NDP housing critic Diane Thorne has claimed that BC Housing officials told her last March that the redevelopment of the 224-unit Little Mountain social-housing complex would be a phased project. "That's what they told me," Thorne told the Straight . "It would be phased to try and minimize the dislocation for the tenants."

BC Housing spokesperson Sam Rainboth , however, told the Straight that there could be concerns about phasing the project. "While we haven't ruled out a phased redevelopment that would allow some residents to remain on-site, there are a lot of really important economic and safety issues that need to be addressed," Rainboth said on July 24.

Thorne said that BC Housing CEO Shayne Ramsay was present when comments about a phased redevelopment were made during a March open-house event on the site. "I thought at the time there was a possibility that could change," Thorne, NDP MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville, said. "They were making a lot of promises and they had no agreement yet with the City, they had no developer chosen. A lot of things can change when those things come into play. Now, they have an agreement, but they've already started moving people out."

Rainboth said that tenants have moved out of 65 units on the site, and another 31 units are expected to be vacated by the end of August.

On Thursday (July 26), Vancouver city council is expected to vote to approve a memorandum of understanding with the province regarding the redevelopment of the Little Mountain site. The agreement would ensure that 50 percent of the net proceeds would go to the City to fund affordable housing on sites leased in Vancouver for a "nominal prepaid rent", according to a city staff report.

For more on the city's housing situation, see Urban Living and this week's feature story.