The top two contenders for Mayor of Vancouver are squaring off on housing, with NPA candidate Suzanne Anton arguing that Gregor Robertson's pledge to end street homelessness is too expensive.

Robertson's Vision Vancouver team is making an election promise of 38,000 new affordable homes in the city and more support for emergency shelters and seniors' housing.

"We will work with private and nonprofit partners to use those city-owned properties to increase the stock of affordable housing, whether that's rental, co-op, or even affordable home ownership. Affordable home ownership is something we see as a key next step to serve people in Vancouver," Robertson told reporters.

Vision is planning to encourage more laneway houses and secondary suites, leverage funding for social housing from the provincial and federal governments, crack down on slumlords and create a rent bank to give out loans to "renters in crisis."

Rival candidate Suzanne Anton says she also wants to address housing problems in the city, but says she'll tackle the issue by creating a stronger economy and cutting red tape for developers.

"Gregor Robertson's plan: ka-ching, ka-ching," she told CTV News, mimicking the sound of a cash register.

"It's a very expensive plan for taxpayers."

She says the current economic climate makes it, "too long, too hard, too expensive," for developers to build new housing.

The two candidates will participate in a debate on homelessness and affordable housing on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Brent Shearer