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Carolyn Whitzman Profile
Carolyn Whitzman

@CWhitzman

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Policy wonk. Loves: affordable housing, evidence, the public realm. Dislikes: xenophobia, cowardice. Author, Home Truths: Fixing Canada’s Housing Crisis (2024).

Ottawa, Ontario
Joined May 2011
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
5 months
Today is a good day to announce pre-orders on my new book "Home Truths: Fixing Canada's Housing Crisis". 20% off pre-orders with code HOME20. Available October 15!
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
2 years
Me on Twitter.
@JortsTheCat
Jorts (and Jean)
2 years
I don’t even know that dog, why is he outside yelling at me
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
5 months
@bnaibrithcanada 1. That’s not the Main St Library. 2. ‘if I must die’ certainly doesn’t ‘glorify martyrdom’. 3. Refaat Alareer was murdered by the barbarous genocidal regime you are defending. 4. His words will live on. You’ll have to justify defending genocide. 5. You do not speak in my name.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
5 months
Why can’t Canadian cities have great family-friendly apartments?
@holz_bau
Mike Eliason
5 months
thinking about how radically different multifamily housing in switzerland is... light on more than 1 side. 4 bedroom housing. generous balconies. shades. proposal for a re-intensification of an existing settlement by atelier 5 (yes, that very same)
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
3 months
“You want people downtown? What if they, hear me out now, were able to live downtown?” Top notch opinion piece by @David_Moscrop
@TheAgenda
TVO Today | The Agenda
3 months
You can try to bully workers back into the office — but that won’t solve the real problem, writes @David_Moscrop
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
At the moment, @PierrePoilievre is the only political leader offering a coherent (although wrong) analysis of (1) what the housing problem is; (2) why is has happened; (3) what needs to happen to solve it. So clutch your pearls, 'cause I'm going to seriously engage with it. 1/12
@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
I agree. From a communications perspective: ✅ Bold take on a vital issue Canadians care about ✅ Explaining a complex issue with visuals ✅ Providing clear solutions Do I agree with those solutions? No. Would I love a real political debate with bold counter-visions? Yes.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
7 months
Ottawa, population 1 million, has 120 residential zones. Japan, population 123 million, has 10. Zoning reform can’t happen soon enough.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
8 months
Canada’s population more than doubled 1901-1941. It more than doubled again 1941-81. Ot hasn’t come close to doubling since then. So why is immigration suddenly the whipping boy for lousy housing policy?
@dougkwanACTO
Douglas Kwan
8 months
💯 Investors, not immigrants responsible for fewer homes and higher rent - Toronto Star - #GoogleAlerts
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Strap yourselves in for a Carolyn rant. This is why @PierrePoilievre is right - & why he's wrong. And this is why @liberal_party & @NDP are going to get TROUNCED in the next election, unless they change their course. 1X
@PierrePoilievre
Pierre Poilievre
1 year
Want more homes for students & seniors? Require cities approve massive apartments next to all federally-funded transit stations.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
I’ve argued that Inclusionary Zoning is a complete waste of time for decades now. You want low-cost housing, build it directly.
@traceylindeman
Tracey Lindeman 🫠🩸
1 year
Every developer has opted to pay Montreal instead of building affordable housing, under new bylaw
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
As I said a couple of days ago, the most egregious falsehood about the @PierrePoilievre Housing Hell video is the claim this current government caused the housing crisis. My brilliant @ubcHART colleague Craig E Jones whipped up this little graph on housing starts by govt 1/4
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Downloading responsibility for social housing from the level of govt with the most $ & power to the level of govt with the least $ & power was a bad idea 30 years ago. It continues to be a bad idea.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
2 months
The truth is that every time someone suggests taxing wealth, the conservative response is ‘those poor pensioners’! A combination of tax deferral until sale (used for property taxes) & subsidies to subdivide might help low income owners. But low income renters are more numerous..
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
18 days
THE BIG DAY (Advance Review Copy of my new book arrived)!
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
11 months
Between this Vancouver dud, Toronto’s Housing Now & Montréal’s recent inclusionary zoning record, it’s almost like relying on the market for affordable housing doesn’t work! Maybe try what has worked: directly financing / building non-market housing?
