Housing
The Township of Langley is one of the fastest growing communities in Metro Vancouver and current projections indicate that the Township’s population will almost double to 211,000 by 2041. This translates into a demand for over 34,000 new housing units – an average of about 1,300 per year. The Township’s Official Community Plan, which serves as a guide for growth, includes a goal to provide flexible, affordable and mixed housing options for people of different abilities, incomes and ages.
Affordable housing
Housing is considered affordable when households do not spend more than 30 per cent of their before-tax income on housing costs. About 2 in 5 renter households and 1 in 5 owner households in the Township are paying 30 per cent or more of their before-tax income on housing costs (2016 Census).
Looking for affordable housing or emergency shelter?
Check BC Housing’s website, which has listings for:
- subsidized, below market rental, and co-operative housing
- Indigenous housing
- women’s transition homes
- emergency shelters
Township action on affordable housing
As a local government, the Township has limited tools and resources to address housing affordability. Its main role is to ensure an adequate supply of residential land to meet housing demand through land use planning and regulatory processes. Nevertheless, the Township is taking bold action to address housing affordability in the community through a variety of incentives for new affordable housing projects.
Key incentives for new affordable housing projects
- waived Development Cost Charges subject to the eligibility criteria under Bylaw 2019 No. 5462
- increased density may be considered on a project-by-project basis per the Township’s Official Community Plan
- waived Community Amenity Contributions subject to the exemption conditions under Policy 07-166
- reduced parking requirements may be considered on a project-by-project basis per the Township’s Official Community Plan
Interested in building new affordable housing in the Township? Contact the Community Development division for more information and be sure to connect with BC Housing and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation about provincial and federal partnership opportunities.
Plans and strategies
Township action on affordable housing is guided primarily by its Housing Action Plan. Other key plans and strategies include:
- the Township’s Official Community Plan, which includes policies intended to encourage affordable housing
- the Township’s Age- and Dementia-friendly Action Plan, which includes strategies to promote housing options that are appropriate, affordable and accessible for older adults
- Metro Vancouver’s Regional Affordable Housing Strategy, which was endorsed by Township Council, as a collaborative approach to addressing regional housing needs.
Housing needs
The Province of British Columbia requires that local governments prepare and publish a Housing Needs Report every five years. The Township’s 2020 Housing Needs Report identifies existing and projected gaps in housing supply and helps to inform housing policy and action.
Local success stories
On April 15, 2019, Township Council approved the development of a new 82-unit affordable housing project for low- to moderate-income families and seniors in the Willoughby area. The Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church provided the land, the Province provided capital funding and low-interest financing, and the Township waived the Development Cost Charges.
Benefits of affordable housing
Affordable housing choices promote complete, inclusive communities and support the local workforce. When people are living in stable, affordable housing, they are more able to pursue other aspirations like employment, education and entertainment.
Homelessness
In the Langley area, 206 people are homeless (2017 Metro Vancouver Homeless Count). In 2018, Township Council approved the zoning for a new 49-unit supportive housing project called Creek Stone Place. This BC Housing-funded project will be operated by Stepping Stone Community Services Society, a local non-profit organization.
The Township also supports the Gateway of Hope in the City of Langley, which provides a number of services to the homeless and those at risk, including meal and support services and shelter.
Adaptable housing
Adaptable homes have design features that facilitate easy retrofits to enable individuals with limited mobility, due to age or disability, to live in their homes with relative independence. The Township has required adaptable design features in many new housing developments for almost 10 years and, in 2016, updated its policy to require adaptable housing in a proportion of all new housing developments across the Township. Adaptable design features are now required in at least five per cent of all new single family, rowhouse and townhouse units and 10 per cent of all new apartment units.
Looking for adaptable housing?
The location of existing adaptable homes built since 2011 can be found on GeoSource, our online interactive map. The Adaptable Housing brochure includes step-by-step instructions for finding adaptable housing on GeoSource.