There’s little natural light or ventilation that comes inside.

Forget about views. They’re often blocked or non-existent at all.

According to Neil Hrushowy, assistant director of community planning with the City of Vancouver, basements are being built deeper into the ground compared to a decade ago.

Hrushowy has prepared a report to city council about a review of these accommodations that are often used as rentals.

“This review has revealed the prevalence of deep basements and cellars in new one-family dwellings and the challenges and impacts they present, including reduced livability of basement suites, extensive use of concrete and the associated greenhouse gas emissions, greater site disturbance and tree loss, hydrological impacts, increased sewer pumping and reduced design flexibility,” Hrushowy wrote.

The assistant community planning director noted that these suites are “lower cost housing options and important for lower income households”.

“The poorer quality of livable space of these new units, therefore, presents an equity challenge in general, but especially when this is an outcome that results from gaps in City regulations,” Hrushowy wrote.

Hrushowy was referring to zoning changes in 2009 that facilitated full basements in new single-family homes, but did not address basement levels.

He noted that as market demand for house designs with ceiling heights of three metres (10 feet) or more on the first floor has “increased over the last 10 years, and overall building height regulations have not been increased, the level of the first floor above grade has been pushed down”.

“As a result, most basements are being built deeper in the ground,” Hrushowy related.

Hrushowy noted that current zoning regulations permit secondary suites that are 1.83 metres or six feet below ground level.

“Deeper basements with secondary suites push most of the suite into the ground and allow for only a thin band of windows near the ceiling and/or in window wells,” Hrushowy noted.

This means that residents in these accommodations get “minimal natural light and ventilation, and windows in wells provide obstructed or no view out ”.

“Deep pits provide less dignified, accessible and inviting entrances, which presents equity concerns,” Hrushowy wrote.

In his report, Hrushowy recommended limiting the depth of basements to less than 1.5 metres of 4.9 feet below grade.

The measure is scheduled for public hearing by council on Tuesday (November 5).