@j_mcelroy
Justin McElroy
11 months
Seven years ago the City of Vancouver created its Moderate Income Rental Housing Pilot Program, intended to remove development fees in exchange for developers building non-market rentals. Seven years later, not a single building has been completed.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
2 years
I promised arm-waving and scary statistics. I kept to that promise. Watch me tonight!
@TheAgenda
TVO Today | The Agenda
2 years
The average rent in Canada has surpassed $2,000. What is contributing to this worrisome trend and is there an end in sight? Tonight with @BradMBradford , @Tonyirwin74 ( @FRPOFACTS ), @CWhitzman ( @uOttawa ), and @spaikin at 8/11pm | Producer: @carastern
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
29 days
The right-wing idea that businesspeople with no experience in governance can ‘fix things’ is the magical thinking that brought us Trump, Sim, Sutcliffe, & the opposite of good government.
@ShaneLSimpson
Shane Simpson
1 month
The chaos around ABC in Vancouver was predicted. Ken Sim may be good at business but he’s never been elected to anything and it shows. Running a business is much simpler than running Vancouver. Sadly, Sim appears too arrogant to acknowledge his shortcomings and barrels ahead.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
4 months
I can’t imagine @JustinTrudeau or @theJagmeetSingh proudly stopping their cars to praise ppl waving “F@&k @PierrePoilievre ” signs. It’s not how I’d want any political leader to act.
@JustinTrudeau
Justin Trudeau
4 months
Pierre Poilievre still can’t denounce the conspiracy theorists or the white nationalists who support him. So let me help him with that.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
3 months
As an ex-Torontonian & lover of public space, I’m following the Ontario Place debacle with horrified fascination. Good cities are retrieving public space, not selling it off.
@alexbozikovic
Alex Bozikovic
3 months
Waterpark follies! Toronto doesn’t understand the value of public space, and apparently neither does Richard Florida. My column:
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
28 days
All I want is a day mayor.
@RobMacD62866567
Rob MacDonald
30 days
Translation: You spent $460 million to subsidize your rich friends at Lansdowne, $50 million for a cop shop, $160,000 for a night mayor, and got a new helicopter. You had money for transit, you blew it on junk items instead.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
4 months
I have never ever celebrated a Yom Haatzmaut in my adult life. I’ve celebrated Rosh Hashonah (tashlich) & Hanukkah in public in Ottawa. Never a problem. Maybe it’s a celebration of Israel during a genocide & not a celebration of Judaism that’s the problem?
@_MarkSutcliffe
Mark Sutcliffe
4 months
Like all residents of our city, Ottawa’s Jewish community deserves to gather whenever it chooses in an environment that is free from hate, violence, and racism. This is fundamental to a city that is free and democratic. Over the past two days, I have listened carefully to members
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
Then go radical b/c we need radical change: * basic income * max. non-market hsg on govt land * land value tax * supply supply supply * curb home speculation by owners & investors * renter rights & eviction prevention led federally Get on it. Time is running out.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
4 months
It’s the dirty little secret of housing policy - that the root of rapidly rising house prices is govts encouraging treating homeownership as an investment. And no government is willing to address it.
@GenSqueeze
Generation Squeeze
5 months
"The emphasis on increasing housing supply obscures an issue politicians are less likely to address. Namely, that we have become addicted to ever-rising home prices, largely because we've been conditioned to see our homes as financial assets."
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
2 years
In the days since my appearance on The Agenda, I've gotten lots of queries about how much non-profit housing is needed in Canada. Good question, which I'll approach 3 ways 1/11
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
We’re considering moving (back) to Montreal. I’ve had enough of this pathetic excuse for a city.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
So really, PP should be looking at reversing a set of mechanisms from the 1970s & 1980s that incentivized owners to treat their homes as investments & de-incented rental builders. 93% of taxes benefit homeowners, not renters. Tax change starts there 3/12
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
Stealth socialism alert: PP cites Singapore, where 90% of public land owned by the state, & 80% live in state-created housing as a good practice ! COMRADE! Appropriate all urban land, state-led homebuilding, allocate by need! Power 2 the ppl right on! 6/12
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
10 months
It flew under my radar until today, but #Quebec is putting ALL its Housing Accelerator Fund $ into non-market hsg. In fact, the province is matching fed funds (disbursed through the province, not directly by the feds). That's $1.8 billion. Bravo! 1/
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
26 days
And again I ask: if we can build genuinely affordable to low and moderate income household market developments in Germany, why can’t we in Canada? Why aren’t we even trying to meet this price point?
