Housing advocates support maintaining secondary suites in Surrey’s East Clayton Neighbourhood

Surrey, BC (October, 12, 2017) –  Last week, BC Non-Profit Housing Association and LandlordBC met with Linda Hepner, Mayor of the City of Surrey, to discuss the municipality’s recent exploration to decommission 175 secondary suites in the East Clayton neighbourhood to help alleviate parking concerns.

We discussed and agreed to the following approaches to the issue of additional secondary suites in East Clayton:

  • The need to continue advocating for better transit infrastructure and investments in this populated, walkable neighbourhood. New provincial transit investments are anticipated in the region, which will help to provide viable alternatives for all Clayton residents.
  • Re-examining a residential parking permit program, reinforcing the need to better utilize on-site parking and limiting the number of cars per household that can park on-street.
  • Working together to build new purpose built market and non-market rental to meet existing and future demand in the City.

Kishone Roy, CEO of BCNPHA, said: “For the first time in a generation, we have all three levels of government eager to partner with the community housing sector to meet existing and future affordable housing demand, so real solutions to the affordable housing crisis are on the way. In the meantime, we will work together to ensure we protect our existing supply of rental housing, most of which is found in the secondary market.”

David Hutniak, CEO of Landlord BC, says: “This is a watershed moment. The density model in Clayton Heights is the model for the future so there is a certain irony that instead of focusing on housing Surrey families, we’re focusing on their cars. These secondary suite units need to be legalized immediately and the community needs to stop the finger-pointing and place people before cars. LandlordBC looks forward to working with all stakeholders to find appropriate solutions including enhanced transit and growth in new purpose-built rental housing.”

 

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Media Contacts:

Kishone Roy
CEO of BC Non-Profit Housing Association
604 346 6699 | [email protected] 

David Hutniak
CEO of LandlordBC
604 644 6838 | [email protected]