The objectives of this study were to obtain up-to-date statistics on the quantitative aspects of condominium development in Metropolitan Vancouver; to obtain a social profile of all condominium purchasers;' to obtain information on purchasers' reasons for buying condominiums rather than single-family houses, and their criteria for selecting a particular condominium development; to assess the extent of satisfaction expressed by condominium purchasers; to examine the past behaviour of condominium resale prices; and to obtain information on the conversion of rental apartments to condominiums. Information on the quantitative aspects of condominium development was obtained by examining records of condominium registrations in the Vancouver and New Westminster Land Registry Offices. This information was of interest in itself, and also provided the basis for a survey of condominium owners conducted to obtain information on the purchasers of condominium units. Ten per cent of the residents in each condominium project larger than nine units were surveyed to obtain data on purchasers' characteristics, their reasons for puchase, and the extent of purchaser satisfaction. Information on condominium resale prices was obtained by examining records of units sold through the Multiple Listing Service of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, and quantitative information on apartment conversion was obtained through a real estate consulting firm. The quantitative growth of condominium development was found to have been extremely rapid, with the annual increase in number of units registered averaging about 175 per cent between 1968 and 1971. Obviously such a growth rate could not be long sustained, and 1972 saw only 10 per cent more units registered than in 1971, but the high overall growth rate is indicative of substantial public acceptance of this new form of housing. The results of the purchaser survey are far too voluminous to be summarized here, but two general observations should be noted. The first is that there are substantial differences between purchasers of town house condominium units and purchasers of apartment type units. Apartment purchasers were found to be generally older, had fewer dependent children, more often considered their unit to be a permenent home, and placed different emphasis on the criteria for selecting a condominium. The second notable finding was the high degree of satisfaction expressed by condominium residents. Over 93 per cent indicated moderate or extreme satisfaction, and 86 per cent said that, based on their experience with condominium living, they would still have purchased their unit. Examination of condominium resale prices revealed that they had been quite static over much of the brief history of condominium development. However, a readily observable upward trend began in the latter half of 1972 and strengthened in 1973, which refutes earlier indications of a relatively slow rate of appreciation of condominiums. Some difficulty was encountered in obtaining information on apartment conversions, and essentially only the numbers involved were obtained. Since the City of Vancouver has at least temporarily frozen all conversions, the requirement for further research on this aspect of condominium development will depend on the resolution of the current political situation. Given the public acceptance of the condominium concept indicated by the rapid growth of condominium development, the degree of satisfaction expressed by condominium residents, and the recent strength observed in condominium resale prices, it is concluded that condominiums will continue to form an increasingly important segment of the Metropolitan Vancouver housing market. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Since 1966, the condominium form of housing has represented a steadily increasing proportion of the housing market in British Columbia. Due to its relative novelty, condominium owners were to some extent acquiring an unknown quantity prior to purchase. It is the aim of this study to delineate the housing experience, specifically residential satisfaction, of these owners to date. In addition, the paucity of research on the measurement of residential satisfaction has suggested a direction of inquiry which could be further explored. A questionnaire survey was employed as the major data gathering device in two municipalities in the Greater Vancouver area. Various statistical techniques, primarily discriminant and regression analysis were used to test three specific hypotheses regarding condominium. These hypotheses were: (1) The housing expectation (relative satisfactions) of condominium owners is not matched by the reality of their situation. (2) The area (municipality) in which condominium owners live is a significant factor in distinguishing between owners as regards their socio-economic characteristics and their perceived relationship with their residential environment. (3) The attitudes and behaviour patterns of condominium owners vary significantly in relation to differing sizes of condominium projects. Generally, the first hypothesis was proven false while the other two hypotheses were proven true. In summary, the study approach was useful in achieving some relevant feedback on the views and attitudes of condominium owners, and in suggesting a method to test the accountability of condominium housing policies and procedures. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The provision of adequate housing for all its people remains a problematical objective for Canada. A new type of cooperative housing—condominium--has recently received specific legal sanction in most provinces and territories in Canada with the exception of Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and the North-West Territories. This thesis considers this innovative housing concept in light of the population trends and housing needs of British Columbia and shows that condominium is merely one of a variety of alternative housing types but one that may prove increasingly effective in helping meet future housing demand. The historical evolution of the condominium concept is outlined after which the author carefully distinguishes between condominiums and other similar forms of housing. The author affirms that Federal and Provincial housing policies do not discriminate against residential condominiums and further hypothesizes that Municipal housing policies and bureaucratic procedures do not frustrate their development, in contrast with the findings of a similar study concerning a similar form of housing—continuing cooperatives, which found that a lack of specific Provincial and Municipal policy had retarded their formation. Governmental policy is reviewed in general and its specific application to residential condominium development is assessed with the conclusion generally confirming the author's original affirmation and hypothesis. