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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Andrew. @g026r.leftblank.org · 2d

The thing about "gentle density" is that it's never gentle enough.

Toronto Star @thestar.com · 2d

Multiplexes were supposed to boost housing in Toronto’s suburban neighbourhoods.

The Star’s interactive map reveals they’re clustered in these areas instead

Multiplexes were supposed to boost housing in Toronto’s suburban neighbourhoods. The Star’s interactive map reveals they’re clustered in these areas instead

Opposition to multiplexes has been fierce in the city’s outer wards, but that’s not the only reason for slow uptake.

www.thestar.com

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 6d

I actually think there is value in considering which properties/areas should be 'protected' in some way, however, this article fails to mention some of the trade-offs that might come with the mass heritage protections that are proposed. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/329-hespeler-properties-in-line-for-special-heritage-status/article_bbaa20f7-0337-53d8-b3e6-f7fd1a1d48ab.html

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 6d

"Whatever was meant, the othering of future neighbours was not persuasive to Council then, and it shouldn’t be now." Beyond the policy aspects, Don Iveson really hits at the most key ingredient for housing change: city councils with the moral imagination to brave opposition for a better city.

The big picture on housing, density and affordability

How Edmonton's approach fights for affordability and fiscal efficiency

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

TriTAG @tritag.ca · 19d

On brand for us: all four of our volunteers came by bike (one of them even did a multi-modal bike-bus-bike trip!)

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 19d

"Residents in these areas typically drive less because jobs and stores are nearby and they can more easily walk, bike or take public transit. And they’re more likely to live in smaller homes or apartments that require less energy to heat and cool" 2/2
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

The Climate Impact of Your Neighborhood, Mapped (Published 2022)

Where and how you live shapes your household’s contribution to climate change. Explore differences across the nation.

www.nytimes.com

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 19d

Happening in half an hour- until 6pm!- Waterloo Region Climate Fest at Gaukel Block!
Perfect timing to reshare this:
“Households in denser neighborhoods close to city centers tend to be responsible for fewer planet-warming greenhouse gases, on average” 1/2
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Ned Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 21d

Whenever people talk about "luxury housing," I remember there are literal mansions in Hartford, CT that are now selling for less than it costs to buy a starter home in Silicon Valley. If we judge luxury by market value, there is no housing that is intrinsically, permanently "luxury housing."

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 20d

Interested in learning more about ending exclusionary zoning and scaling up non-market housing? Worth registering for the recording later even if you can't make it noon PT, 3 EST on October 1:

BC Policy Solutions @bcpolicy.bsky.social · 24d

Our 2nd fall webinar, The Housing Crisis Is Solvable, features @1alexhemingway.bsky.social and Sarah Ellis on where urgent action is needed with lessons from on-the-ground efforts to create new non-profit housing.

Learn why recent policy has fallen short.

Oct. 1, noon PT
bcpolicy.ca/events

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Mike Doherty 🇨🇦 🏳️‍🌈 @mikedoherty.ca · 20d

"Growth should pay for growth" is a political choice to socialize the benefits of immigration while privatizing its infrastructure costs onto younger cohorts, insulating established homeowners and corporations from financial responsibility

open.substack.com/pub/missingm...

The Policy Sleight of Hand Behind “Growth Should Pay for Growth”

Houses don't use libraries, people do

open.substack.com

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 20d

@jensvb.bsky.social; @tomdavidoff.bsky.social; @lausterna.bsky.social and Tsur Somerville
find that expediting permitting processes and reduced parking mandates were crucial components determining the success of BC upzonings:

Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · Aug 24

Interesting new paper compares density upzonings in two similar BC cities that had dramatically different effects in terms of construction & value uplift.

Keys to the difference? Effects were only felt when upzoning was accompanied with expedited permitting processes & reduced parking requirements.

Upzoning and redevelopment: The details matter

Facing worsening housing affordability, policymakers in a growing number of jurisdictions have heeded economists’ calls for increases in supply throug…

www.sciencedirect.com

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Oh The Urbanity! @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social · 22d

Limiting housing supply below demand makes a neighbourhood/city more exclusive.

Who gets excluded? It’s not the people on top of the income spectrum. They can live where they want.

