Vancouverites have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this election. For the first time in decades, we can come together to change the political culture in our city by electing independent voices.
If you have seen 5kids1condo.com, you already know I’m a single father of five kids renting in downtown Vancouver. I understand as well as anyone the pressures of this housing market, but I also know why we fight so hard to stay in our city.
Our city’s housing pressure led me to co-found Abundant Housing Vancouver in 2016 to advocate for more homes for more people. In just over two years, our self-funded non-profit has supported the creation of thousands of new non-market homes in our city. I am proud to have received 2017’s Interesting Vancouver prize for my AHV work.
So today, as I kick off my campaign for election on October 20th, I’m working even harder to create a Purpose Built Vancouver. To me that means starting with our end goal in mind, creating evidence-based policy, and being publicly accountable for results.
Purpose Built Vancouver is not just abundant housing for all, but inclusive & equitable communities, retention of our residents and businesses, sustainable growth, efficient mobility, and civic resiliency.
We have to stop property speculation and build the types of housing we need to live in, like purpose built rental, co-ops, co-housing, social housing, seniors’ housing and more. We need to support renters, families, homeowners, the homeless and everyone struggling to stay here in Vancouver.
Some highlights from my full platform, available on www.VoteAdrianCrook.com:
Purpose Built Homes
- Fast track and incentivize construction of housing with “community benefit,” like purpose built rental, land trust (or other speculation-proof housing), co-ops & co-housing, seniors and social housing, heritage building retention, and more.
- Launch the Affordable Housing Accountability dashboard to report to Vancouver residents how the City is improving key measures of livability: rental vacancy rate, empty homes, evictions, demolition replacement ratio, median rent, population forecasts, housing creation rate and more
- More on Purpose Built Homes
Purpose Built Mobility
- Broadway subway to UBC – do it right, the first time.
- Free transit for kids – let’s intentionally create a new generation of transit riders.
- Formally adopt the guidelines of the 8-80 Cities movement, so our city is as safe and enjoyable to get around for an 8 year old as it is for an 80 year old.
- More on Purpose Built Mobility
Purpose Built Communities
- 4 Floors and Corner Stores: Foster diversity and walkability by adding more local services and Missing Middle housing to our neighbourhoods. Live/work units, corner stores, mid-block storefronts or offices, or childcare amidst low-rise apartment buildings, fourplexes or detached houses.
- Appoint a Small Business Retention & Advocacy Group to investigate everything from rebalancing property taxes to alleviate pressure on businesses to permit expediting, zoning changes and more.
- More on Purpose Built Communities
I look forward to being part of City Council that comes together and works for the entire city.
Let’s change the culture of political games in our city and make October 20th “Independents Day” in Vancouver!
For more, visit www.VoteAdrianCrook.com.