be followed carefully.

• Get to know the planners and engineering staff that will be reviewing your proposal. Continue to reinforce the public benefits of non - market housing as well as the need for this type of housing in their community.

• Take time to understand the makeup of the advisory groups and decision-making body. Develop a presentation that is clear and concise, supported by facts. Don't give council any reason to turn down the proposal - anticipate and answer all their questions.

Communicate and Be Involved

• Communicate your experience as a non - market housing provider. The chances of a successful approvals process are generally better if the sponsor group already has a good track record in managing nonmarket housing or is one that has been active in many aspects of community life, such as a service club, church group or other nonprofit local organization.

• Take time to educate the decision makers about the need for, and public benefits of, non - market housing in their communities. Councillors receive all sorts of information and requests - make the effort to have your voice heard. This may mean individual phone calls, letters and meetings.

• Request the opportunity to meet with the appropriate municipal committee(s) about housing needs of the client group. Volunteer in events that bring your group into contact with councillors.

Address Conflict

• Developers of non-market housing should avoid an over-concentration of non-market housing in any one neighbourhood. While this may occur because land prices are more affordable, it has the long-term effect of stigmatizing the area. It may also lead to a backlash from neighbours who feel they have already taken their "fair share" and may be more resistant to future proposals.

• Carefully consider the number of units in a multi-family development and try to provide for a mix of incomes, if possible. Developments that are sensitive to size and income mix are likely to be the most successful in integrating with the community, both from a physical and social standpoint.

• Ensure that your design team carefully considers the physical characteristics of the host neighbourhood. Try to integrate rather than compete with the scale, form and materials of existing housing.

• Take time to develop a good consultation process with the community and be prepared to make design modifications. Work with - not against - the community. Communicate the proposal in a positive way. Get the community behind a proposal. Bring advocates of non-market housing and residents of other non - market projects or group homes to the public hearing.

• Make sure management issues are thought through adequately before the proposal comes forward. This is especially true for group home operations, where staffing and support are critical components.

• Sponsors of a family development should meet with administrators at local schools before a development is proposed, to ensure that the school anticipates any extra space or other resources needed to accommodate new students.

Keep Up Good Relations

• If there are conflicts with neighbours and the complaints keep coming to councillors, police or bylaw inspectors, it may make it more difficult for Council to approve the next proposal. All sponsors need to set up a good management program.

What Local Governments are Doing

In the 1995 interviews, local government representatives were also asked about actions their municipalities had taken to facilitate the development of non-market housing or what they might be receptive to doing in the future. The following points summarize their responses.

• Many municipalities have adopted (or are in the process of adopting) policies in their Official Community Plans (OCPs) and neighbourhood plans that support a range of housing types and tenures. Many communities have pre-designated areas or sites for multi-family housing.

• In larger municipalities, staff have been identified to work on housing, including providing assistance to non-market groups, particularly those which are in the start-up phase. Some municipalities have also established broadly-based advisory committees to comment on specific developments and planning policies that affect the housing market.

• Very few municipalities have adopted prezoning policies for group homes or multi-family sites, or would be receptive to prezoning. Even with the opportunity to review proposals through a development permit approval process, municipalities are concerned that prezoning sites would amount to a loss of control. They are more receptive to comprehensive development zoning for larger redevelopment or newly developing sites, which could include a non-market housing use.

• The City of Vancouver has developed a conditional form of approval for group homes which is reviewed on an annual basis this type of approach may be considered in other municipalities.

What More Can Sponsor Groups Do?

What more can housing providers and advocate groups do to encourage local governments to be supportive of non-market housing and receptive to new proposals? Depending on the community different strategies, or a combination of strategies, might be considered:

• Volunteer as members of municipal social planning or housing advisory committees.

• Participate in Official Community Plan (OCP) reviews. In 1992, the Municipal Act was amended to require OCPs to include policies on rental, affordable and special needs housing.

• Write letters to councillors and staff to encourage the municipality to adopt policies that would make it easier to achieve planning approvals: prezoning, making municipally-owned sites available, setting up a land bank, using the 1993 (bonus zoning for affordable housing) amendments to the Municipal Act.

• Organize a tour of local non-market projects for staff, councillors and advisory committees as part of an education program to raise awareness of the quality and type of housing and the benefits to residents being housed.

• Encourage councillors to discuss housing issues on a regional level. If a regional growth strategy is being considered by a regional district, ensure that regional housing issues are on the agenda.

• Keep councillors and planners informed about upcoming housing conferences sponsored by the B.C. Housing Ministry, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, British Columbia Non - Profit Housing Association and national organizations - encourage them to attend.

• When it comes to a specific proposal, develop a good consultation strategy before the public hearing and prepare your presentation effectively, anticipating as many questions as possible that might be raised by the public and decision- makers. (Note: another in this series of guides - Gaining and Keeping Community Acceptance - provides a number of specific suggestions for use in the consultation, approvals and post - occupancy period.)

Acknowledgments

This guide was prepared for the Housing Ministry, by CitySpaces Consulting Ltd. under the direction of the "NIMBY" Task Group:

Ms. Judy Villeneuve Task Group Chairperson Councillor City of Surrey	Ms. Jane Dewing Executive Director Victoria Cool Aid Society
Mr. Stan King Manager Realty World Vernon	Mr. Bob Nicklin General Manager Affordable Housing Societies NewWestminster
Ms. Linda Ross Executive Director M'Akola Housing Society Victoria

This is one in a series of guides to assist groups that are developing or acquiring non-market housing. Others in the series are:

• Design Details Count!
• Gaining and Keeping Community Acceptance
• Property Values Unaffected by Non-Market Housing
• Sample Materials for Sponsors
• Check out these Resourses!

For more information, contact the:

Housing Policy Branch
Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security
P O Box 9490 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC V8W 9N7
Telephone: (250) 953-3586