Housing Crisis Solutions
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008
Create Housing Don't Destroy It!
Counsellor Woodsworth wants Little Mountain housing to re-open as development deal falters Vancouver City Councilor
Ellen Woodsworth wants the provincial government to re-open 205 housing units now sitting vacant in the Little Mountain complex off Main St.
“It has now come out during debate in the Legislature that the deal between the province and a private developer has apparently fallen through,” said Woodsworth. “No good reason remains why all that affordable housing can’t be used right away for Vancouver families who desperately need suitable housing as the winter approaches.”
On November 26, in a question to BC Housing Minister Rich Coleman, Vancouver-Kensington MLA David Chudnovsky said, “according to the City of Vancouver documents, the Little Mountain redevelopment project is seriously delayed. It could even be dead. The project is at least one year behind schedule. A development permit has not even been made to the city. Meanwhile, over 200 habitable units have been boarded up.”
The 15-acre Little Mountain site, Vancouver’s oldest social housing complex, became an issue in the recent civic election when the remaining residents in 19 units protested after BC Housing crews started to board over windows and doors in apartments, many still occupied.
Residents oppose Coleman’s plan to sell the publicly owned land to a developer for up to 1500 high-end condos and residential towers. Housing activists say the site should be developed as a mixed-use community with affordable, middle income and some market housing.
“Little Mountain can be an exciting opportunity for the city to work with the province in building a truly sustainable community that could be a model for the city and the region,” said Woodsworth. “It is near parks, a new community centre and on a major transit route.”
“But until any future plans are developed, we need to re-open the perfectly good housing that is now sitting empty. Vancouver is in the midst of a housing crisis. This is not the time to be boarding up affordable housing.”