@holz_bau
Mike Eliason
26 days
the rents for the 2BR units in the mass timber hybrid Carl average $1,100 per month. light on 3 sides. a balcony. no windowless bedrooms. single stair. yo. we're cooked.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
30% tax for buying 2nd home and 35% tax for buying 3rd or more… worth considering here?
@Ayan604
Andy Yan
1 year
Singapore hikes property tax in latest round of cooling measures
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Canada’s progressive parties have lost the plot on the housing crisis - last week’s rant becomes an opinion piece for ⁦ @globeandmail
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
5 months
Inclusionary zoning IS NOT progressive. We desperately need low-cost rental. Directly fund & finance it on government land.
@JessicaBellTO
Jessica Bell
5 months
Here's a quick recap of Bill 185, the Conservatives latest omnibus housing bill. The Conservative’s many changes include a grab bag of measures that fix up some of their more terrible housing mistakes (I’m calling these wins) and spur the construction of some new housing,
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Yep, simple zoning, 4-6 storey minimum, no limit on units. Get rid of every design nonsense rule that doesn’t support affordability accessibility, energy efficiency and SCALE. Not 3 years from now. Now.
@jen_keesmaat
Jennifer Keesmaat
1 year
The new mayor will need to act FAST AND FORCEFULLY to deliver the scale of housing needed in this city. For example, as recommended here, ‘apartment buildings of 50 units or more should be legal everywhere in the city – immediately.’
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
PP is dead wrong- a purely private-sector response will never end homelessness or help those most in need. So why is there is SILENCE from @liberal_party & @NDP on this? 12/
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Finland counts everyone on social hsg waitlists+ standardized info from 209/295 municipalities on homelessness every year. Canada collects inconsistent data every 2nd yr from 59/727 mun. You can't solve homelessness without knowing who is homeless
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
2 years
Or you could have 24 hour warming centres
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
The video starts w 2X home prices & rents & increasing homelessness since 2015. True. What's false is that this followed 'generations of stable home prices'. Actually, median home prices in relation to hh income started to rise in the 1980s & got out of control in 2000s. 2/12
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
2 months
These are the seniors I worry most about, renters reliant on inadequate pensions. Speaking as someone over 60: Take my taxes, including land value & property taxes that rise with speculation, & provide adequate housing options for all seniors.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
2 years
Darn tooting i got a selfie with @cmckenney !
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
3 months
Why I’m at this conference - Beyond NIMBY. A whole room of market developers being asked whether they are producing median income affordable rental at $2,100. No hands.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
So... @NDP @liberal_party you have your work cut out. Get better YouTube social media communicators. Agree that policy decisions of 30-50 years ago (I haven't even started on 1970s 'reform' downzoning) screwed Canada up. Agree that the status quo is unacceptable. Mea your culpa
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
And most of all, @liberal_party @NDP why are you letting PP set the terms of the debate? The next fed election will be won on housing. Up your game or lose. 18/18
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
11 months
THIS is why I want 4 storey, no limit on units.
@seanjurs
Sean Jursnick
11 months
Completed in 2022, Seattle's 15th Ave Apartments feature (8) family-sized 3 and 4-bed units on a 40' wide lot in the walkable, transit rich U District The 4-story project is illegal to build in most of the US because it only uses a single exterior stair for egress
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
2 years
Helsinki has 600,000 residents, less than the City of Vancouver, 60% of Ottawa’s pop, 20% of Toronto.
@Joe_Ottawa
Joseph Federico
2 years
"Helsinki owns 60,000 social housing units; one in seven residents live in city-owned housing. It also owns 70% of the land within the city limits, runs its own construction company, and has a current target of building 7,000 more new homes a year."
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
22 days
This tweet does @NDP no favours. Yes, large rental investors (including union-owned) have renovicted tenants (as have small landlords). Yes, rents (&house prices) have doubled. But that’s a patentedly WRONG statistic. Act like you can govern - it starts with good evidence.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
The real rule is ‘having enough after rent/mortgage to pay for other necessities’. And it was 20% when 1st used in the 1940s. And is still 25% in QC. The real question being asked here is ‘how much can we squeeze low-income ppl’?
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
10 days
BC continues to act quickly & effectively to increase housing choices. Single egress will allow more family-sized, well-located apartments.
