Post on 21-Jun-2015
description
DRIVING UP THE COST OF LIVING A Study of Affordability in Greater Vancouver
Defining Affordability
Affordability is the ability to spend our earnings on things we WANT as opposed
to things we NEED
Looking at Affordability
OLD VIEW:
Affordability = Housing Affordability
<30 % of Earnings
The Problem
URBAN More Expensive UNAFFORDABLE
SUBURBAN Less Expensive AFFORDABLE
The Problem
URBAN More Expensive UNAFFORDABLE
SUBURBAN Less Expensive AFFORDABLE
Looking at Affordability
NEW VIEW:
Affordability = Housing + Transportation Affordability
<45 % of Earnings
H+T Findings: Manhattan
Housing Only Housing and Transportation
H+T Findings: Los Angeles
Housing Only Housing and Transportation
Vancouver?
Approach
• 2006 Census Data
Housing
• 2006 Census Data • 2011 Translink
Travel Survey Data (VKT)
Transportation
Vancouver Housing and
Transportation Affordability
Index
Vancouver - Results
Housing Only
Vancouver - Results
Housing and Transportation
Vancouver - Results
Housing and Transportation Housing Only
Cause: Transportation
Transportation > 15 %
Finding #1
1. Including Transportation Costs has a BIG effect on Affordability
Finding #1
1. Including Transportation Costs has a BIG effect on Affordability
MORE AFFORDABLE LESS AFFORDABLE
The 10 MOST Affordable
1. Mt. Pleasant/GNW 2. West End 3. Metrotown
4. Grandview-Woodlands 5. Strathcona
6. Broadway-Commercial 7. West End 8. Metrotown 9. West End 10. West End
Vancouver Burnaby
The West End Metrotown
The 10 LEAST Affordable
1. Rosemary, South Surrey 2. West Cloverdale
3. Westwood Plateau 4. West Bay
5. Cypress Park 6. Westwood Plateau 7. East Newton North 8. Heritage Mountain
9. East Fleetwood 10. British Properties
Surrey Coquitlam West Vancouver Port Moody
Rosemary Cypress
Finding #2
2. The MOST affordable areas centrally located, have great transit access
The LEAST affordable areas are at the periphery and have poor transit access
Walkscore and Affordability
What relationship exists between Walkability and Affordability?
Transport Costs and Walkscore
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Tran
spor
tatio
n C
ost (
% o
f re
gion
al m
edia
n ho
useh
old
inco
me)
Walk Score
Greater Vancouver
Observed Linear Regression
Transport Costs and Walkscore
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Tran
spor
tatio
n C
ost (
% o
f re
gion
al m
edia
n ho
useh
old
inco
me)
Walk Score
Vancouver
Observed Linear Regression
Finding #3
3. Walkable Communities necessitate lower transport costs and increase affordability
Walkability = Transport Costs = Affordability
Vanhattan or Hollywood North?
Became Affordable: 9 Areas Become Unaffordable: 49 Areas
Finding #4
4. Greater Vancouver’s affordability situation is worse than we think
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
(This is what CNT does)
Actual Affordability is how affordable an area ACTUALLY is
Actual Affordability
Housing + Transportation Median Income
=
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Experienced Affordability is how inhabitants EXPERIENCE it
Experienced Affordability
Housing + Transportation Local Income
=
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Greatest Concern
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Vancouver
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Burnaby
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Surrey
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Surrey
Actual vs. Experienced Affordability
Surrey
Regional Affordability: Housing Alone
Regional Affordability: H+T
Regional Affordability: Change
Finding #5
5. Improving Transit in the Suburbs (especially Surrey) would have the GREATEST benefit.
Surrey Rapid Transit Evergreen Line
How Wrong we Are
How Wrong we Are
Findings: Summary
1. Transportation Costs SIGNIFICANT 2. Central + Transit = AFFORDABLE 3. Walkable = AFFORDABLE 4. Greater Vancouver is LESS AFFORDABLE than we
think 5. Transit in Suburbs = GREATEST BENEFIT
Recommendation #1
1. Include Transportation Costs in the Affordability Equation
+
Recommendation #2
2. Improve Transit across the region (especially in the suburbs)
Recommendation #3
3. Rezone for Walkability
Walkability = Transport Costs
Recommendation #4
4. Educate the public, especially those with lower incomes of new Affordability picture
>
Recommendation #5
5. Locate Social housing in walkable communities
Recommendations: Summary
1. INCLUDE transport in affordability equation 2. Greatly IMPROVE transit service across region 3. REZONE for walkability 4. EDUCATE the public about Location Efficiency 5. LOCATE Social Housing in walkable areas with
good transit
Thank You!