Affordable housing and homeless shelters are the standout issues for Vancouver City Council Position 2 candidates Alishia Topper and Justin Forsman.

Housing is perhaps the largest facing the city. Thanks to Proposition 1 funding, approved by voters in 2016, the city is collecting $6 million annually for the next seven years to be devoted to reducing the housing crisis.

Topper said the bulk of the funding should go toward increasing the stock of affordable housing. “That’s the goal,” she said during a joint interview with The Columbian Editorial Board on Friday.

Second in line for funding is the preservation of existing affordable housing, in part to prevent situations like the mass exodus from Courtyard Village in December 2014 from reoccurring.

Topper’s position is in line with the city’s, which is actively reviewing proposed funding allocations.