CITY COUNCIL HAS CALLED A PUBLIC HEARING ON MARCH 17TH TO INCREASE CONDO TOWER HEIGHTS IN CHINATOWN.

Around 64% of Chinatown residents are low-income; there are around 1,000 people in close to that many rooms. There are at least 10 private hotels and two major cheap apartment buildings in Chinatown that would be vulnerable to rent increases from the ripple effects of condo towers. This community is vulnerable to the ripple effects of gentrification, especially considering that many of them are seniors.

The ripple effects of gentrification cause real estate prices to go up. The same way that rents go up for hotel residents, they go up even more for small businesses that serve the low-income community. The cheap grocery stores we shop at (and which many community seniors rely on) could be replaced with fancy restaurants and boutiques. Raise welfare and pension rates and the community will spend more in the shops we love.

The only people who heights increases will help are non-resident millionaire developers whose condo sales profits will increase with every foot of added density in their projects.

What can you do about it?

1. Write to city council before March 17 & say it is irresponsible to raise condo heights and density before the DTES Local Area Plan is done; the low-income community must be protected in all of the DTES. Write the Mayor: gregor.robertson@vancouver.ca (And please copy us: dtescouncil@gmail.com)
2. Get your organization, church, union, co-op to endorse the DTES Community Resolution and send your endorsement to dtescouncil@gmail.com
3. Register to speak at the public hearing on March 17; call the city clerk’s office to register: 604-873-7268 or email tina.hildebrandt@vancouver.ca

More information here.