Skip to content

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Home-building has to keep pace with growth

If Nanaimo does not keep building homes, bidding wars will intensify, says letter writer
30024603_web1_220810-NBU-letter-home-building-1_1
The City of Nanaimo must continue to approve housing in various forms to keep pace with demand, says letter writer. (News Bulletin file photo)

To the editor,

Re: Rapid development out of touch with what’s affordable, Letters, July 27.

The mayor is correct when he says today’s high-priced buildings will be the moderately priced ones of tomorrow. It’s something called inflation, an increase in population, a lot of people wanting to live on Vancouver Island, and Nanaimo is still affordable compared to other parts of the province. Having watched the Lower Mainland grow from 1951 until today, there have been immense changes.

Vancouver is expensive because they did not keep building affordable housing. Builders, on spec, started building very expensive homes and it worked for them. It’s expensive because they tore down older homes which were still quite liveable and built new homes which were luxury homes. They also did not densify when required.

In Richmond since the 1980s, there are areas which are now having the third new homes being built on the same lot. Vancouver and Richmond tear down houses maybe 20-30 years old and build mansions in their place.

When we moved to Nanaimo eight years ago, we bought a house for $400,000 and change. It was a lot of money, but four years later we sold it for $600,000 and purchased a new home for $600,000. Three-year old homes today sell for $935,000. During this short period of time, houses have gone up greatly and salaries have simply not kept up. If Nanaimo does not keep building more apartments, townhouses and houses, the bidding wars will get more difficult.

Mayor and council are doing the correct thing by having more housing built. They are also doing the correct thing by having apartments and townhouses built for rent and purchase.

E.A. Foster, Nanaimo


The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin.

Letters policy: Letters should be no longer than 250 words and will be edited. Preference is given to letters expressing an opinion on issues of local relevance or responding to items published in the News Bulletin. Include your address (it won’t be published) and a first name or two initials, and a surname. Unsigned letters will not be published.

Mail: Letters, Nanaimo News Bulletin, 777 Poplar St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9S 2H7

Fax: 250-753-0788

E-mail: editor@nanaimobulletin.com