Golden and Area Affordable Housing Strategy

In June 2024, the Province released a standardized methodology (the HNR Method) for calculating housing needs. Using this approach, the Town of Golden updated the Housing Needs Report in 2025, after Golden CED and the Town had partnered in 2021 to deliver the first Housing Needs Report and Affordable Housing Strategy. 

Some of the key findings:

• The Town of Golden is estimated to need up to 281 new units by 2030 and 798 net new housing units by the year 2041;
• Golden needs to increase the speed and scale of its current housing development to meet the 20-year need;
• Housing affordability is a major issue in Golden, both for home-ownership and rental, with individuals, lone-parent families, seasonal workers, students, and seniors identified as experiencing the greatest difficulties;
• There is an increasing demand for accessible and senior-friendly housing.

Some of the Affordable Housing Strategy recommendations:

• Non-profit housing providers need additional support, resources and capacity, to meet current and future housing needs;
• Municipally-owned land could be used for affordable housing projects;
• Some Town policies and regulations could be reexamined and refined (e.g., secondary suites, rental housing tax exemptions, affordable housing reserve fund, employee housing requirements, inclusionary housing, etc.);
• A portion of the Municipal & Regional District Tax (MRDT), also called the "hotel tax" and applied to short-term accommodation like hotels and Airbnb stays, could be used for workforce housing;
• A living wage policy could be established.