Affordable Housing Task Force
Courtyard Village was the catalyst when the Vancouver City Council decided in February to dig into the problem of affordable housing. Could the city pass laws to protect the most vulnerable renters from displacement? Could the city provide greater incentives for developers to build more truly affordable rental housing?
Mayor Tim Leavitt will lead an Affordable Housing Task Force that will grapple with these issues. The group will get its membership and marching orders finalized during a Vancouver City Council workshop set for 5:30 to 6 p.m. today in the council chambers at City Hall, 415 W. Sixth St.
After that, the group will meet from 9 to 11 a.m. on the second Thursday of each month, May through December, in the Aspen Room at City Hall, according to community development manager Peggy Sheehan. All meetings are open to the public, and there will be some opportunities for public comment, she said.
The first meeting will be on May 14. Another city council workshop will be scheduled in August, when it’s expected that the task force will make recommendations regarding tenant protections. It will continue working on developer incentives until the end of the year, Sheehan said.