About Housing
Dwelling Unit Numbers
In a recent count, there were 59,3801 private dwellings in Richmond. Single detached units account for 47% of the housing stock, followed by low and high rise apartment units (29.4%), townhouse units (21.4%) and semi-detached or two family dwelling units (2.1%).
Within this housing mix you will find assisted housing, affordable housing, and a range of market housing and rental accommodation.
Assisted HousingThe purpose of assisted housing is to provide accommodation to eligible senior citizens, families and individuals. To qualify for government assisted housing, applicants are assessed on the basis of need.
In Richmond, assisted housing includes2:
- A variety of self-contained rental units in apartments and townhouses for families, individuals and seniors (1,705 units),
- Co-operative units (989 units), and
- Self-contained accessible units for disabled persons (632 units).
Most assisted housing can be applied for through BC Housing (604 433-2218), or directly through contact numbers listed in the brochure Housing & Care Directory of Assisted Housing Facilities in Richmond. This brochure is available at the Information Counter, Richmond City Hall, and its contents form the basis of the for the Assisted Housing pages on this site.
Please point your mouse on Housing in the main menu on the left to see the Assisted Housing Facilities topic in the fly out menus.
Affordable HousingThe City of Richmond remains an active partner and strong advocate for affordable housing throughout the City and recognizes the role that housing plays in creating a vibrant, diverse and complete community.
To date, the City has:
- Adopted a Richmond Affordable Housing Strategy (1994) that provides an important City policy framework, and
- Facilitated the development of affordable housing through its City land ground lease program, demonstration projects (e.g. convertible house project at 3860 Regent Street), Homelessness Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy, and strategic public private partnerships.
1 City of Richmond tax and building permit information to June 30, 2004
2 Housing & Care Directory of Assisted Housing Facilities in Richmond, City of Richmond, 2001
In 2002, the Richmond area experiencing the strongest development activity was the Thompson Area. New development in the Thompson community can be characterized as primarily single family. The majority of the single family completions took place in Thompson, Broadmoor, Blundell, West Cambie and Steveston.
New residential development picked up in 2003 and 2004. The majority of townhouse and apartment development took place in the City Centre. More information about these development completions can be viewed in Hot Facts Housing Characteristics.
Median Residential Selling Prices and Number of Sales3Between 1994 to 2004, median residential selling prices in Richmond increased. In June, 2004, median prices for one family dwelling sellings ($439,000), townhouses ($296,000) and apartments ($203, 500) have increased substantially since 1999.
Since 1997, the downward trend in residential sales has begun to rebound. The number of single family units that sold in 2000 was 1,152 which increased to 1,959 in 2003. The number of townhouses sold in 2000 was 664 which increased to 1,288 in 2003. Likewise, apartment units that sold in 2000 was 654 which increased to 1,671 in 2003.
Tenure4As a percentage of total dwelling units, the number of owner occupied dwellings has increased since 1991 while the percentage of rental dwellings has decreased. From 1996 to 2001, apartments has the highest percentage of renter occupied dwellings.
The proportion of renters in Richmond is 29.1%, as compared to renters in BC, which is 33.5%. Delta (20.6%), North Vancouver District Municipality (21.8%) and West Vancouver (23.6%) have the lowest proportion of renters while Vancouver (56.2%) has the highest proportion of renters in the Lower Mainland.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has indicated that rising vacancies are due to increased first time buyer activity induced by low mortgage rates and strong local employment growth.
3 Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver
4 CMHC, Rental Market Report, Vancouver, 2003
Finding Housing Contacts & Information:
The City now provides information on property for sale in Richmond on the GIS Interactive Map Inquiry Tool, in addition the following agencies can provide assistance in finding housing:
- BC Housing Commission
- The Greater Vancouver Housing Corporation
- CMHC Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation
- Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board
- Real Estate Weekly
- Canadian Cooporative Association
- Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada
- Cooperative Housing Programs Administration Agency
Rental accommodation is listed in the Vancouver Sun and Vancouver Province Newspapers, and can also be found in several online rental guides that may be found by searching the web for rental accommodation, apartments or housing.