@KahlonRav
Ravi Kahlon
10 days
Today, I updated the BC Building Code to allow for Single Egress Stair (SES) designs in low- and mid-rise buildings.   By allowing SES, we will boost our housing supply and create more options for families who need larger layouts and designs. 👉🏾 🧵[1/4]
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Social housing =|= garden sheds. It’s highly offensive to social housing providers & residents to imply this.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
10 months
“People living in encampments aren’t political problems to be solved. They are people with the right to a decent home” - @SeanFraserMP #caeh23
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Double non-market housing as part of a new rental supply effort aimed at the right to housing, says a new coalition including ⁦ @CAEHomelessness ⁩ ⁦ @MikePMoffatt ⁩ ⁦ @REALPAC_News ⁩ - and me
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
3 months
Senakw is THE game changer project in Canada.
@SeanFraserMP
Sean Fraser
3 months
Sen̓áḵw is one of the most impactful housing projects in Canada. It’s a partnership led by the Squamish First Nation, which is doing incredible work to develop their land for housing. The project includes more than 6,000 new homes in Vancouver!
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
There’s nowhere in Canada where welfare covers rent.
@maytree_canada
Maytree Foundation
1 year
Just released: Latest Welfare in Canada report, including updated data for welfare incomes and adequacy in every province and territory.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
3 years
@JessicaTurner01 @ArielTroster @CBCNews @SamHersh01 @RosieBarton I can’t agree with @JessicaTurner01 enough. This was a straightforward case of ppl who were allowed by police to park, spume exhaust, make noise all night & harass with impunity in a residential neighbourhood for 3 weeks. This was all about white privilege, not free speech.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
11 months
Many countries, including France & Finland, spend 1% of GDP on social hsg, precisely because ending homelessness saves $$. Canada spends 0.1%, mostly subsiding unaffordable market rental. It’s time for a better way. @CHRA_ACHRU @CAEHomelessness @CHEC_CCRL @SeanFraserMP @ubcHART
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Worth reposting. It drives me bananas when some lefties wave IZ like it’s a magic wand. It’s a neoliberal, ineffective approach. It harms production of new market rental. It doesn’t produce the quantum of deeply affordable housing we need. Build non-market directly!
@amoralorealis
Jennifer 麻衣子 Bradshaw she/her/彼女🔰
2 years
In honour of yet again being called Far Right for criticizing Inclusionary Zoning, let's talk about why IZ is not my favourite way to fund "affordable" housing. Inclusionary Zoning is popular because people think that it's a way to "force developers" to pay for affordable units.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
4 months
This was actually my starting point into housing research. In my master’s thesis (U of T 1988) I wondered why ‘planning for violence prevention’ was all about street lights, rather than affordable housing & local women’s services. 36 years later, still wondering.
@mareeep
maree pardy 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸
4 months
Accessible, affordable, secure HOUSING is a key DV PREVENTION strategy. If women can leave in the knowledge of housing security, & affordability, they will be safe. They will leave. I know this. And the perpetrators (or potential) perpetrators will come to know it too #DVenough
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Carolyn Whitzman
3 months
Associate Housing Minister Robert Flack: “I just want a range of choices… I just want everyone to have a detached house with a yard… no one wants to bring up a child in downtown Toronto”. @Colliers Land & Development conference.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
Meanwhile, low income hsg need has stayed stable 1991-2016, some incr in owner stress. A huge temporary DECREASE in 2021, caused by CERB. So this natural experiment shows that basic income @ubi_works is the quickest way to decrease hsg precarity & homelessness in short term. 5/12
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
11 months
One of the nastiest NIMBY battles in the country is resolved. Squamish Nation 1, nimbiots 0.
@Khelsilem
Khelsilem
11 months
The Kits Point Residents Association court challenge vs. City of Vancouver to try and stop the Sen̓áḵw Development by Squamish Nation was dismissed.  No relief given.  Case closed.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
The video talks about the influence of investors. EXCELLENT. You can charge capital gains for rapid house flipping & you can make banks, REITs & pension funds back new affordable hsg. PP brings it up then drops it - don't let him. 4/12
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
I can’t state strongly enough that lack of adequate hsg options is killing ppl daily. It is hard to work, even on the advocacy level, in hsg policy without regularly weeping, as I discovered yesterday during a talk. A rich country is letting ppl die & it can break your heart.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
5 months
The best apartment buildings are being built in France. 🇫🇷 has 20-30% nonmarket housing targets for all cities. The two facts are related.
