Mayor Sullivan and Councillor Kim Capri confirmed today that the city has purchased another site for more supportive housing. Vancouver has acquired 514 Alexander Street and will lease it to the Lookout Emergency Aid Society to provide non-market housing for the next 45 years. The nominal pre-paid rate of rent Lookout will pay to the City represents a municipal grant of approximately $460,000.
The 20 SRO units currently on the property are expected to be upgraded to supportive housing – in partnership with the Province of BC. City staff expects these renovations will not require the relocation of tenants. In the long term, this purchase may facilitate a consolidation with an adjoining City owned site at 510 Alexander Street – which is also leased to the Lookout Emergency Aid Society.
This acquisition is in addition to Vancouver’s purchase of 1700 Kingsway to construct 70 new social housing units – announced by the Mayor last week – and the provincial government’s historic purchase of 17 single room occupancy hotels for conversion to supportive housing. These complement a series of initiatives that have been introduced over the past two years through Project Civil City, including:
- approval of 12 city-owned sites for development of approximately 1200 units of social housing across the city – in partnership with provincial government
- commitment of over $30 million from federal government for drug addiction & mental illness in Downtown Eastside
- expansion of homeless outreach & shelter programs
- double digit reductions in violent & property crime
- largest investment in new police officers in city’s history
- improved public order in entertainment district
- social housing in Athletes Village after 2010
- $10 million “Great Beginnings” collaboration to revitalize Vancouver’s historic neighbourhoods
- plans to establish new Foundation to facilitate private investment in social housing
- upcoming introduction of Community Court in Downtown Eastside
- drug prevention partnerships with Vancouver School Board
- employment opportunities for inner-city residents on Olympic projects
