In: Economics
inrtoduction to vancouver housing
Vancouver Housing
•Affordability is contributing to severe housing challenges for very low-income and marginalized residents seen through the increase in unsheltered homeless residents and concerns about evictions
• Rental market continues to be extremely tight with vacancy rates below 1% and increasing private market rents; in 2018 the average rent in private purpose-built apartment units was ~20% higher in vacant units than occupied units
• Housing supply continues to grow with above average starts and completions, however stock may not meet needs of all households in terms of size, tenure and affordability
• Detached home prices have fallen slightly yet remain largely out of reach for local incomes; eastside condo prices have increased 5.7% in 2018
• Rising GDP and growing labour force continues to drive demand, however mortgage rates have risen from a 10-year low in 2017 to 4.39% in 2018