The era of the shoebox condo is over

Canada needs livable apartments to help fix the housing crisis. Building apartments that can serve as desirable homes, including for families, is a key part of addressing the country’s housing crisis. To do that, it must change the rulebook for both condos and rentals.

Creating larger apartments is easier and more affordable in multiplexes or small apartment buildings than in high-rises, where units tend to be small. Three-bedroom apartments remain rare because they are difficult to construct in large buildings and towers. On a per-square-foot basis, three-bedroom units usually have lower rents compared to smaller apartments. As with condos, developers are often better off building a one- or two-bedroom unit rather than a larger three-bedroom.

That’s one reason the Jericho Coalition opposes the MST Development Corporation’s plan to build more than sixty 12- to 49-storey high-rise towers. Constructing these skyscrapers will not solve the shortage of larger, livable, practical apartments for young families. They need easy access to nature and a sense of neighbourhood and community. A sea of skyscrapers does not foster social interactions or livability.

That’s why we suggest creating a high-density, low- to mid-rise urban development with 4- to 8-storey courtyard buildings constructed from wood or mass timber. Check out https://jerichocoalition.org/our-vision/ to see what we mean.

However, “We’re lacking building code provisions that make sense for missing-middle housing, the kind of smaller multiunit housing Canada has so far largely failed to build,” Prof. Moffat from the University of Ottawa says.

We need to modernize outdated building rules and reduce municipal development fees that hinder the construction of spacious, livable, and family-friendly apartments that Vancouver lacks. It’s not just about adding homes, but about building the right ones.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/personal-finance/household-finances/article-livable-apartments-condos-rentals-rulebook-housing/