--- title: "Richmond Forward on housing | Richmond 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/richmond-forward/platform/housing" last_updated: "2026-10-31T17:02:48.080Z" meta: description: "Richmond Forward's housing pillar promises to reduce costly permit wait times, to incentivize and fast-track seniors housing, to innovate to make housing m..." "og:description": "Richmond Forward's housing pillar promises to reduce costly permit wait times, to incentivize and fast-track seniors housing, to innovate to make housing m..." "og:title": "Richmond Forward on housing | Richmond 2026" "twitter:description": "Richmond Forward's housing pillar promises to reduce costly permit wait times, to incentivize and fast-track seniors housing, to innovate to make housing m..." "twitter:title": "Richmond Forward on housing | Richmond 2026" --- Richmond Forward · Richmond 2026 # Shorter permit waits, seniors housing fast-tracked, and a freeze on permit application fees Richmond Forward's housing pillar promises to reduce costly permit wait times, to incentivize and fast-track seniors housing, to innovate to make housing more affordable, and to develop more options for seniors' services. Howard's statement to the City promises "attainable seniors' homes". The platform gives no number of homes and no target time for permits. [Compare all parties on this ](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/issues/housing) [All four issues](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/richmond-forward/platform) [**1**Candidates](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/richmond-forward/candidates) [**3/4**Issues with published policy](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/richmond-forward/platform) [**19**Sources on file](https://voche.me/bc/richmond-2026/parties/richmond-forward/money) **8**Questions answered HOUSING AND ZONING ## Richmond Forward on housing The H in S.H.A.P.E. stands for housing: "permits, seniors' homes". The platform's housing list has four items: reduce costly permit wait times, incentivize and fast-track seniors housing, innovate to make housing more affordable, and develop more options for seniors' services. Its accountability list adds a freeze on City permit application fees. Howard's statement to the City says he has spent 25 years as an entrepreneur building seniors' homes, and promises to build attainable seniors' homes so residents can stay in the community. Eric Yung's statement says he wants a variety of purpose-built housing for all ages and stages of life, and that there are no quick fixes. At the council debate of October 8, 2026, Richmond News reported, Melissa Zhang said infrastructure and services must keep pace with new homes. Romeo Bicego's statement to the City commits to protecting Richmond's agricultural land. 5 PUBLISHED COMMITMENTS ## What they say they will do - ### Reduce permit wait times The platform's housing list promises to reduce costly permit wait times. It sets no target time. [Richmond Forward Voters Society](https://robhowardformayor.ca/vision/) - ### Incentivize and fast-track seniors housing The platform promises to incentivize and fast-track seniors housing, and Howard's statement to the City promises attainable seniors' homes. No number of homes or incentive is named. [Richmond Forward Voters Society](https://robhowardformayor.ca/vision/) [City of Richmond](https://richmond.ca/electionservices/candidates/CandidateProfile.aspx?ID=54) - ### Freeze City permit application fees The platform's accountability list promises to freeze City permit application fees. It gives no period for the freeze. [Richmond Forward Voters Society](https://robhowardformayor.ca/vision/) - ### More options for seniors' services The platform promises to develop more options for seniors' services and to innovate to make housing more affordable. It names no program. [Richmond Forward Voters Society](https://robhowardformayor.ca/vision/) - ### Protect private property rights The prosperity pillar promises to do everything the City can to protect private property rights. It names no specific step. [Richmond Forward Voters Society](https://robhowardformayor.ca/vision/) ### What is not published - The platform gives no number of homes, no target permit time and no cost. - Howard is the organization's only elected member, and the mayor has one vote of nine on Council. ## Sources A source marked SAYS SO ITSELF is the party's own material. It proves what the party claims, not that the claim is true. 1. [Register of Elector Organizations by Jurisdiction, as of October 30, 2026 ](https://elections.bc.ca/docs/fin/List-of-elector-organizations-by-jurisdiction.pdf)Elections BC · published October 30, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 2. [Elector organizations: registration and financial reporting ](https://elections.bc.ca/local-elections/elector-organizations/)Elections BC · checked October 30, 2026 3. [Financial Reports and Political Contributions System: local elections scanned reports search ](https://contributions.electionsbc.gov.bc.ca/pcs/LESearch.aspx)Elections BC · checked October 30, 2026 4. [Declaration of Election by Voting, September 21, 2026 ](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/Declaration_of_Election_by_Voting_-_September_21__202679778.pdf)City of Richmond · published September 21, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 5. [Declaration of Official Election Results, October 21, 2026 ](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/2026_declaration_of_official_result79945.pdf)City of Richmond · published October 21, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 6. [Candidate profile: Rob Howard, statement to the City ](https://richmond.ca/electionservices/candidates/CandidateProfile.aspx?ID=54)City of Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 7. [Candidate profile: Howard Jampolsky, statement to the City ](https://richmond.ca/electionservices/candidates/CandidateProfile.aspx?ID=55)City of Richmond · checked October 30, 2026 8. [Rob Howard For Mayor: home page ](https://robhowardformayor.ca/)SAYS SO ITSELFRichmond Forward Voters Society · checked October 30, 2026 9. [Rob Howard For Mayor: Vision, the S.H.A.P.E. platform ](https://robhowardformayor.ca/vision/)SAYS SO ITSELFRichmond Forward Voters Society · checked October 30, 2026 10. [Rob Howard For Mayor: Team, with the launch release of May 26, 2026 ](https://robhowardformayor.ca/team/)SAYS SO ITSELFRichmond Forward Voters Society · published May 26, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 11. [Former top cop vies for council seat, ponders future run for Richmond mayor's chair ](https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/former-top-cop-vies-for-council-seat-ponders-future-run-for-richmond-mayors-chair-5737239)Richmond News · published August 24, 2022 · checked October 30, 2026 12. [Candidates coming forward for fall Richmond city election ](https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/candidates-coming-forward-for-fall-richmond-city-election-11970567)Richmond News · published March 9, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 13. [Slates announced for Richmond fall election ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2026-civic-election/slates-announced-for-richmond-bc-2026-municipal-election-12364717)Richmond News · published June 2, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 14. [Richmond election 2026: A complete list of local candidates ](https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/heres-who-running-in-richmond-come-election-time-in-october-12771026)Richmond News · published September 11, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 15. [Richmond Votes: 29 council candidates face off in debate ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2026-civic-election/richmond-bc-votes-29-council-candidates-face-off-in-debate-12878344)Richmond News · published October 10, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 16. [Richmond Votes: Rob Howard elected Richmond's new mayor ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2026-civic-election/richmond-votes-rob-howard-elected-richmonds-new-mayor-12906711)Richmond News · published October 17, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 17. [Richmond Votes: Five fresh faces on Richmond city council ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2026-civic-election/richmond-bc-votes-four-fresh-faces-on-richmond-council-12908027)Richmond News · published October 18, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 18. [Richmond Votes: Municipal election turnout rises by 15K in 2026 ](https://www.richmond-news.com/2026-civic-election/richmond-bc-votes-municipal-election-turnout-rises-by-15k-in-2026-12911501)Richmond News · published October 19, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 19. [Rob Howard narrowly wins Richmond mayoral race ](https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/rob-howard-narrowly-wins-richmond-mayoral-race/)CTV News · published October 18, 2026 · checked October 30, 2026 ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/bc/richmond-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.