The City of Vernon is being urged to bring illegal suites into the mainstream as a way of addressing the shortage of affordable housing in the community. Council will receive a recommendation from its affordable housing committee Tuesday to legalize secondary suites. "It's a really valuable, inexpensive way to provide affordable housing," said Coun. Juliette Cunningham, a member of the
committee. "It's not the be-all 
and end-all but it can be part of a strategy to address the crisis in the community." There is currently a process within the city to legalize suites, but Cunningham says the regulations and costs involved are "onerous" and very few property owners have participated. She believes there is a need for a simpler process of legalizing suites while ensuring safety issues for tenants are taken into account, as well as building codes. "We could also make sure parking requirements are met. We don't want to impact the neighbourhoods." On Tuesday, council will also receive the results of the committee's affordable housing survey. Of the 494 questionnaires filled out, 66 per cent stated they are renting, 16 per cent are living with family or a friend, five per cent are in a shelter, four per cent are at Transition House, two per cent are homeless and five per cent own a home. Twenty-eight per cent of respondents stated they have an annual gross household income of less than $9,000, while 51 per cent don't have money for a downpayment. "It's a snapshot of the need in the community," said Cunningham of the survey. Beyond the numbers, Cunningham says the process was troubling. "The letters and calls that came along with the surveys had some telling stories," she said.
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