The city of Vancouver is moving ahead with a plan to allow homeowners to convert their back-alley garages into laneway housing. The plan, approved this year with the unanimous support of civic council, is one of the key parts of the municipality's controversial eco-density charter adopted in June to increase the number of people living in the city in an environmentally sustainable manner. Many people can see how having a living space in their garage will work in a city with little affordable rental space,. "The kids are starting to leave the house. We could put ourselves in a little cottage, put our kids and grandkids one day in the house. "Elderly people might be able to put help in the little laneway house, letting them stay at home for many more years, if they have help." The average cost of a conversion is expected to be around $150,000, but owners will only be able to rent and not sell the laneway homes. Before any of the alley homes go ahead, there will be public hearings on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis, and only homes already zoned single-family will qualify for the pilot project. That means the first laneway house won't be built for about a year.

Watch for a new web site coming from Genie Block Homes, builders of quality concrete block homes, garages and retaining walls located in  Vancouver, B.C. Canada. Site will be located here: http://www.lanewayhousingcontractors.com (coming soon).