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Vancouver NPA council candidate Bill McCreery has claimed that some laneway housing is “an unwelcome addition to many Vancouver neighbourhoods”. In a November 9 news release, the architect called for a moratorium on development permits for new laneway-housing developments pending a review of standards, guidelines, and approval processes.

He claimed that the Vision Vancouver–controlled council has ignored complaints from local residents about the loss of on-street parking and loss of privacy as a result of these projects, which can be built to 1.5 storeys in height.

NPA councillor Suzanne Anton—now the NPA mayoral candidate—told the Georgia Straight in 2009 that she supported laneway housing, going so far as to describe it as her “baby”. She noted at the time that she went out on a political limb to promote it in her first term on council even though people in single-family neighbourhoods were reluctant to support the concept.

“It’s interesting to hear Raymond Louie pushing it now,” Anton said in 2009. “Last council, Vision was constantly asking for a longer process, more staff research, more public hearings.”

McCreery noted in his news release that “neighbourhoods should have a say in whether laneway houses are for them or not.”