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This really is the chicken-egg multifaceted challenge of housing issues, and why politicians & advocacy groups need to widen the table. Blanket upzoning *is* a part of the solution, but it is a better part with other factors working in concert. 1/ https://twitter.com/bmdoucet/status/1353011789148155909
Most studies coming out these days show that upzoning/higher density reduces displacement (which is inequality). But we still need to put money into subsidized & supportive housing, in concert. Today, you'll see estimates of single affordable housing units being $350-500K+. 2/
We can move levers. Land costs are high because: very few places we can build (zoning), we can't build much even where we should be able to (community approvals), we can't make amenity-rich areas less premium (because we can't spread amenities/15min n'hoods due to zoning) 3/
Blanket upzoning means land isn't scarce, 
cost, 
variety of developers/options. But if we need years of mortgage payments/nondevelopment risk due to onerous community meetings, costs/risks stay high. 4/
cost, variety of developers/options. But if we need years of mortgage payments/nondevelopment risk due to onerous community meetings, costs/risks stay high. 4/
But heritage designations on built form, "neighbourhood character", restrict access 2 amenity areas, esp. irreplicable ones like near Victoria Park. In <2 generations, 30%+ of DT Kitchener is untouchable heritage, is zoned detached no-rise, & housing costlier, residents whiter 5/
Even if we upzoned, reduced the suffocation of heritage, asked residents what they want (affordable housing, transit, trails) in their city & didn't let them change their story when it happened near them, we'd still need $ for subsidized housing, it would just go MUCH further. 6/
Glad to hear many of these concerns, separately, at Thursday's event. I thank @LauraMaeLindo @CFifeKW @debbiechapman1 @ScottPiatkowski @JohnNeufeld98 Shelley @MCRSrefugee @bmdoucet Sandy @oneROOFYouth @bronwynnicelo Lee Ann Hundt & Sharon Innanen 7/ https://twitter.com/LauraMaeLindo/status/1352345092380618761?s=20
But we desperately need to realize how damaging so many of these policies are & manified together. Only by jointly fixing these issues can we solve our problems with the fewest new ones, but that isn't an excuse for inaction or sticking to comfortable status quos. 8/
Dense housing's affordable. Permitting shelters gets ppl safe housing. Spreading amenities reduces high cost land. Dense developments reduce displacement. Reducing money spent on delays & bldg style lowers cost of building. We can build a better future, if we all work together /9
Could @LauraMaeLindo @CFifeKW @debbiechapman1 consider their hsg chat, & my thread below on no one wanting to act first, & go Stone Soup style like this, where affordable hsg funding goes to those making it easier/cheaper to build? Seems like a no-brainer https://twitter.com/Sightline/status/1353071316878807042?s=19
