Richmond approves 90-unit rental building on Spires Road with affordable housing protections
Council fast-tracks rezoning for six-storey apartment with 22 low-end market rental homes and 68 market units; 41% family-sized.
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Richmond council approved rezoning and a housing agreement for a six-storey apartment building on Spires Road that will bring 90 rental units to an area historically dominated by single-family homes.
The three properties at 8620, 8640 and 8660 Spires Road — located between Westminster Highway and Cook Road, and Cooney and Garden City roads — will be developed with 22 low-end market rental (LEMR) homes and 68 market rental homes. The development reserves 41 per cent of all rental units as family-friendly with two or more bedrooms.
For LEMR units, the agreement sets strict rent caps tied to income thresholds: studios at $1,395 monthly (income threshold $55,800); one-bedrooms at $1,508 ($60,336); two-bedrooms at $1,816 ($72,648); and three-bedrooms at $2,205 ($88,200). Market rental homes are limited to prevailing market rates and include tenant protections — no age-based occupancy restrictions, no limits on amenity access, and no moving or amenity fees.
The Spires Road area is undergoing significant transformation. When fully built out, the neighbourhood is estimated to contain between 1,600 and 2,100 units, home to between 3,400 and 4,200 people. As HighOnCity reported in July, the region is seeing similar affordable housing initiatives across the Lower Mainland, with projects advancing in Commercial Drive and West Vancouver.
When is construction expected to begin and when will the units be available for occupancy?
How will the income thresholds for LEMR eligibility be verified and enforced?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
At a glance
Where is this new rental building going?
The building will be developed on three properties at 8620, 8640 and 8660 Spires Road in Richmond, located between Westminster Highway and Cook Road, and between Cooney and Garden City roads.
How many units will the building have, and what's the breakdown?
The six-storey building will contain 90 rental units total: 22 low-end market rental homes and 68 market rental homes, with 41 per cent of all units reserved as family-sized with two or more bedrooms.
What are the rent caps for low-end market rental units?
Low-end market rental rents are capped at $1,395 monthly for studios, $1,508 for one-bedrooms, $1,816 for two-bedrooms, and $2,205 for three-bedrooms.
What tenant protections apply to market rental units?
Market rental homes include no age-based occupancy restrictions, no limits on amenity access, and no moving or amenity fees.
