Letters: Two-pronged attack needed for housing in Richmond

Pricey Editor,

I never have to explain to you, my friends, that we are going through a dire housing lack in Richmond.

The great information is that our elected officials and builders are creating a concerted effort and hard work to build additional housing the undesirable news is it is the improper variety.

The new housing initiatives underway will not aid our young adults and middle-income employees fleeing our local community browsing for reasonably priced housing and will only advantage the privileged elite. Is anybody astonished? 

Instead than investing in fairly priced housing that day to day individuals can afford, we are witnessing the building of luxury townhouses and superior-priced condominiums, some of which consequence in the destruction of single-family dwellings to get hold of the land.

The negligible amount of money of reasonably priced housing less than building is inadequate for Richmond’s 200K population — 26 for every cent of whom are renters in a location with a <1 per cent vacancy rate. 

We desperately need a two-pronged approach to fix this systemic issue.

Our young adults are forced to relocate, leaving behind their entire community and support system, making families more vulnerable.

Prong one is to re-design single-family homes to create two or three smaller homes on the same plot that our much-valued teachers, tradespersons, healthcare and childcare workers, and young professionals can afford.

Prong two involves city council fundamentally changing zoning laws to create more purpose-built rental housing that families and middle-income residents, who make less than $70,000 annually, can afford.

Jack Trovato

RICHMOND