2007-06-23 The Province - City of Van buys Drake Hotel for $32 million as Social Housing Fix

The City of Vancouver has bought another building – this one housed a former stripclub – to be converted to SRO housing. The city uses the purchase as a well-timed opportunity to “plug” the other recent acquisitions by the city, showcasing their “commitment” to affordable housing. So, the strip club will go and be replaced by a local pub and the units above will be renovated. I find it sad - yet another building in the worst part of town with the closest resource being a pub instead of a more helpful amenity like a grocery store, pharmacy, café, restaurant or any other retail store that might actually help to revitalize the area. It’s a step forward, but only a small one.

2007-06-23 The Province - City of Van buys Drake Hotel for $32 million as Social Housing Fix

CBC News on the Olympics and Housing

These three articles (dating back to last September) provide cautionary warnings about the negative affects of the Olympics, specifically in areas of social housing, affordability and human rights. The mayor’s “Civil City” project is criticized as an unsuitable and questionable method to clean up the city that punishes those that are forced to live on the streets, instead of providing home. A quote from lawyer David Eby: “Initiatives like bylaws banning sitting or lying down on sidewalks, the increased use of beat police officers, the increased use of surveillance cameras, and the displacement that that is going to cause, I had to tell them (United Nations conference) that we’re really off track to hosting a sustainable Games.”

Others call for more funding housing, including SRO sponsorship, social housing and proper allowances. The $325 welfare shelter allowance hasn’t been increased in 12 years, which hasn’t allowed for natural increases in inflation or accounted for the escalating real-estate market. I think the frequency and continued publication of these articles makes the public aware of the situation, so we ourselves can act like watchdogs and help to hold the city accountable for its promises and react accordingly when they are not fulfilled.

2006-09-21 – CBC News – Homelessness in Vancouver could Triple by 2010: report

2007-02-12 – CBC News – Olympics making Vancouver Housing Crisis worse: critic

2007-06-14 – CBC News – Vancouver Homeless Advocate makes his Case to UN Conference

2007-06-13 - Vancouver Courier - City Backed Bonds for Home Loans

In 1946 the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Cooperation was established to deal with the lack of housing available after the war. For the first time, mortgages were available to veterans and non-veterans alike, making the dream of the “white picket fence” a reality. Mortgages backed by banks have drastically changed who is able to afford a home. Even full-time students like myself are able to enter into the wonderful world of homeownership. However, my own mother had to co-sign for the mortgage and without her long established equity, I wouldn’t have been ale to get a mortgage. Others are faced with similar situations and might not be as fortunate as I was. What other options are there available? This article discusses a proposal for new types of mortgages that might help others enter into the private market. With the current interest rates it make sense to buy a home. In Vancouver, you will pay an equal amount for rent and have nothing to show for it at the end of the month. Solving the crisis of affordability will need creative solutions and I appreciated this article for opening a discussion for alternative financial aid.

2007-06-13 - Vancouver Courier - City Backed Bonds for Home Loans

I would have never ever thought...

The strangest thing happened the other day. It revealed quite a lot about how I perceive Vancouver, and how that perception- to my utter disbelief - is not universally shared. In addition to this "urban" class I am also taking a course in "Urban Sociology' which nicely compliments this class and offers other perspectives on the same issues. In the first class, while we were getting to know each other by talking about our thoughts on planning in Vancouver, a girl from Texas absolutely shocked me. She said the thing she DOES NOT like about Vancouver was that "everything is all compiled ontop of each other" by which she meant that (especially in the Downtown area) you work, play and live all within a few blocks of each other. Coming from Texas, where land runs wild, she said they would NEVER imagine combining all the portions of their life like that. She felt too compressed and squeezed living in Vancouver. She would rather drive 3o mins to work via a freeway, drive back home, then drive another 30 mins to recreation / entertainment whatever. She couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't prefer that scenario compared to Vancouver. I, of course, can't understand why anyone would? Needless to say, this really opened my eyes. Having lived in BC all my life I naively thought that everyone would appreciate the same things - a liveable walkable city that doesn't rely on automobiles, but I guess your upbringing matters more than I previously gave credit for.

Beyond the Sticker Price: The Cost of Housing

This is the title of the paper I just submitted. It focuses on the issue housing affordability (using Vancouver as an example and case study) and the consequences attributed such as the rising homeless population, including those at risk. It's a little long to post on here, but I will email it to any one if they are interested. I have also been meaning to post a whole lot of links to some recent news articles. They will come in the next few days. Luckily, this topic is very topical at the moment! No shortage of information for anyone who is interested. Although, noticing the source of such info tells another side to the story.

A Brief an Incomplete Introduction

This is what I have prepared thus far as the topic of my blog and subsequent research...

In Vancouver, large numbers of SROs (single room occupancy) have been fallen into the hands of developers and are now being converted to upscale condominiums. The dwindling stock of affordable and social housing has been declining for years and has recently accelerated due to a number of social and political issues. Poor construction, improper maintenance, irresponsible management and lack of funding have resulted in the closure of several major buildings over the last few months alone.

As a result of internal and external pressures, the City of Vancouver has been in the process of acquiring these and other buildings in hopes of reversing this discouraging trend and creating new, responsible and accountable housing. The City recently announced that they have bought 15 properties across Vancouver and that these sites will either be renovated and turned into new housing projects, or sold and the City will use the money acquired to finance others. As a major percentage of these buildings are located within the Downtown Eastside (DTES) important decisions will need to be made in regards to how the City deals with problems of affordable, social or non-market housing.

The DTES already boasts a number of key facilities to deal with social problems (gospel missions, food banks, counselling services, clinics, safe drug injection sites) but also perpetuates an unhealthy and regressive lifestyle (easy and cheap access to drugs and alcohol, crime, violence against women, concerns for safety). Concentrating all new social housing developments in one area of town helps to segregate the population, further perpetuating fear and misunderstanding about our society’s less unfortunate citizens, offering little integration into society at large; however, it could also help to foster a sense of community, in a place where citizens are familiar with and have established social circles.

It is my intention of this blog to examine the issues and concerns of social, or non-market housing, investigates the policies and economy that regulate these buildings and look at the design and architectural impact upon the urban fabric of the city.