A report on affordable housing recommends that council create a Squamish Housing Organization to act as a central hub for affordable units.
The Housing Organization would act as a property manager for District-owned affordable properties and units, a direction that would be moving toward Whistler's housing authority model.
The organization would operate a centralized waitlist in Squamish with one application process for potential renters.
One major decision facing council is whether the hypothetical organization would be a legal corporation, a non-profit society or a partnership with an existing non-profit.
"The recommendation in the report is for a corporation. From staff's point of view I don't think we're quite at a point where we're definitely ready to make that recommendation to council," said District general manager Gary Buxton.
Buxton said more work needs to be done on the administrative and financial impacts of a corporation.
On Tuesday, council agreed to extend M'akola Development Services' contract to continue working on the finer details of the plan. Staff will also inquire about management for the proposed Buckley Avenue housing project.
The action plan provided in the report includes the Buckley building ideally being ready for occupancy in 2020.
BC Housing has already provided $145,000 toward the project, which is still in the approval process. A public hearing on the development is scheduled for May 15.
The second element of the M'akola report is a "comprehensive, affordable housing policy" that would look at how the District encourages the building of new affordable units.
Tools to gather more funding and identify land would be key to building more units.
The third piece detailed in the report is a "perpetually affordable policy" that would outline how District-owned affordable housing units are managed. That bylaw or policy would include fixed rental rates that would be restricted by household income.
The report gives examples of the rental costs and income limits. For a two-bedroom home, the proposed maximum monthly rent is $1,063.
To qualify for a rental, applicants would need to be employed in Squamish, a retiree, unable to work due to disability, or a person who has lived in Squamish for at least five years.
