scholarly journals The case for equitable transit-oriented development exploring the link between housing affordability and transit accessibility in Burnaby, British Columbia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Mackaay
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Regional Growth ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Transit Oriented Development ◽  
Urban Centre ◽  
Transit Accessibility ◽  
Mixed Use

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a planning model that concentrates compact, mixed-use development near high order transit. The problem arises when the intensification of transit-oriented locations does not occur in an equitable way and results in the displacement of low-income households, who are arguably the most reliant on access to transit. Metro Vancouver’s regional growth strategy (RGS) supports the TOD model by designating Urban Centres as key areas to absorb the majority of the region’s growth and development, as well as transit service. The growth targets in the RGS have led to the rezoning of many Urban Centres to allow for more density, thereby prompting redevelopment activity. The City of Burnaby is of particular interest because it has been experiencing a significant loss of affordable rental housing in low-income neighborhoods along the SkyTrain line as a result of the redevelopment occurring within its designated Urban Centres. This research provides a list of recommendations that are geared toward helping Burnaby preserve affordable rental housing options along the transit corridor. Keywords: Affordable Rental Housing, Density, Displacement, Low-Income Household, Redevelopment, Regional Growth Strategy, Town Centre, Transit Accessibility, Transit Corridor, Transit-Oriented Development, Urban Centre

scholarly journals The case for equitable transit-oriented development exploring the link between housing affordability and transit accessibility in Burnaby, British Columbia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Mackaay
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Regional Growth ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Transit Oriented Development ◽  
Urban Centre ◽  
Transit Accessibility ◽  
Mixed Use

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a planning model that concentrates compact, mixed-use development near high order transit. The problem arises when the intensification of transit-oriented locations does not occur in an equitable way and results in the displacement of low-income households, who are arguably the most reliant on access to transit. Metro Vancouver’s regional growth strategy (RGS) supports the TOD model by designating Urban Centres as key areas to absorb the majority of the region’s growth and development, as well as transit service. The growth targets in the RGS have led to the rezoning of many Urban Centres to allow for more density, thereby prompting redevelopment activity. The City of Burnaby is of particular interest because it has been experiencing a significant loss of affordable rental housing in low-income neighborhoods along the SkyTrain line as a result of the redevelopment occurring within its designated Urban Centres. This research provides a list of recommendations that are geared toward helping Burnaby preserve affordable rental housing options along the transit corridor. Keywords: Affordable Rental Housing, Density, Displacement, Low-Income Household, Redevelopment, Regional Growth Strategy, Town Centre, Transit Accessibility, Transit Corridor, Transit-Oriented Development, Urban Centre

scholarly journals Examining building age, rental housing and price filtering for affordability in Melbourne, Australia

Urban Studies ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 004209802092783
Author(s):  
Matthew Palm ◽  
Katrina Eve Raynor ◽  
Georgia Warren-Myers
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Government Expenditure ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
The 1960S

Governments worldwide have responded to housing affordability challenges with supply-side solutions. Proponents of these approaches often draw on the notion of ‘filtering effects’ to argue that new supply naturally trickles down to lower-income households over time, improving affordability. This study examines the characteristics of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing in Melbourne, Australia, analysing how dwelling age impacts rental cost. We specify a non-linear relationship between building age and rents through hedonic rent modelling, reflecting a premium for historic properties in inner Melbourne. We also conduct a cluster analysis of rental listings and measure affordability by cluster. Our results problematise the notion of filtering, finding that most contemporary affordable housing was initially built in the 1960s and 1970s as social housing or targeted at low-income households. We argue that filtering in this instance is not natural but is instead a reflection of historic government expenditure and past construction choices, or ‘filter up’.

