Cities for Everyone is gearing up our Vote for Affordability! campaign to influence the October 20 municipal election. This will including the following activities:
- Share information. Most citizens and candidates claim to support affordability but are unclear about how to do so. This is a teachable moment! Our website provides information concerning how to define and measure inaffordability problems, benefits of increasing affordability, practical ways to increase affordable housing and transportation options, and responses to affordable infill criticisms.
- Establish local affordable housing development targets (called the 1.5% Solution), and identify municipal policies to achieve those targets.
- Survey candidates concerning their support for these targets and policies. (Here is the Times Colonist’s current candidates list and voting information.) We will then rate candidates concerning their commitment to affordability.
- Mobilize more young and lower-income citizens – the people who need more affordable housing and transport options – to vote. Any Canadian citizen who has lived in British Columbia for at least six months, and in a municipality for at least one month may vote in their municipal election; this includes most college and university students.
Vote for Affordability! is an important and exciting project. We need help! Please contact Cities for Everyone (nfo@citiesforeveryone.org) if you might be able to support this campaign with your time or other resources.