Vancouver to consider modular housing for homeless, artists, seniors

[SpongeG]

Vancouver to consider modular housing for homeless, artists, seniors


Modular buildings used for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games media tour in Whistler.
Photograph by: Bill Keay, Vancouver Sun

Vancouver is considering allowing modular housing for everything from temporary lodging for the homeless to live-work studios for artists and even housing for seniors.

If the experiment is a success, the city could make such forms of housing permanent, Mayor Gregor Robertson said Thursday.

In the meantime, the city will consider making some unused public lands available for modular housing as it and the province work their way through a backlog to build 1,500 permanent social housing units on 14 city sites.

"For the time being it's temporary housing. There would be a time limit. Five years is a probable ballpark," the mayor told The Vancouver Sun's editorial board. "We've seen this form of housing used in other cities to fill a gap in the housing continuum and we have a couple of big gaps. This may get some vacant land into use."

Currently Vancouver doesn't allow modular or portable buildings to be used for residences, in part because in the past they haven't met the city's building and zoning codes.

...

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertai...757/story.html

[MechMike]

This is a great idea, now we just need something like this for those leeching off the social housing system.

[jlousa]

We don't need modular buildings we need modular people, that can adapt quickly and move from place to place.

I know Gregory Henriquez has been pushing this with his Stop-gap project but I'm not entirely convinced yet. I am a fan of modular construction though and it certainly should be more popular.

[mr.x]

What about container homes?


http://www.inspiringcities.org/index..._article=18197

[Stingray2004]

Originally Posted by jlousa

I am a fan of modular construction though and it certainly should be more popular.

Many don't understand the concept or come to the conclusion that it's both an "inferior" product as well as a "mobile" structure.

Definitely a better quality product than stick-built on-site, considerably reduces financial/construction/timing risk, and at least 25% - 35% in cost savings from the development side of things from my perspective. Just pour the foundations on site.

I've used these guys alot in the past and have been quite happy with their product (albeit they are higher end):

Every home delivered by Chaparral meets or exceeds the BC Building Code as well as C.S.A. A-277 manufacturing requirements.

http://www.chaparralhomes.com/welcome.php

Still surprised that it's not utilized as much.

[Millennium2002]

same.

There's a neat video comparing modular or prefab construction to current methods for wood-based construction.

http://www.solutionsforwood.ca/_incl...w.flv&400&300&

- Allan Kuan