Three parcels of land designated as affordable housing sites in northeast Coquitlam will now likely be sold to developers for market housing.
City staff said the properties, which are located in the Smiling Creek and Lower Hyde Creek neighbourhoods, are too far from transit and services to be effective as affordable housing. They noted that the lands are not included in the current draft affordable housing strategy and would be better off if they were developed as market townhouses or street-oriented row homes.
“Very early on in the [housing affordability strategy] process, it was identified that these three sites were not the sites to pursue,” said
Coquitlam city manager Peter Steblin, later adding that “our goal would be to bring some of these sites to market in a measured way.”
A report to council stated that removing the affordable housing designation at 3535 Princeton Ave., 3499 Gislason Ave. and 3419 Roxton Ave. would “improve certainty for the surrounding neighbourhoods regarding the type of developments that will be built on these sites.”
Several people who spoke during a public hearing expressed reservations with the bylaw amendment, which passed the first three readings Monday night.
Sandy Burpee, chair of the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group, said he was concerned about where the proceeds of the land sale would end up.
“I understand the intent behind this,” he said, “but I would encourage the city that once these lands are sold, that the proceeds go into the affordable housing reserve fund.”
Neal Nicholson, a former city councillor, concurred with Burpee, saying removing the affordable housing designation from these properties ahead of the implementation of the affordable housing strategy is premature.
He said he fears the “assets dedicated for a community purpose a number of years ago will fall into general use,” rather than for affordable housing as they were intended, he said.
But most of council seemed to agree that the location of the properties is not appropriate for affordable housing.
When the land received the designation back in 2005, it was thought that transit and schools would come along as the area developed.
Those services have yet to materialize and several councillors said the resources could be better used elsewhere. What form that will take is still unclear but Coun. Mae Reid said selling the lands was the right move for the city.
“Instead of a piggy bank, we have a land bank,” she said.
Final reading on the amendment will take place at a future council meeting.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
