TEAM's Colleen Hardwick calls for upzoning moratorium to protect affordable rental housing

TEAM For A Livable Vancouver, led by mayoral candidate Colleen Hardwick, announced Monday a proposal to protect existing affordable rental housing through a moratorium on upzoning. The policy would freeze zoning changes that would allow larger developments on sites occupied by qualifying rental buildings—those with at least 10 units, in adequate condition, where rents consume less than 30 per cent of a median-income earner's income.

Hardwick argues Vancouver's housing challenge is a shortage of affordable homes, not simply a shortage of housing units. "We can't rely on developers who are making building decisions based on the market alone to deliver affordable middle-income housing," Hardwick said. "Government has a role to play in setting the stage for success. Affordability, not just supply, must be a driver."

The proposal also calls for neighbourhood-tailored planning, with residents helping identify suitable places to add housing instead of applying uniform zoning changes across different areas. TEAM proposes the city review how land is used to uncover overlooked sites—idle properties or developments no longer serving their original purpose—and collect findings in a map of housing opportunities. The party recommends tying zoning decisions to public infrastructure requirements to curb land speculation and simplifying approvals while retaining neighbourhood input.

Hardwick argues that allowing more development on property can increase land value and encourage speculation, with higher land costs ultimately reflected in housing built there. "City Hall has to avoid unnecessary land-value escalation, capture increases in land value for public benefit, and explore ways of removing or reducing land costs from the affordability equation," Hardwick said. As HOC reported in July, TEAM has consistently opposed redevelopment of older rental properties, particularly within the Broadway Plan area.