Using City-owned land to address Vancouver's housing crisis: A case study of the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency

In 2014, the City of Vancouver established the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency (VAHA's) as a response to the city's deepening housing crisis. This research project analyzes the role of the Agency between 2014 and 2021 in the City's affordable housing agenda. Through analysis of documents and interview data, this case study offers a critical policy analysis that details the number of housing units delivered through the VAHA, but also several factors that shaped the role VAHA was able to play in addressing the housing crisis. The research concludes by proposing that new theorization is needed to understand the role of local governments within this current moment of Canada's housing system that stands in-between established neoliberalization of housing policy and renewed senior government engagement in housing. Ultimately, it recognizes the City's key contribution via the VAHA was the dedication of publicly owned land towards affordable housing.