The Housing Strategy: Approved!
After two days of heartbreaking stories and compelling calls for change, we've finally cleared the first hurdle of tackling housing affordability
After two twelve-hour days of meeting and hearing from Calgarians, the public hearing portion of the Community Development Committee closed just after 9:30pm on a Friday night.
Overwhelmingly, people came out to speak in favour (by our count about 85% of the over 150 presentations). We heard stories of terrible living conditions and renters afraid to speak up for fear of being kicked out or see their rent increase. We heard from business institutions like Calgary Economic Development. We heard from people wanting to move out of their parents’ basement and start a family. We heard from newcomers fighting for months to find housing. We even, in a moment of awkward hilarity, had someone try to pitch their startup app to council (you can’t do that, by the way).
And then yesterday — Saturday September 16 — council (in the form of committee) sat down to ask questions of administration, consider changes proposed by its members, and vote on the housing strategy. The final result: 12-3 in favour (Cllrs Chu, McLean, Demong opposed)
The Housing Strategy survived every challenge-by-amendment aimed at kneecapping key items. In particular, changing the base zoning to R-CG survived effectively three attempts at removal. In reality the Housing Strategy actually got better via a handful of small but important improvements to the strategy.
This vote allows administration to start working on the strategy. Many, many of these items will come back to Council for a vote at budget time or when a bylaw needs changing. This is a huge first step, but it is the first of many.
There will be more votes, more public hearings, and more debate to come. For those of you who came to speak, showed your support at the rally, retweeted, amplified, talked to your family about housing, talked to your neighbours, and those who changed their mind based on the evidence in front of them, we say thank you.
Calgary has taken the first important step towards building more homes for more neighbours.
It’s so wonderful to know we are not walking alone.