Vernon’s city council is considering an Official Community Plan amendment approving the 580 Commonage development, consisting of 3,960 housing units on 421 hectares, many kilometres from the city centre on a hillside south of Vernon.

The community has repeatedly stated its opposition to sprawl developments and further development of the Commonage.

580 Commonage is a classic example of sprawl development, the outward expansion of low-density residential and commercial development at the outer edges of cities, far from downtown, often “leapfrogging” over vacant land, requiring large amounts of land and automobile dependency even for short trips.

Will the development help Vernon’s affordable housing crisis?

According to the 2024 housing needs report:

• In 2021, more than 4,000 households (22%) could not afford their housing

• More than 33% of renters spent more than 30% of their income on housing

• Between 2017-2023, people experiencing homelessness increased 66%

• Purchase prices have approximately doubled in the last 10 years

• Vernon’s median homeowner income is $89,000 per year

Vernon needs approximately 6,000 housing units in the next 10 years, the majority being subsidized or supported and rental housing for households with incomes below $37,500 per year.

The average........

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