Region will look to build more housing over regionally owned parking lots, lands and buildings

In an effort to build more affordable housing acrossthe region, councillors have directed staff to look at regionally owned parking lots, vacant buildings and lands that can be re-purposed.

It was a motion brought forward by Coun. Pam Wolf at a regional council Wednesday night. Wolf's motionwas inspired by a similar motion discussed atCambridge city councilin December, butfailed to pass.

"I think it is appropriate that we examine creative ideas to meet our housing goals," she told councillorsWednesday night. "Housing is a priority and strategic plan and in our plan to end chronic homelessness."

Wolftold CBC News she worked with regional staff to craft the motion and it was recommended that itincluded vacant buildings and lands because the region owns fewer parking lots than the municipalities.

Wolf said an example of where the motion could be implemented is at the region's former child care centre onConcessionStreetin Cambridge, which is in the process of being converted to house a new paramedics hub and affordable housing.

"On that site there is a parking lot, so maybe we could increase the sizeof the affordable housing by building over the parking lot," she said.

The Morning Edition - K-W7:15Regional councillor wants staff to explore idea of developing housing over parking lots, regionally owned buildings and lands

Regional councillor Pam Wolf wants the region to look into building affordable housing over parking lots and vacant regionally owned buildings and lands. Building over parking lots was an idea that started in Cambridge and has sparked interest in Kitchener, too. Wolf says the need for housing is so great, that the region needs to look at all available options.

Motion getscommunity support

Council also heard from several delegates on behalf of not-for-profits and other organizationswho were in support of the motion,Dan Clements with the group Citizens of Cambridge.

"One of the biggest challenge for affordable housing is location. Solving that is the number one criteria,"Clementssaid.

"Even if the cost savings on the land are eaten up by extracosts to build, there are huge benefits on the infill development that brings more residents to live, work, play and support local businesses in an important 15 minute walkable neighbourhood."

Brian Doucet,associate professor with the University of Waterloo's school of planning and aCanada Research Chair, told councillorsusing municipally owned property and landto build non-market housing is the "single best municipal strategy to address the housing crisis."

"The market builds a lot of houses for wealthier households on edges of urban regions and a lot of small apartments and condos in urban areas, most of which are bought by investors and here in Waterloo region, that figure is 80 per cent," he said.

"We need to think about the kind of housing the marketis unwilling or unable to build. Local governments don't have the budgets to do this themselves. Whatthey do have is land."

Kitchener passedsimilar motion

On Monday, Kitchener city council passed a motion unanimously to explore the feasibility of building affordable housing over city owned parking lots.

The motion was introduced by Coun. Dave Schnider, who saidcity staff are alreadylooking into surplus or underutilized lands in the city that could be used for housingand wantedsurface parking lots to be added to the mix.

Staff are set to come back with a list of options for council's consideration by the second quarter of this year.