In response to a regional housing shortage and growing affordability crisis, The City of Kelowna in eastern British Columbia rezoned most of it's land to allow 4-6 unit infill housing by-right, on all lots. Over 1,300 lots in the core of the City are eligible for the first round of the City's new "fast track" program which allows a property owner to apply for a building permit utilizing any one of a number of pre-approved multi-family designs, receiving approval within 10-days.
The "fast track" program offers property owners the chance to select from 4 pre-approved designs by local architects. Each design has multiple variations to choose from and range from 2-unit up to 6-unit buildings. Property owners who choose one of these plans will be given a building permit within 10 days of filing their initial application.
“Simplifying development processes to allow more homes – in more places – faster than before can help address our housing shortage, improve the livability and vibrancy of neighbourhoods, and support the city's goals of reducing urban sprawl and greenhouse gas emissions," said James Moore, housing policy and programs department manager for Kelowna.
This program will also support the City's efforts to work towards producing 8,774 new units of housing over the next 5-years, part of the Province of British Columbia's attempts to respond to the housing crisis through regional production targets.
Jonathan Berk is an urbanist and advocate who’s focused his career on building and advocating for walkable communities with vibrant public spaces, abundant housing choices and robust local small business communities. As the Founder of Re:Main, he's working to accelerate the growth and expansion of walkable neighborhoods, with abundant housing options, through innovative, action-oriented programs.
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