@SustainableTall
Philip Oldfield
5 months
The best apartments in the world are being built in France This by Parages Architectes has cross ventilation to all living spaces and straw insulation
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
10 months
Sigh, at the risk of being flamed by market-purist YIMBYs, public land SHOULD be set aside for non-market mixed-income housing. AND ALL land should be upzoned for PBR. Hulking out at the mere mention of ‘affordable’ ignores the key question of ‘affordable for whom’. 1/4
@theJagmeetSingh
Jagmeet Singh
10 months
Public land should be used to build homes you can afford. Not make rich developers richer. Justin Trudeau doesn't get it. He's out of touch with struggles he's never had to experience. We need to build affordable homes on public lands - not luxury condos.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
4 months
Villiers Island plans 9,000 homes on 33 hectares. Senakw plans 6,000 homes on 10.5 hectares with significant affordability & green space. Do better - like 20,000 homes. @globeandmail
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
4 months
Right on ⁦ @alexbozikovic ⁩. Why 6 storey only on noisy dangerous arterials? Why not everywhere within 800 metres of frequent transit? That’s what TO needs.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
3 months
Development charges are a housing tax & must end. A designated municipal income tax is better. A land value tax would also be a fairer choice.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
30 days
Investment condos have been a Ponzi scheme, with harmful housing results, say ⁦ @Ayan604 ⁩ ⁦ @JohnPasalis ⁩ ⁦ @Hulchanski
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
7 months
I agree with most of this. But I continue to object to the characterisation of @oliviachow as somehow inheriting a political dynasty like @JustinTrudeau . Olivia & Jack were both politicians when they met. She’s never traded on his name. She got where she is on her own.
@EricDLombardi
Eric Lombardi
7 months
My first for @TheHubCanada CANADA’S QUIET DESCENT INTO NEOFEUDALISM The housing crisis is the most visible symptom of the disease afflicting Canadas economy. One where incumbents and governments protect what they have at the cost of what could be.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Instead, focus on what you can do to give renters equal rights. Bully the provinces into long leases, no no-fault evictions, higher welfare, more supportive hsg & yes, rent regulation. Renter rights can't be sacrificed on the altar of more supply. 14/
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
But when it comes to solutions, it's all 'cut govt spending'. YAWN. Agreed on dvmt contributions - immoral to make new renters/buyers pay for infrastructure that serves all. How about land value tax? It is a market-based solution for greater density 8/12
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
CERB SAID $2,000 a month “was the minimum amount you had to be getting to be considered to be livable,” Mr. Salisbury said. “No disability program in the country is giving that.”
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 month
I’m going to add to @MikePMoffatt ’s thread with my own rant. From its inception in the 1940s to the 1989s, the @CMHC_ca used income categories to analyse WHO needs WHAT housing WHERE at what COST. Not only does it no longer use the international measure of affordability 1/4
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Why is @liberal_party is still droning on about protecting high values while making new ownership easy? Most ppl know that home prices would need to decrease by 2/3 across country, 3/4 in TO, 4/5 in Van to be an option for middle class, let alone low income. DROP THIS LIE. 13/
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Mark my words, if the fed Libs don’t do something substantive on moderate income housing like tax reform for PBR, HUGE co-op program or affordability targets for provinces, they will die on that hill at the next election.
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
10 months
“Homelessness comes from not enough homes at prices households can afford” @SeanFraserMP #caeh23
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@CWhitzman
Carolyn Whitzman
10 months
Dave Eby speaking passionately about the importance of acquiring land & buildings, not selling them, as many governments are doing. “It’s so clear how we got to homelessness. When governments started relying on the private market to meet everyone’s needs.” #HousingCentral
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Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
Another thing that makes HUGE economic sense? More non-profit hsg on govt land! Don't sell your seed corn (land) - use it to kickstart the kind of hsg dvmt you want! Just like Singapore! 10/12
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Carolyn Whitzman
7 months
I find this notion that developers are somehow colluding to keep housing prices up by not building anything kind of comical. Like there's a smoke-filled room somewhere that developers are sitting in, plotting their next collective move. 1/3
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Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Also note: 100% lot coverage, no parking, what’s an angular plane?
