⏰ Time to end exclusionary zoning!

🗳️ Council set to vote on rezoning

The public hearing on lifting outdated exclusionary zoning that currently outlaws row homes and townhouses in established neighbourhoods has wrapped up and City Council is on the cusp of an historic vote to improve long term affordable, housing choice, neighbourhood vibrancy, and financial sustainability for the whole city.

💸 Removing exclusionary zoning WILL improve housing affordability

The numbers don't lie. The graph below demonstrates how new multi-unit townhomes and row-homes can help improve affordability in neighbourhoods where they are currently outlawed. Duplexes and row homes create more housing options at a lower price point than single-detached housing.

Image source: City of Calgary

Duplexes and row homes are but one tool for addressing housing affordability within realm of market housing. While none of these tools alone will solve the housing crisis, together they are part of an effective strategy to improve housing affordability in Calgary.

Image source: City of Calgary

🏘️ Removing exclusionary zoning WILL create more housing options in existing neighbourhoods

Removing outdated exclusionary zoning bylaws will provide much needed row homes and town homes to fill the market gap between apartment-style housing and single/semi-detached houses. Seniors will have more options for downsizing within their own neighbourhoods. First time home buys will benefit too.

Source: City of Calgary

Change is already happening in existing neighbourhoods, but because of outdated exclusionary zoning bylaws 75% of single-detached houses demolished today are simply replaced with larger single-detached houses (also known as "McMansions").

Source: City of Calgary

🚰 Removing exclusionary zoning WILL make a more financially sustainable city for everyone

86% of existing Calgary communities are below their peak population levels. Many continue to decline in a spiral as they lose schools and local amenities that require a higher population to sustain.

Rather than pay for more roads, pipes, and costly infrastructure to build and maintain new suburbs, taxpayers will benefit from more efficient use of the infrastructure that's already in place.

Source: City of Calgary

⏰ It's time to end exclusionary zoning

City Council must finally break the Calgary's reliance on suburban developers for growth and set the city on a course for more sustainable finances, more affordable housing and better neighbourhoods.