Saint John is looking at old hotels and motels as a way to potentially increase affordable housing in the city.

Councillors are currently considering a new “Converted Accommodation” use within the city’s zoning bylaw.

The proposed use would make it easier for existing hotel and motel structures to be converted into dwelling units.

Jennifer Kirchner, the city’s manager of community planning, said it would eliminate the need for site-specific rezonings.

“In addition, this would provide a standard set of regulations to ensure the successful transition of this building type from commercial to a residential use,” Kirchner told council during a public hearing last week.

According to a staff report, hotels and motels are permitted within the city’s commercial zones, which may or may not permit the creation of dwelling units.

This creates a situation where some properties would require a rezoning to allow this type of use, whereas others would only need a building permit.

The proposal stems from an application by a local developer to convert an unnamed hotel structure into a multi-unit affordable housing project.

Stephen Brittain said there is a “tremendous need” for affordable housing units in the city and across the country.

“I have been a player more in the private-sector market-type units, but I see the need, I’ve stepped out of the private sector and into this with a fairly well-known non-profit in the city,” Brittain told council.

“I see an opportunity to create units rather quickly. This rezoning will certainly speed up that process for our project and others like it.”

Brittain is a well-known private-sector developer who is behind projects such as the 34-suite Telegraph Square on Canterbury Street and the Village View Suites in the Millidgeville neighbourhood.

But after seeing a need for affordable housing, Brittain has “stepped out of the private sector and into this [project] with a fairly well-known non-profit in the city,” he said.

Brittain said using an existing building — like a hotel or motel — rather than starting from scratch will save time and money.

“To replicate it from the start as a brand new build, you could quite easily see spending almost twice the money that we’ll have to spend as opposed to doing an overhaul,” he said.

Council voted unanimously to pass the first and second reading of the bylaw amendment. It is expected to come back for third reading on March 6.