New Westminster is taking action to reduce some of the costs of renovations for some homeowners.
The city is working on a policy in support of housing affordability, relating to non-market and select marking housing. Until that’s done, staff recommended that council support interim provisions to reduce some fees and security deposits for select small-scale, resident-initiated market strata renovation projects.
A staff report states that many of the older buildings in the city provide affordable market ownership but are nearing an age when significant renovations will be required to extend their life. The city believes that supporting cost-effective renovations of small, older strata buildings is consistent with the Affordable Housing Strategy developed by the city in 2010.
For now, the city is taking several step aimed at reducing the cost and time of applications, including the cost related to the removal of some trees.
In addition to endorsing the interim fees, charges and securities provisions included in a May 7 report, council also directed staff to explore permanent provisions for small market strata renovations as part of developing an overall fees, charges and securities policy in support of housing affordability, including both non-market and select market housing.
Coun. Patrick Johnstone said the proposal is “a really great initiative”, but suggested council direct staff to report back with more information about security deposits.
“I don’t have any problem with the idea of a security deposit. My problem is that we are sometimes taking tens of thousands of dollars from people at a time of economic stress and we are just going to give it back to them six months later,” he said. “I would just like to reduce that stress.”
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr expressed concern that he city still hasn’t received a report on proposed changes to the tree bylaw. He noted that security deposits related to that bylaw “have been onerous” on some homeowners.
Dean Gibson, the city’s director of parks and recreation, said the city solicitor recently provided staff with an initial draft of amendments to the tree bylaw and staff expects to bring amendments forward to council by early June.