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The overall objective of this study was to investigate the condominium market in British Columbia with special emphasis on the metropolitan Vancouver and Victoria areas. Specifically there were four main .goals: 1) to quantify the amounts, type, and timing of condominium developments, 2) to establish a profile of condominium occupants including their socio-demographic characteristics, motivations for purchase, and their level of satisfaction with the concepts, 3) to investigate the developers of condominiums for the purpose of defining characteristics of this sector of the market and its participants, finally 4) to examine the administration and management of completed condominium projects. Several unique situations and unusual problems pertaining to condominiums were also examined. All of the data necessary to quantify the condominium market was available in the Land Registry Offices, Included in the records were the number of strata projects, number of strata units, date of registration, location, use, structure type, and the name of the developer. Transaction data concerning condominiums was also collected at the Land Registry Offices; this formed part of the data needed to construct the resale price index. The quantitative data, described above, also served as the basis for the occupants and the developers surveys. The condominium market was found to have grown rapidly since its inception in 1968. As of November 30, 1977 a total of 2340 condominium projects involving 46,411 units had been registered in the province. Of these 94.8% of the projects and 94.0% of the units were strictly residential. This represents a significant force in the housing market as condominiums in 1976 accounted for 26.2% of all housing starts and 57.9% of all multi-unit housing starts in the province. Geographically the condominiums were concentrated in metropolitan Vancouver (65.6% of all units) and metropolitan Victoria (11.9% of all units). The largest single structural category was duplex projects (42.3% of all projects and 4.2% of all units) followed by lowrise apartments (under 4 stories) which accounted for 21.7% of all projects (36.0% of all units). Overall residential condominium prices have risen by approximately 150% between 1969 and 1977 in metropolitan Vancouver and Victoria although those units purchased from 197 4 on have shown little or no gain on resale. Condominium units have kept pace with rate of increase of single family detached house prices. One hundred and fifty-seven projects of 10 units and greater were randomly selected in metropolitan Vancouver and Victoria. Every eighth unit within these projects was distributed; an owners and a tenants survey - 895 units were thus canvased resulting in 234 completed and returned questionnaires. From these, three submarkets within the condominium market were identified: a) young, apartment condominium purchasers, generally without children. They purchased a unit primarily to establish an equity position in the housing market; b) townhouse purchasers who were predominantly in the 30-3 year old age category and had the highest average numbe of children; c) the older (over 40 years old) apartment purchasers who moved from . single family detached dwellings to escape the required upkeep. The owners survey also revealed that the two most frequently mentioned reasons for purchasing a condominium rather than a single family house were first, the economic advantage (46%) and second, the freedom of exterior upkeep (28%). Further it was found that overall there was a high level of satisfaction, with condominium living. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents reported to be moderately or very well satisfied. The condominium development industry was found to be made up of a large number of participants (1261). The majority of these (90%) produced only one or two projects each, however there were also a small number of firms that were large producers both in terms of units and projects. The largest twenty producers in terms of production of units concentrated, their activity in metropolitan Vancouver, these firms contributed one half of the units in this region. The management of strata council budgets, in terms of both operating and reserve accounts, has improved greatly in the recent past. Less than 9 percent of surveyed projects had operating budget deficiencies, compared to approximately one half of the projects surveyed in 1973. The condominium market is currently experiencing very soft market conditions. This is evidenced by the minimal price appreciation displayed recently, large vacant stocks of unoccupied units (1638 in June of 1977 in metropolitan Vancouver) and the reduction in the level of new condominium construction relative to 1976. Despite these negative aspects the broadening of the consumer market to include all age groups and the high level of satisfaction displayed in the owners survey indicates the condominium market will remain viable in the long-run. The short-run outlook must remain cloudy however until the present unsold inventory is reduced. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

This study investigated the effects of a process of metaphor creation on the meaningful understanding of a significant past experience - that of owning and living in a condominium that had been damaged because of excessive rain and poor building practises and/or materials. This natural disaster has affected the Lower Mainland of British Columbia predominantly, and the media have called it "The Leaky Condo Crisis." Theory states that metaphors can be helpful in changing how people feel toward, think about, and deal with their experiences. In this way metaphors can help people toward a more meaningful understanding of those experiences. In order to explore these ideas, a structured intervention was developed and called the MetaForm. It involves the creation of metaphors for an experience in order to explore the similarities and differences between the metaphor and the experience to derive meaning from or add meaning to the experience. To this end, each of four co-researchers was interviewed twice. The Intervention Interview introduced the MetaForm. The participants related their condominium stories, then they created metaphors for various parts of those stories. These parts were named after the elements of drama: setting, mood, props, cast, plot and theme. When a coresearcher suggested a metaphor, it was elaborated into a full story or drama by that coresearcher and myself. The Inquiry Interview explored the MetaForm for evidence of meaningful understanding. Participants reported that the MetaForm intervention helped them, to varying degrees and in different ways, to develop a more meaningful understanding of their experiences of owning and living in water-damaged condominiums.

This study investigated the effects of a process of metaphor creation on the meaningful understanding of a significant past experience - that of owning and living in a condominium that had been damaged because of excessive rain and poor building practises and/or materials. This natural disaster has affected the Lower Mainland of British Columbia predominantly, and the media have called it "The Leaky Condo Crisis." Theory states that metaphors can be helpful in changing how people feel toward, think about, and deal with their experiences. In this way metaphors can help people toward a more meaningful understanding of those experiences. In order to explore these ideas, a structured intervention was developed and called the MetaForm. It involves the creation of metaphors for an experience in order to explore the similarities and differences between the metaphor and the experience to derive meaning from or add meaning to the experience. To this end, each of four co-researchers was interviewed twice. The Intervention Interview introduced the MetaForm. The participants related their condominium stories, then they created metaphors for various parts of those stories. These parts were named after the elements of drama: setting, mood, props, cast, plot and theme. When a coresearcher suggested a metaphor, it was elaborated into a full story or drama by that coresearcher and myself. The Inquiry Interview explored the MetaForm for evidence of meaningful understanding. Participants reported that the MetaForm intervention helped them, to varying degrees and in different ways, to develop a more meaningful understanding of their experiences of owning and living in water-damaged condominiums. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate