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Credit: Tammy Strobel
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A recent study sheds some light on the small housing phenomenon underway in BC. Exploring Best Practices and Lessons Learned with Small Market Units describes what is working well—or not—with small market-housing development. The study reveals several factors are involved in driving small market housing, including affordability (related to land scarcity), a growing demographic and lifestyle trend for small households (one or two people), and an increasing interest in living an “edited” lifestyle with limited possessions and a reduced living footprint.
Study findings suggest that small housing is best suited to urban areas that feature proximity to amenities such as transit, entertainment, and community services. These tend to be places where many people would like to live for convenience but cannot afford a larger home. Demand for small housing is expected to continue.
Five BC agencies interested in housing and development (BC Housing, REIBC, Manufactured Housing Association of BC, Urban Development Institute (Pacific Region), and Small Housing BC) commissioned the study, which was undertaken by Heather Evans Consulting, Louise Godard, and Margaret Forbes.
Read more in Evan’s “The Big Picture on Small Homes” in the Fall 2015 issue of Input, page 7.
More information about the study
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