@BrentToderian
Brent Toderian
1 year
Another reminder that when someone proposes city-building “like Paris” (usually a 7-8-storey equivalent due to high ceiling heights) as an alternative to taller buildings, the ACTUAL Paris model is 8 storey EVERYWHERE. Across the entire city pattern. I’d be ok with that. You?
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Carolyn Whitzman
12 days
Exciting meeting yesterday with the federal cabinet, discussing housing supply innovation& the role of nonmarket & Indigenous developers on govt land. So many examples abound: @BCCLT @SquamishNation @OCH_LCO @HabitatCanada … Gave advance copies of my book to 2 ppl I hope read it!
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Carolyn Whitzman
6 months
We have a challenge in Canada. About 1 million students, very low income singles on welfare, & those who are homeless need homes at <$420/mo near transit, jobs, colleges. So yes, make these legal everywhere.
@shaunonsite_
Shaun
6 months
Would you stay in an apartment in Japan like this for $300/mo?
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Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
@karenannsom I feel like MTL is improving housing, active & sustainable transit, public space & civic leadership. I want to live in a place that is getting better not worse. Like you, I’ve been shocked every time I return to TO & delighted with so much in MTL. I want to like my city.
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Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
With all respect to ⁦ @JessicaBellTO ⁩ & ⁦ @mjrichardson_to ⁩, this provincial government land should have 100% non-market housing, with affordability for low to median income, on a community land trust as part of a high-rise mixed use development.
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Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
@SamHersh01 There was very little about housing. I’m continually gobsmacked at how poorly the NDP is articulating a vision for Canada with adequate housing healthcare & environmental sustainability. It’s like they don’t want to be elected?
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Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
4 storeys as of right, 6 if non-market, no parking minimums, no unit maximums, no setbacks. That should be the baseline, especially in Vancouver.
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Carolyn Whitzman
8 months
Stop building shelters & start building permanent housing with supports. Getting turfed out of transitional housing after 2 years is part of the cycle of homelessness.
@beheshtialex
Alex Beheshti
8 months
Stop building shelters and start building transitional homes. Places with successful housing first programs actually have exceeding few shelters. A shelter bed is not equivalent to a transitional home, which has private or semi private rooms and shared amenities like kitchens.
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Carolyn Whitzman
11 months
Look what just arrived via courier! @oliviachow thinks I'm a good writer :-) @UBCPress
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Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
Hi @Stockz55 since you ask nicely, here are the Three Dumb Mistakes Canada Made That Got Us in This Mess. First, don't sell your land. 1/7
@Stockz55
Jimmy Crickets
1 year
@MikePMoffatt Hey @CWhitzman , any thoughts on how this all started? I know you are an advocate for more social housing units (as am I)
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Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
You hate min parking requirements? Talk to your fellow Conservative @fordnation - one of many rec he dropped from his own housing affordability task force. Again, great market based solutions 9/12
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Carolyn Whitzman
5 months
Honestly, one of the big wins this week is the feds bypassing the provinces & negotiating directly with municipalities.
@CBailey6
Colleen Bailey
5 months
Ford: I totally trust municipalities. They should get to decide about how to build housing. Trudeau: Okay, we'll give them the money if you're not going to deal with it. Ford: 🤯
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Carolyn Whitzman
1 year
@NDP . COME ON. Why is @theJagmeetSingh prioritizing owners over renter rights? BC is most pro-supply province, build on that. Income-based targets, public land to scale up non-market hsg & tax change to lessen wealth disparities 16/
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Carolyn Whitzman
6 months
A few months ago, I worried that @liberal_party was losing the housing plot. They've smartened up their comms folks, that's for sure! And as for @fordnation , I do wonder where @ScottAAitchison & @PierrePoilievre are on a fellow Conservative who contradicts their recent messaging.
@SeanFraserMP
Sean Fraser
6 months
Warning: the following images of fourplexes may frighten some politicians. They want to make sure these family homes remain illegal to build. Maybe my elder millennial is showing, but these homes in great locations look like good options to me!
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Carolyn Whitzman
9 months
Worried about homeless students? Push provinces to provide free tertiary education along with generous student hsg like Germany, my Conservative friend! It makes economic sense! Ask Merkel! 7/12
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Carolyn Whitzman
7 months
This is my fave.
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@philmarfisi
Phil Marfisi
7 months
Hey - are you a 15 minute city? Because there's no one else I'd rather be locked down with.
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