DTES residents against new condo development
Posted October 16, 2012 7:01 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A group of people living in the Downtown Eastside don’t want council to approve a new three-condo-tower development in their neighbourhood.
Many people were pushed out of the area when the Woodward’s project was built says Ivan Drury with the Carnegie Community Action Project. If the plan he calls “Woodward’s East” goes ahead, he can see that happening again.
“We think it needs to be stopped until the assets and the housing of the low income people in that community in that immediate area can be protected,” Drury believes.
He says the developer plans to set aside only seven per cent of the building — or 24 units– for people on welfare and pension incomes, which Drury says is not enough.
“We’re worried about the hotels that are surrounding this area. We’re worried that the city does not have any mechanisms to stop rents from being raised and low income people from being displaced,” Drury adds.
The lack of social housing isn’t the only problem. He fears the retail stores will be too expensive for some shoppers.
A public hearing on the rezoning application for the condo development happens tonight at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
