In light of the growth being experienced in Yorkton, the housing market in the city is becoming increasingly strained. As a result, the city is currently working with developers to plan new entry-level developments in Yorkton, and a report was presented to council on some of the current work which has been taking place with developers.
Brant Hryhorczuk, Manager of Building Services, outlined some of the developments the city is working on with developers in order to address the needs and develop land holdings around the city.
The city has been using the MLS average to determine the price of an entry level home, Hryhorczuk explains. That price is $187,000, which requires lots to be priced from $30,000 to $40,000 and the homes themselves would be 900 to 1100 sq. ft. with no garage.
Council is looking at different development on lands, including Riverside Meadows Phase 2, Good Spirit Crescent and Pheasant Cove within Phase 2 lands, the remaining C.J. Houston property and the city's land holdings near the SGI building on York Road. Along with houses, multi-unit dwellings are being considered as well.
Some of the concepts presented include narrower lots, with the houses having a smaller setback from the street and all parking in the back. Hryhorczuk says that the concept, inspired by the McKenzie Towne development in Calgary, Alberta, is designed to allow for greater family interaction and greater neighbourhood feel. Rear parking would reduce traffic flow and make the street safer for kids.
Councillor Chris Wyatt says that the city's role in any development would, by necessity, be limited, and he believes that the market should drive the developments. He notes that development of entry level housing would be most appropriate in former C.J. Houston property, as it fits the surrounding neighbourhood, and he would be leery about putting entry level homes near where higher end developments are taking place.
Councillor Larry Pearen says he's familiar with the McKenzie Towne development, and he believes that a similar development in Yorkton would be something to be encouraged.
Councillor Richard Okrainec notes that while the development is encouraging, the cost of the homes is still quite high, with $187,000 being out of reach for many families. Hryhorczuk says the development is also looking at multi-unit developments to keep that more accessible to more people.
A further report will be presented to council by the meeting on May 2, 2011.
Assessment completes phase two
While it might be known that there is a housing problem in the City of Yorkton, the specific needs of the city need to be ascertained. To that end, phase 2 of the housing needs assessment study was recently completed and presented to city council.
According to Faisal Anwar, Economic Development Officer for the City of Yorkton, this phase of the study involved consultations with community representatives and relevant stakeholders to validate housing availability and affordability challenges ahead.
It also helped to provide a better understanding of current housing adequacy, suitability, and accessibility issues in the city. A series of focus group meetings were conducted in collaboration with Louise Belanger, Community Health Educator of the Sunrise Health Region.
The focus group sessions were divided into six groups, Health and Social Service providers, housing industry professionals, business organizations, educational institutions, financial institutions and seniors. This was in order to get a maximum representation from the community.
The study indicated that availability and cost were the biggest concerns in Yorkton, as well as accessibility for senior's housing. A lack of rental and affordable housing units was highlighted as a major concern, with the cost being outside of the means of many families.
The report brought with it some recommendations, including encouraging secondary suite development, smaller lot development for low cost entry-level housing, and a long term 5-year community housing plan to accommodate housing needs for all groups.
Councillor Chris Wyatt says that there needs to be action on a housing plan needs to come quickly, as the city is already behind in some ways in dealing with the housing in the city.
Councillor Bob Maloney emphasizes that while plans are great, there is a limit to what the city can do just from a budgetary perspective. While there are ways to encourage more development, he notes that there's a limit to the amount the city can pay.
Councillor Ross Fisher notes that with the upcoming housing plan by the provincial government coming in June, the city needs to be able to see how it can take advantage of that report and any incentives outlined.
The housing issues in the province will continue to be examined in the near future, and the provincial government will be in Yorkton on March 31 from 1-5 p.m. to do a housing study.