Millennial ‘YIMBYs’ and boomer ‘NIMBYs’: Generational views on housing affordability in the United States

2020 ◽  
pp. 003802612091612
Author(s):  
Max Holleran
Keyword(s):  
Baby Boomers ◽  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Market Rate ◽  
Job Opportunities ◽  
Housing Costs

This article examines housing activism in five American cities using interviews with millennial-age housing activists, seeking more apartment development, and baby boomers who are members of neighbourhood groups that oppose growth. Many of the groups supporting growth have banded together under the banner of the ‘Yes in My Backyard’ (YIMBY) movement which seeks fewer zoning laws and pushes for market-rate rental housing. In desirable cities with thriving job opportunities, housing costs are pricing out not only low-income renters but also the middle class. The millennial activists sampled blame baby boomers for the lack of affordable housing because of resistance to higher density construction in neighbourhoods with single-family homes (characterising these people as having a ‘Not in My Backyard’ [NIMBY] mindset). The research shows that boomers and millennials not only disagree over urban growth but also more fundamental questions of what makes a liveable city.

scholarly journals Extremely low-income households, housing affordability and the Great Recession

Urban Studies ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 1615-1635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael C Lens
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Median Income ◽  
Section 8 ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Housing Subsidies

The effects of the Great Recession on housing equity and homeownership have been well-documented. However, we know little about how rental households fared and the efficacy of housing subsidies in addressing affordability gaps. This paper examines the extent to which rental housing became less affordable for Extremely Low-Income (ELI) households – those earning less than 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI). I then run regression models to determine the local characteristics most strongly associated with larger affordability gaps, with a focus on whether housing subsidies are effective at combating such gaps. Rental affordability gaps became more pronounced during the Great Recession. In nearly 70% of the counties in my sample, there was an increase from 2007 to 2010 in the number of ELI households per affordable rental unit. Across the country, the increase was 17%, a dramatic increase in only three years. There is considerable variation across the country, with acute affordability crises often concentrated in the South, particularly Florida. Regression models provide compelling evidence that housing vouchers, public housing, and project-based Section 8 subsidies play an important role in limiting the extent to which large numbers of ELI households are competing for a shortage of low-cost rental units. However, these programmes do not respond quickly to local needs – such as those brought about by the Great Recession. A pilot study where local housing authorities had funding to be more agile and responsive would be an important step toward crafting better policy.

Poverty-Reducing Growth Strategy in Poor Countries

2005 ◽  
pp. 103-134
Author(s):  
Rodney Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Poverty Traps ◽  
Income Poverty ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
Land Redistribution ◽  
Policy Choices ◽  
The North ◽  
Urban Rural

This paper synthesizes and develops research undertaken by participants in The North-South Institute project, "Macroeconomic policy choices for growth and poverty reduction" in low- income developing countries.1 The project analysed the features of poverty and growth in seven poor countries of varying circumstances and proposed macroeconomic and growth policies for poverty reduction for them. The research was guided by the question: "How does poverty inform growth strategy?" Our research provides evidence of the channels through which growth and distribution or poverty processes depend on each other and respond to policy together. We encapsulate the messages of these case studies in the following six propositions, discussed at length in the paper: i) macroeconomic stability reduces poverty; ii) land redistribution enhances growth; iii) income poverty traps constrain growth; iv) urban-rural growth disparities drive income inequality; v) regional poverty traps resist growth, and vi) ley growth policies can aggravate poverty gaps.  The propositions suggest growth policies that may be either of two types in terms of impact on growth and distribution. They have the potential to enhance both growth and distribution (win-win) or to enhance growth while aggravating income gaps or vice versa (win-lose).

scholarly journals Identifying Urban Poverty Using High-Resolution Satellite Imagery and Machine Learning Approaches: Implications for Housing Inequality

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 648
Author(s):  
Guie Li ◽  
Zhongliang Cai ◽  
Yun Qian ◽  
Fei Chen
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Satellite Imagery ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Urban Poverty ◽  
Image Features ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Housing Inequality ◽  
High Resolution Satellite Imagery

Enriching Asian perspectives on the rapid identification of urban poverty and its implications for housing inequality, this paper contributes empirical evidence about the utility of image features derived from high-resolution satellite imagery and machine learning approaches for identifying urban poverty in China at the community level. For the case of the Jiangxia District and Huangpi District of Wuhan, image features, including perimeter, line segment detector (LSD), Hough transform, gray-level cooccurrence matrix (GLCM), histogram of oriented gradients (HoG), and local binary patterns (LBP), are calculated, and four machine learning approaches and 25 variables are applied to identify urban poverty and relatively important variables. The results show that image features and machine learning approaches can be used to identify urban poverty with the best model performance with a coefficient of determination, R2, of 0.5341 and 0.5324 for Jiangxia and Huangpi, respectively, although some differences exist among the approaches and study areas. The importance of each variable differs for each approach and study area; however, the relatively important variables are similar. In particular, four variables achieved relatively satisfactory prediction results for all models and presented obvious differences in varying communities with different poverty levels. Housing inequality within low-income neighborhoods, which is a response to gaps in wealth, income, and housing affordability among social groups, is an important manifestation of urban poverty. Policy makers can implement these findings to rapidly identify urban poverty, and the findings have potential applications for addressing housing inequality and proving the rationality of urban planning for building a sustainable society.

