The articles on ways to provide more affordable housing on Bowen in last week’s Undercurrent were timely and interesting. Thank you.
It would be hard to not realize that costs for everything are going up, with housing provision and maintenance at the forefront for most Islanders. I know several families who have moved off Bowen the last couple of years because of ever-more costly expenses to live here. These were not renters or persons looking for affordable housing but rather long-term homeowners who were afraid of the escalating property taxes and utility costs wiping out their retirement savings. Relocation locations include small towns in British Columbia and Alberta.
While the Community Lands may look attractive as a source of cheap land for more housing, the fact is that taxpayers on Bowen are going to be paying the costs of the Community Lands acquisition and water and sewer system improvements through property and parcel taxes for up to 30 years more. Any further sale of Community Land parcels has not been used not used to retire the outstanding debt and the capital and interest for these lands will all have to paid by existing taxpayers. Anything that council approves on the remaining Community Lands that increases ongoing municipal operating costs will also fall to the taxpayers to support, and this is not a bottomless well.
Of all the options discussed by the housing advisory committee, ones that take advantage of existing building stock, “gentle density” — for example secondary suites either in-dwelling or a second small house per property — seems to make most sense. Pro-active rezoning by the municipality to allow this would also make sense, in my view. Housing agreements as a portion of new developments in the Cove and Cove periphery area are also of low cost to the ongoing tax base; the DK Harris rental apartment building discussed in last week’s edition is a great example.
Bill Granger
