--- title: "Housing Fund and Local Business: the Vote Vancouver plan | Vancouver 2026 | voche.me" canonical_url: "https://voche.me/parties/vote-vancouver/2026-platform/economic-drivers/housing-fund-and-local-business" last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:01:02.892Z" meta: description: "Vote Vancouver would use the Vancouver Affordable Housing Endowment Fund with city land to build deeply affordable housing, offer tax breaks to new Downtow..." "og:description": "Vote Vancouver would use the Vancouver Affordable Housing Endowment Fund with city land to build deeply affordable housing, offer tax breaks to new Downtow..." "og:title": "Housing Fund and Local Business: the Vote Vancouver plan | Vancouver 2026" "twitter:description": "Vote Vancouver would use the Vancouver Affordable Housing Endowment Fund with city land to build deeply affordable housing, offer tax breaks to new Downtow..." "twitter:title": "Housing Fund and Local Business: the Vote Vancouver plan | Vancouver 2026" --- ** Vote Vancouver · Vancouver 2026 # Vote Vancouver: housing endowment fund, DTES business incentives, event permits Vote Vancouver would use the Vancouver Affordable Housing Endowment Fund with city land to build deeply affordable housing, offer tax breaks to new Downtown Eastside businesses that show a community benefit, rent city storefronts to local entrepreneurs and simplify permits for festivals and live music. All 7 commitments [Read page 35 of the PDF ](https://votevancouver.ca/s/VV-PolicyPriorities_260915.pdf#page=35) [**12**Candidates](https://voche.me/parties/vote-vancouver/candidates) [**10/10**Issues with published policy](https://voche.me/parties/vote-vancouver/platform) [**6**Sources on file](https://voche.me/parties/vote-vancouver/money) **9**Questions answered ECONOMIC DRIVERS · PAGE 35 ## Housing Fund and Local Business: what the Policy Priorities says This page holds the first half of Vote Vancouver's list headed "Economic Drivers". It starts with housing money. The party would use the Vancouver Affordable Housing Endowment Fund together with city land, so that the city builds deeply affordable housing directly. The party would also look at an affordable housing asset class model, which it says would raise capital for deeply affordable housing, and run pilot projects where 30% of the homes are deeply affordable. It says building this housing on public land would lower housing costs overall, because the city would stop relying on private developers to deliver homes below market rent. The rest of the page is about business. Vote Vancouver would offer incentives such as tax breaks to new businesses in the Downtown Eastside that show a real community benefit. City-owned shops in the Downtown Eastside would be run under a head lease, where one social enterprise rents the whole set and chooses the tenants. A Business-to-Storefront program would use suitable city-owned shops to help local entrepreneurs start up. The party would also simplify permits for festivals, street events and live music, and cut event fees and paperwork. Council controls city-owned land and property, sets city taxes and fees and runs the permit process, so it can act on this page. Any tax break would have to fit the powers the Vancouver Charter gives the city, and only the Province can change that act. The Downtown Eastside items would also depend on the social enterprise operator and the local businesses the party wants to attract. THE PARTY'S NUMBERS ## Figures in this chapter **30%** Share of units the party wants delivered as deeply affordable housing in its pilot projects The party's figure, page 35 7 COMMITMENTS ## What the party says it would do 1. ### Affordable Housing Fund with city land Vote Vancouver would use the Vancouver Affordable Housing Endowment Fund, combined with City land, to build deeply affordable housing directly.

Who has the power: City Council Council controls city land and decides how city reserves and funds are spent.
Source: Policy Priorities, page 35

2. ### Affordable housing asset class model The party would look at an affordable housing asset class model to raise capital for deeply affordable housing, and pilot projects that can deliver 30% of units as deeply affordable housing.

Who has the power: City, with others Council can set up the pilots, and the platform does not say who would provide the capital.
Source: Policy Priorities, page 35

3. ### Deeply affordable housing on public land Vote Vancouver would reduce overall housing costs by building deeply affordable housing on public land, which it says would drive down market-rate prices by no longer relying on the private market to deliver below-market housing.

