British Columbia launches the Standardized Housing Design Project aimed at creating new standardized designs for small-scale, multi-unit homes, including townhomes, triplexes, and laneway homes. The goal is to facilitate quicker and more cost-effective development for homeowners and builders.
Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing, emphasized the need for innovative solutions to expedite housing construction. Standardized building designs are expected to streamline the permitting process, making it easier for local governments to grant building permits quickly. The province plans to expand the range of designs in the coming years to ensure diverse housing options for communities.
Under the project, new standardized, customizable residential designs will be created for small-scale, multi-unit housing built on single lots. These designs can be adopted by local governments and offered to builders and homeowners at a significantly reduced cost to accelerate permitting and development. To facilitate this, the province is seeking a consultant team to provide expert advice on the design development.
Standardized designs offer several advantages, including the ability to streamline the permitting process, save costs associated with expensive design services, and support smaller local governments with limited resources. The move aligns with recent legislation allowing for increased housing density on single-family zoned land and near transit stops.
The first phase of the project involves selecting a consultant through a request for proposals issued on Nov. 15, 2023, closing on Dec. 13, 2023. The consultant will collaborate with industry professionals and local governments to develop design parameters and provide support in reviewing draft and completed designs. The province aims to procure design services by spring 2024, with standardized designs expected to be available to local governments by summer 2024.
Up to 10 different designs will be developed, complying with the BC Building Code and aiming to be as close as possible to building-permit ready. The designs will cater to various lot sizes and configurations, providing widespread applicability throughout B.C. and assisting builders and homeowners in adding increased density more affordably.
In addition to the housing designs, a separate project is underway to develop guidebooks for local governments, acting as a blueprint for implementing a pre-approval process and providing guidance to homeowners and small-scale builders on adding density with standardized designs.
The Standardized Housing Design Project aligns with the Homes for People action plan, aiming to unlock more homes quickly, reduce development costs, and address housing approval delays. The initiative is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government, highlighting the commitment to addressing the housing shortage and making housing more attainable for a wider population.