A theoretical framework of the governance institutions of low-income housing in China

Urban Studies ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 1967-1982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Deng
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Public Rental Housing ◽  
Governmental Intervention ◽  
Governance Institutions ◽  
The City ◽  
Important Form ◽  
Low Income Housing

This paper develops a theoretical framework for institutional analysis of the governance of low-income housing in the city. I focus on the provision of local public goods as a central issue for low-income housing. Factors that affect the governance structure from the efficiency perspective and the equity perspective, respectively, are explored. I argue that over-subsidisation is an important problem for income-redistribution institutions and, hence, public housing or social housing becomes an important form of governmental intervention in low-income housing. The framework is then applied to low-income housing in China. In particular, I analyse the governance structures of several major types of low-income housing including public rental housing, private low-income housing, work-unit compound and urban village.

Dynamics of affordability and immigration in the Canadian housing market

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikkram Singh
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Immigrant Integration ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assistance Programs ◽  
Essential Contribution ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to make two major contributions. First, given the literature gap in housing unaffordability for different immigrant groups in Canada, it makes an essential contribution to the literature. To the best of the knowledge, this study is the first study of its kind to examine housing unaffordability by examining different immigrant groups. Second, differences in unaffordability can help understand the decline in welfare, as it can have financial implications and a negative impact on health outcomes. Third, this study’s findings are valuable for policy formulation to improve immigrant integration and ease the housing unaffordability crisis. Design/methodology/approach This study examines the determinants of housing affordability to investigate differences among various immigrant groups in Canada. A bivariate logit model using public microdata from the Canadian census estimates the determinants of moderate and severe unaffordability. Additionally, the separation of tenants and owners provides insights into the dynamics of unaffordability. The results show significant differences between immigrant groups with higher levels of unaffordability among Asian immigrants. The insights can help devise and implement housing assistance programs to address the challenges arising from the post-COVID-19 pandemic phase. Findings The results indicate that unaffordability declines with increasing age, education and full-time employment. Gender dynamics are evident, with women faring worse than men regarding the likelihood of extreme housing unaffordability. Households face a greater likelihood of unaffordability in more populous provinces and larger census metropolitan areas that struggle with the high cost of living, racial disparities and low income. Immigrants, especially from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, continue to struggle with chronic and severe unaffordability issues. The impact is much more severe for those renting, exemplifying the strain it is taking on the financial health of recent immigrants. Originality/value Given the literature gap in housing unaffordability for different immigrant groups in Canada, it makes an essential contribution to the literature. To the best of the knowledge, this study is the first study of its kind to examine housing unaffordability by examining different immigrant groups.

Rent gap reloaded: Airbnb and the shift from residential to touristic rental housing in the Palma Old Quarter in Mallorca, Spain

Urban Studies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (13) ◽  
pp. 2709-2726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismael Yrigoy
Keyword(s):  
Stock Prices ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
Housing Affordability ◽  
Rent Gap Theory

In light of the advent of Airbnb, rent gap theory can be helpful for understanding how tourist rentals affect residential rental housing. It is argued that on those properties currently rented to residents, rental payments are not only ‘actual ground rent’, but also ‘potential ground rent’. The shift from a residential to a touristic use of rental housing thereby creates a potential ground rent. Taking as a case study the Palma Old Quarter in Mallorca, Spain, this paper analyses the evolution of the stock, prices, and revenues of residential rentals vis-à-vis tourist rentals and finds that, because it is more profitable to rent to tourists than to residents, the number of houses listed on Airbnb has increased, housing affordability for residents has shrunk, and the threat of displacement has increased.

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