OneCity housing plan: 4,000 homes on city land, 25-foot lots, single-stair rules
OneCity says a city-run People's Builder would build 4,000 affordable family homes on city-owned land. It would also allow 25-foot lots, five-foot setbacks, courtyards between four-storey buildings, single-stair buildings, corner stores everywhere and six storeys near city centres.
HOUSING FOR ALL
People's Builder and Small Lots & Strong Blocks: what the Our Plans says
OneCity released The Way Home & Housing for All on September 24, 2026. Its largest number is 4,000. A city-run People's Builder would build 4,000 family homes on land the city already owns. The city would guarantee loans, draw in federal money and put in its own capital, and any money a project returns would go into the next one.
The party ties this to a council vote. It says that in October 2025, ABC asked council to create a public corporation to build 4,000 market rental homes on six city sites, that OneCity Councillor Lucy Maloney voted against it, and that it failed. OneCity says it would bring the idea back with affordable homes in place of market rents.
The second section, Small Lots & Strong Blocks, changes what can be built on a lot. The party would allow 25-foot lots, down from 33 feet, cut setbacks, the space a building must leave to the property line, to five feet, and allow a courtyard between two four-storey buildings. It would allow single-stair buildings, which have only one staircase, across the city. Four-storey buildings with corner stores would be allowed everywhere, and six storeys with services near city centres.
The party says these changes would make each type of home allowed and leave the choice to build with owners and neighbours. Council controls zoning and city land, so it can make most of these changes. The People's Builder also counts on federal money. Vancouver has its own building bylaw, so the single-stair change is a city decision. The page gives no timeline, cost or list of sites for the 4,000 homes.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
Affordable family homes OneCity says a People's Builder would build on city-owned land
The party's figureSmallest lot width OneCity would allow, down from 33 feet
The party's figureSetback OneCity would allow from the property line
The party's figureCity sites OneCity says were in ABC's October 2025 rental housing proposal
The party's figure7 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
4,000 Affordable Homes Built by the City
A city-run People's Builder would build 4,000 family homes on land the city already owns. The city would guarantee loans, draw in federal funding and put in capital, and money returned by a project would go into the next project.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The city owns the land and Council can direct its use, but the plan also counts on federal funding.
Legalize 25-foot lots
OneCity would legalize 25-foot lots, down from 33 feet.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets zoning, including the smallest lot size allowed.
Five-foot setbacks
The party would reduce setbacks, the distance a building must stand back from the property line, to five feet.
- Who has the power
- City Council Setbacks are part of the city's zoning rules, which Council sets.
Courtyards between four-storey buildings
OneCity would let owners build a courtyard between four-storey buildings.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets zoning and approves the building forms allowed on each lot.
Legalize single-stair buildings across Vancouver
The party would legalize single-stair buildings, which have one staircase, across Vancouver so small home builders can build more homes on smaller lots for less money.
- Who has the power
- City Council Vancouver has its own building bylaw under the Vancouver Charter, so Council sets its building rules.
Four floors with corner stores everywhere
OneCity would allow four-storey buildings with corner stores everywhere in the city.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets zoning, including where shops and homes may be built.
Six floors with services near city centres
The party would allow six-storey buildings with services near city centres.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets zoning for building heights across the city.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about people's builder and small lots & strong blocks
What is OneCity's People's Builder?
The People's Builder is a city-run builder that OneCity says would build 4,000 affordable family homes on land the city already owns. The city would guarantee loans, draw in federal funding and put in capital, and money a project returns would go into the next one (OneCity Housing for All plan, September 24, 2026).
Does OneCity want to allow 25-foot lots in Vancouver?
Yes. OneCity would legalize 25-foot lots, down from 33 feet, and reduce setbacks, the space a building must leave to the property line, to five feet. It would also allow a courtyard between four-storey buildings (OneCity Housing for All plan, September 24, 2026).
What is OneCity's position on single-stair buildings?
OneCity would legalize single-stair buildings, which have one staircase, across Vancouver. The party says this would let small home builders build more homes on smaller lots for less money (OneCity Housing for All plan, September 24, 2026).
Would OneCity allow six-storey buildings in Vancouver neighbourhoods?
OneCity would allow six-storey buildings with services near city centres, and four-storey buildings with corner stores everywhere. The party says the changes would make these homes allowed, with the choice to build left to owners (OneCity Housing for All plan, September 24, 2026).
How did OneCity vote on ABC's plan for city-built rental homes?
OneCity says that in October 2025, ABC asked council to create a public corporation to build 4,000 market rental homes on six city sites, and that OneCity Councillor Lucy Maloney voted against it and it failed. OneCity says it would bring the idea back with affordable homes (OneCity Housing for All plan, September 24, 2026).
Can Vancouver City Council change zoning to allow smaller lots?
Yes. Council sets zoning in Vancouver, including lot sizes, setbacks and building heights, and it controls city-owned land. That is how OneCity would carry out most of its building changes. The People's Builder also counts on federal funding (OneCity Housing for All plan, September 24, 2026).
ON THE BALLOT
The OneCity candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- OneCity Announces their Plans to show Vancouverites the Way Home with Housing for All SAYS SO ITSELFOneCity · published · checked