Nicola Spurling talks about housing affordability with Coquitlam council candidate Rob Bottos.

Rob Bottos (Candidate for Coquitlam City Council) speaks to Nicola Spurling about affordable housing. Rob puts a high priority on affordable housing for the City of Coquitlam because it felt personal for him as he witnessed housing costs rising quickly and as a renter, he felt vulnerable. He knew that he could quickly be priced out of the community, along with many other people. Affordable housing is a key part of a person’s ability to remain and contribute to the community.

Rob says Coquitlam is building a lot of housing, but it needs to be the right kind of housing. He expresses empathy for people and believes Coquitlam’s recent housing needs assessment should guide all housing decisions. Livable, walkable communities with jobs close by are important to reduce peoples’ commute times and allow them to spend more time with family and with less impacts on mental health. Good jobs are an important focus for council, in his opinion. The housing needs of seniors, youth, and families as well as those who are marginalized need to be considered.

Rob notes that the people currently utilizing the city’s homeless shelter also lack access to next step transition housing. Thirty-five percent of Coquitlam’s renters are in a “core housing need” situation and that concerns him. Too many people are spending too much of their income on housing and he believes renters need more support.

Rob believes truly inclusive communities are the ultimate goal. He feels the federal government needs to do much more for housing in our communities and is the level of government with the appropriate level of resources.

On the issue of developers donating to campaigns, he makes the point that his integrity can’t be bought but it admits that a lot of candidates really struggle to raise money so this puts people in a challenging situation. Transparency, accountability, and positivity are important values in his run for a seat on city council.

Rob also believes that good decisions come from people having a difference of opinion on issues