Housing Action Plan

UBC’s Housing Action Plan is part of the university’s overall strategy for academic excellence and sustainability leadership.

Improving housing choice and affordability at UBC

UBC’s Housing Action Plan (HAP), adopted in 2012 and updated in 2018 by the UBC Board of Governors, is part of the university’s overall strategy for academic excellence and sustainability leadership, integrating the responsible management of our land base with these goals.

Key elements of the HAP to improve housing choice and affordability for faculty and staff include:

  • Up to 30% of future housing on campus will be rental. At least 20% will be restricted rental for faculty and staff; up to 10% will be market rent.
  • Within this restricted rental, UBC will pilot a rent geared to income program of up to 110 units intended for lower income faculty and staff households.
  • A restricted homeownership program will be explored for tenure and tenure-track faculty, for up to 10% of future leasehold units on campus.
  • The eligibility for the faculty Down Payment Assistance program is 10 years.
  • Building a wider range of unit sizes from smaller ‘starter’ suites to units suitable for single or 2-person households, and larger units for families.
  • Providing preferential and early access for faculty and staff to purchase new units before they are released for sale to the general public.
  • Continued expansion of student housing inventory and support. See also Student Housing and Hospitality Services.

Please visit Housing, Immigration & Relocation Services for more information on housing support programs.

Download the policy document:

Housing Action Plan (.pdf) 

Housing Action Plan Ten-Year Review

In 2022, the Housing Action Plan Steering Committee is undertaking the 10-year HAP review process. At the 10-year mark, there is an opportunity as well as growing community expectation for a broad update with a refreshed strategic approach to support affordability, as well as other university priorities.  

To best meet UBC’s strategic interests and long-term strategic goals, the HAP 10-year-review will be closely aligned with the Campus Vision 2050 (CV2050) process. The HAP review will be presented to the Board of Governors in Spring 2023, the timing of which is key as an input into the updated CV2050 Land Use Plan.  

For background and updates on the HAP process, including the recently published UBC Faculty and Staff Housing Needs Assessment and Programs Review, visit https://campusvision2050.ubc.ca/hap-review

HAP Implementation Update: Five-Year Review (2012-2017)

Consistent with Policy 18 of the HAP, a review is to be undertaken every five years. The first five-year review was completed in early 2018.

  • Phase I of the 5-Year HAP Review, also known as the 10 Year Faculty Housing Implementation Strategy 2016, focused on adjustments to the faculty support programs. Its findings and recommendations were received and approved by the Board of Governors on December 6, 2016. 
  • A follow-up Board report and approval regarding the Faculty Housing Assistance Financial Endowment (FHAFE) needed to fund and launch the PIRL program (February 2017).
  • Approval of a framework for a modified Rent-Geared-to-Income pilot program (June 2017).
  • Phase II of the Review then focused on student and staff support policies. The final results of the Phase II Review were brought to the Board of Governors on December 5, 2017.
  • Final housekeeping updates to the HAP reflective of all the above were approved by the Board of Governors on April 19, 2018.

The Board fully supported all recommendations of Phase I and II review including a general re-affirmation of the ongoing importance of the HAP policies, and some implementation program level improvements to accelerate the achievement of the HAP targets.

More information on the results of this review can be found in Appendix 2 of the Housing Action Plan (.pdf).

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