Who has the power: City Council Council decides what is built on city-owned land.
Source: Policy Priorities, page 35

4. ### Incentives for new Downtown Eastside businesses The party would create incentives, such as tax breaks, for new businesses that open in the Downtown Eastside and show a meaningful community benefit.

Who has the power: City Council Council sets city taxes and fees, so any city tax break would come from Council, within the powers the Vancouver Charter gives it.
Source: Policy Priorities, page 35

5. ### Head-lease model for city-owned shops Vote Vancouver would run city-owned commercial retail units in the Downtown Eastside under a head-lease model, partnering with a social enterprise operator to choose tenants instead of direct City management.

Who has the power: City Council The city owns these units, so Council decides how they are leased.
Source: Policy Priorities, page 35

6. ### Business-to-Storefront program The party would develop a Business-to-Storefront program, using suitable City-owned commercial properties to help local entrepreneurs and community-serving businesses get established.

Who has the power: City Council Council controls how city-owned commercial property is used and leased.
Source: Policy Priorities, page 35

7. ### Simpler permits for festivals and live music Vote Vancouver would simplify permits and approvals for festivals, performances, street events and live music, and reduce event-related fees and unnecessary administrative requirements.

Who has the power: City Council The city licenses events and sets its own permit fees, so Council can change them.
Source: Policy Priorities, page 35

WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT ## Where the power sits for this chapter City Council6 City, with others1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ## Questions about housing fund and local business

What is Vote Vancouver's Affordable Housing Fund plan?

Vote Vancouver would use the Vancouver Affordable Housing Endowment Fund together with city land to build deeply affordable housing directly (Policy Priorities, page 35).

Would Vote Vancouver give tax breaks to Downtown Eastside businesses?

The party would create incentives, such as tax breaks, for new businesses that open in the Downtown Eastside and show a meaningful community benefit (Policy Priorities, page 35).

What is the Business-to-Storefront program?

It is a Vote Vancouver proposal to use suitable city-owned shops to help local entrepreneurs and community-serving businesses get started (Policy Priorities, page 35).

What is a head-lease model in Vote Vancouver's platform?

Vote Vancouver would lease city-owned shops in the Downtown Eastside to one social enterprise operator, which would choose the tenants, in place of the city managing each shop directly (Policy Priorities, page 35).

How would Vote Vancouver lower housing costs?

The party says building deeply affordable housing on public land would lower overall housing costs and push down market prices, because the city would stop relying on private developers for below-market homes. It would pilot projects where 30% of units are deeply affordable (Policy Priorities, page 35).

Would Vote Vancouver make event permits easier?

Yes. Vote Vancouver would simplify permits for festivals, performances, street events and live music, and reduce event fees and needless paperwork (Policy Priorities, page 35).

ON THE BALLOT ## The Vote Vancouver candidates behind this ### Mayor [52**Rebecca Bligh**Ballot 52 · Vancouver city councillor](https://voche.me/candidates/rebecca-bligh) ### City Council [105**Geoff Teoli**Ballot 105](https://voche.me/candidates/geoff-teoli) [106**Keerit Jutla**Ballot 106](https://voche.me/candidates/keerit-jutla) [112**Steve Jedreicich**Ballot 112](https://voche.me/candidates/steve-jedreicich) [114**Rebecca Hasdell**Ballot 114](https://voche.me/candidates/rebecca-hasdell) [115**Bhavna Solecki**Ballot 115](https://voche.me/candidates/bhavna-solecki) [132**John Boychuk**Ballot 132](https://voche.me/candidates/john-boychuk) ## 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. 1. [Vote Vancouver Policy Priorities ](https://votevancouver.ca/s/VV-PolicyPriorities_260915.pdf#page=35)SAYS SO ITSELFVote Vancouver · pages 35 · checked September 22, 2026 ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.