Downtown Vancouver getting 200 more homes: B.C. Gov’t

The province has bought an old assisted living facility along Vancouver’s West 12th Avenue and Hemlock Street to provide more supportive housing, but it won’t be ready until the fall.

In a release Tuesday afternoon, the B.C. Government announced it had over 200 housing units on the way for people in the city.

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These units consist of the aforementioned 115-unit building at 1450 West 12th Avenue, and a 95-unit single-room occupancy (SRO) building at 112 Waters Street in Gastown.

“We are taking action to find homes for those who live in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside,” said B.C.’s Minister of Housing, Ravi Kahlon.

“With the West 12th purchase, this is another 115 units that will help break the cycle of homelessness for people on East Hastings and in Crab Park. BC Housing has opened more than 1,400 supportive housing units in the city of Vancouver – with 330 new or renovated units in the Downtown Eastside by June – to provide people at East Hastings and Crab Park with 24/7 supports and access to health care.”

The 115-unit building is to provide housing for those who are currently living in SROs.

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As those units get vacated, those who are looking for shelter after the forced displacement of East Hastings last week can move into those vacated SROs.

The province, through BC Housing, says it has committed $54.6 million toward the purchase and necessary renovations of the West 12th Avenue building.

The Gastown building is set to provide accommodations for 25 former residents of the building after they were displaced by a fire in 2022.

“This will benefit returning tenants that were displaced by fire, and open to people in shelters and others who are in need of housing,” Kahlon added.

The province adds the project’s operating costs will be made available to the public closer to its opening.