Housing Q&A: Joe Keithley, B.C. Greens

The Burnaby NOW sent the following five questions on housing to each of the Burnaby candidates.

Candidates were asked to answer each question in 50 words or less. 

Here are the answers from Joe Keithley, running for the B.C. Greens in Burnaby-Lougheed.

1. What city do you live in, and what neighbourhood in that city?

I was born and raised in Burnaby and my family and I live in Eastburn.

2. Do you rent or own your own home?

We are lucky enough to own our own home.

3. If you own a home, when did you buy it? How has the current housing market situation impacted you?

We purchased our home in 2005. The housing inaction of the B.C. Liberals has made it very unlikely that our three children could ever purchase a home in their hometown of Burnaby.

4. If you rent, or have another housing arrangement, how has the current housing market situation impacted you?

N/A

5. If there is one single policy that the next provincial government can enact to address a housing need, what would that policy be? Be specific.

We would impose a 30 per cent foreign buyers' tax all across B.C. and close the loopholes to stop speculative house purchases by people who are only looking to get rich quick and have no intention of living here. We would also build 4,000 units of affordable housing per year.