Community Acceptance Toolkit Guide

Extracted text (beginning)

Community  
Acceptance of  
Non-Market Housing 
TOOLKIT
Guide 2  
Design Considerations to  
Gain Community Acceptance  
More inclusive neighbourhoods can be created in the long-term by ensuring quality design 
to optimize outcomes for both residents and neighbouring residents in non-market housing 
developments. Avoiding community and neighbourhood opposition can be accomplished 
through thoughtful site selection, before a design concept is prepared. Attention to design 
details can also further address neighbourhood concerns while improving operational outcomes 
for the non-profit housing provider and living quality for residents.
This guide focuses on site selection and high-level design considerations related to proposed 
non-market housing developments. This guide is intended to help non-profit providers in their 
discussions with development consultants, architects, and other design professionals.  These 
professionals will help guide non-profit providers through the design process and provide advice  
on how to design non-market housing with consideration of community acceptance.  For addition-
al information on design details, refer to BC Housing’s Design Guidelines and Construction 
Standards, available online: https://www.bchousing.org/partner-services/asset-management-
redevelopment/construction-standards. Some local governments may also have their own 
design guidelines. 
This guide summarizes: 
 ›Importance of design on living outcomes and mitigating concerns. 
 ›Pre-planning for design acceptance.
 ›Design considerations with site selection to gain community acceptance.
 ›Designing site to achieve community acceptance. 
Purpose  
The purpose of this guide is 
to help non-profit housing 
providers prevent and address 
common site selection and 
design concerns raised by 
communities related to non-
market housing.   
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Guide 2 forms part of the 
Community Acceptance of 
Non-Market Housing Toolkit, 
a series of five guides.  
For more information on  
the Toolkit, go to the  
Research Centre Library  
at www.bchousing.org.
Margaret Mitchell Place, Vancouver

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COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE OF NON-MARKET HOUSING TOOLKIT
Guide 2: Design Considerations To Gain Community Acceptance
Importance of Design on Living Outcomes 
and Mitigating Concerns
This section explores the importance of physical design and why it should be considered when seeking to gain and maintain 
community acceptance of a non-market housing development.
Creating Quality Living Environments for 
Residents
Many challenges can be mitigated through appropriate design 
considerations and involving both the residents and building 
operators early in the design process. To ensure successful 
outcomes for residents and neighbours, non-profit housing 
providers must carefully consider the specific needs of the 
residents from the outset, for example in site selection and 
initial site design. Various resident groups will have different 
needs includin

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