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 24d

Exactly this.
"It doesn’t matter if there’s room for people to live; if there’s no space for cars, people don’t get to move in. We don’t ask, “Is this a good place for someone to live?” We ask, “Where will the cars go?” -Philip Mills www.therecord.com/opinion/cont...

Who are homes for?

Waterloo Region faces a housing crisis as prices have far surpassed incomes, making homeownership unattainable for many despite hard work and saving. Philip Mills says the old idea that hard work alon...

www.therecord.com

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Melissa Bowman @dtkmelissa.bsky.social · 24d

Residents complaining that nobody wants to live in characterless glass boxes in the sky while also actively working to make those homes less livable is really something. www.therecord.com/news/waterlo...

Text: An offer from the applicant to prohibit balconies on the back of the building (facing the residential neighbourhood) and to limit windows to 15 per cent of the total rear façade as a means of addressing some of the privacy concerns was accepted by the tribunal and included in the new zoning bylaw amendment.

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Office of the Federal Housing Advocate @housinglogement.bsky.social · 24d

I understand that today's @cambridge.ca council meeting will be debating a motion to study the impact of evictions of encampments during extreme weather events. This is the type of study that will help council make informed decisions to protect people and uphold their fundamental #HumanRights. –MJH

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Office of the Federal Housing Advocate @housinglogement.bsky.social · 24d

Yesterday, I visited #Cambridge and #Kitchener, Ontario. I heard about the challenges experienced by people living in #encampments and organizations that support them.

The Federal Housing Advocate meeting with advocates, service providers, and encampment residents

A community whiteboard with a drawing that says "Housing is a human right!"

Photo of the 100 Victoria Street encampment in Kitchener

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Carolyn Whitzman @cwhitzman.bsky.social · Sep 15

The approach - govt land for nonmarket hsg, definition of affordability, designated funds to address homelessness thru supportive hsg, including acquisition of apts, supporting construction innovation - is right. Now we need targets, timelines, action. www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/art...

Carney allots $13-billion to build affordable housing under Build Canada Homes

Ana Bailão, a former Toronto city councillor and mayoral candidate, will lead Build Canada Homes

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Reposted by Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard

Brian M 🇺🇦 @bravado1.bsky.social · 28d

There’s something so deeply cynical about the neighbourhoods with “all are welcome here” and “#lovemyhood” signs being the most opposed to giving that gift of their neighbourhood to anyone else. (As was given to them by previous generations)

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

So, if we successfully promote the principle that we should take a broader geographical lens to what people actually want- you get more market housing AND more social housing 3/3

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

both types of NIMBYism (market and non-market) are wrong for a shared key reason: NIMBYism is not even consistent and logically coherent across geographical boundaries 2/3

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

One reason that public housing advocates should oppose NIMBYism in principle - NIMBYism is particularly harsh (see below) for public housing and shelters + it's part of the same trend for market housing
(Hat tip to @russilwvong.bsky.social for sharing the graph below in his excellent newsletter) 1/3

Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

NIMBYism in a nutshell: people support housing (and shelters) but not in THEIR neighbourhood (pg. 8 below):
web.uri.edu/harrington/w... 1/2

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

So every time we listen to local housing opponents we are ignoring the local housing opponents in other neighbourhoods that want more housing in *that* neighbourhood... 2/2

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

NIMBYism in a nutshell: people support housing (and shelters) but not in THEIR neighbourhood (pg. 8 below):
web.uri.edu/harrington/w... 1/2

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

!!! Where?

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

And Citizens for Cambridge cite Federal Housing Advocate Marie-Josée Houle: “forced evictions and enforcement approaches do not address the underlying systemic issues and put people at risk of even greater harms.” 6/6 mailchi.mp/citizensforc...

Cambridge must lead with compassion

mailchi.mp

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Waterloo Region Yes In My Backyard @wryimby.bsky.social · 28d

@reganbrusse.bsky.social also witnessed displacement in Cambridge and reminds us that "the Federal Housing Advocate wrote to the City of Cambridge to express concern with .. the issuing of eviction notices during heat waves" 5/6 pub-cambridge.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...

pub-cambridge.escribemeetings.com

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