NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 2009HSD0045-000362 September 21, 2009

Ministry of Housing and Social Development City of Vancouver

 

SOCIAL HOUSING A PRIORITY FOR LITTLE MOUNTAIN

 

VANCOUVER – The Government of British Columbia and the City of Vancouver are proceeding with the next stage of the Little Mountain housing redevelopment process, with an agreement that makes social housing a key priority, announced Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson.

 

            “Redeveloping the oldest social housing site in the province will provide additional social housing for Vancouver, creating hundreds more safe, affordable units for those in greatest need,” said Coleman. “We’ve reached an agreement that will expedite the construction of social housing at Little Mountain, and see ground break on four other social housing sites in the city.”

 

Redevelopment of the 15-acre site next to Queen Elizabeth Park was agreed upon by the City and the Province in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in June 2007. The MOU specifies that all of the 224 subsidized units will be replaced as part of the new mixed-use development. Building on this agreement, the City and the Province have agreed that the social housing components of the project will be built as a priority in the first phase of the development.

 

Further to this agreement, the City and the Province have announced that they will begin construction on four new social housing sites in Vancouver this fall, along with the start of demolition work to prepare for the redevelopment of Little Mountain. The Province announced funding for the four sites in March 2009.

 

“A revitalized, mixed-use development will help to create a vibrant neighbourhood,” said Robertson. “It’s great news that we’ll be able to maximize the development of social housing at Little Mountain as well as around the City. I’m also pleased with the fact that we have found a way to allow for current tenants of Little Mountain to remain on site, in their community, while demolition is underway.”

 

All but 10 of the 224 unit occupants at Little Mountain have selected other subsidized housing options while the site is redeveloped. As part of the new agreement between the Province, the City, and the Holborn Group – the developer selected for Little Mountain – the 10 remaining households will be allowed to stay on-site during demolition of other buildings.

 

 

 

“We believe this is one of the most exciting opportunities in the city’s history, and we are committed to helping create a new urban area that will make everyone proud,” said Joo Kim Tiah, president and CEO of the Holborn Group. “Holborn is committed to partnering with the Province and the City to expedite the construction of social housing, and we are meeting with the City to initiate the public consultation process for the redevelopment.”

 

Half of the proceeds from the sale and redevelopment of Little Mountain will be directed to creating other social housing in Vancouver, with the other half going to social housing elsewhere in the province.

 

Increasing affordable housing and reducing homelessness is a priority for the Province of British Columbia. In 2009-10, the Province's budget for affordable housing and shelters is approximately $450 million, more than three times as much as in 2001.

 

The City of Vancouver is committed to partnering with senior levels of government to end homelessness. Over the last three years alone, the value of the City commitment to housing and homelessness has been approximately $110 million. The City channels its resources through: the donation of City-owned land for development of social housing; the contribution of capital funding; tax deferrals or waivers of levies and permits; and concessions for land use policies.

‘Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness’ is a website providing a comprehensive and detailed look at provincial programs and services to address homelessness. Visit www.bchousing.org/breakingthecycle for more information.

 

The City of Vancouver’s Affordable Housing Centre website provides information on recent city investments and programs dedicated to helping people get off the street and move into housing. It can be visited at http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/housing/index.htm.

 

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Contact:

Seumas Gordon Media Relations Officer Ministry of Housing and Social Development 250 387-6490

 

 

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.