Tough decisions on Housing

In the last 1.5 weeks Council voted on two large purpose-built rental developments. I voted against one, and for the second.

I take my role seriously, and strive to be thoughtful, clear and consistent, in my decision making. And so wanted to say a little about why I voted the way I did, so that (whether or not you agree with me) we can continue to work together toward more systemic solutions.

Last week, I voted against a development (that ended up passing) in Marpole that will tear down an existing secure rental building, with 43 older and relatively quite affordable units, in order to build a new secure rental building with 91 new market rental units. Council heard powerful stories from many tenants in the existing building, many of them low-income / POC. The speakers were brave and articulate (and also the Vancouver Tenants Union did a great job organizing and supporting folks). In the midst of a housing crisis, the development feels like a net-loss to me. We just can’t afford to lose these older, affordable units right now, and the displacement of the tenants in them is heartbreaking. Plus the land was already zoned for rental, and my best guess was that if the project didn’t pass, the existing buildings would’ve remained for another 5-20 years. That’s why I voted against.

Yesterday, I voted for a development (that also passed) in Grandview-Woodland that will tear down four single family homes (each valued at between $1.4M – $1.75M), to build a 5 story, 35-unit secure market-rental building. Council heard stories from many nearby neighbours, many of them with an impressive amount of technical and architectural detail, concerned that the market rents weren’t affordable enough, and/or concerned about impacts to the character of the streetscape. The new building is in the middle of a beautiful, quiet street, with other multi-family buildings a block or two in every direction (I strongly believe that renters also deserve to live in secure housing on quiet streets, not just on our arterials). Current renters in the homes had been paying around or above market rent already. And the land was already assembled, and zoned such that if this failed they could build a 4-story condo building without Council having any say. That’s why I voted in support.

Vancouver’s population is growing, and will likely continue to grow, particularly as we do our part to welcome climate refugees and other newcomers. We need new secure rental housing. I’d love for it all to be non-market housing, public housing, social housing, and coop housing. And I hope we will legalize and encourage more rental housing and low-income housing in our most exclusive neighbourhoods. I will keep fighting for all of that.

And in the meantime, I hope we build more secure rental where it minimizes tenant displacement, and where it is replacing more expensive forms of housing.

I expect that we won’t always agree, but I am always happy to hear your thoughts, at christine (dot) boyle (at) vancouver.ca.