Vancouver city staff told to find money for 100 percent welfare housing at 58 West Hastings

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      It wasn’t exactly what Vancouver councillor Jean Swanson wanted.

      Had Swanson got what she wished for, council would have committed to 100 percent welfare- and pension-rate housing for 58 West Hastings Street.

      That was after all what former mayor Gregor Robertson promised in 2016 for the city-owned Downtown Eastside property.

      However, at a meeting Thursday (November 15), council voted 8-1 for another measure, with Swanson casting the lone dissent.

      It was a referral motion put forward by councillor Melissa De Genova directing staff to come back after a month to present options regarding 58 West Hastings.

      The motion orders staff to “outline” funding required for 100 percent welfare- and pension-rate housing at the property.

      The motion also directs staff to check out “potential sources” of these funds.

      In addition, staff will assess how renting out 58 West Hastings Street at income assistance rates will affect the “financial viability” of the project.

      It also directs staff to “continue efforts to deepen affordability and provide as many shelter/pension rate homes at 58 West Hastings as possible”.

      The motion likewise asks staff to "explore alternative options within the Downtown Eastside should 100 percent shelter/pension rate not be achievable at 58 West Hastings".

      De Genova's motion was supported by councillors Rebecca Bligh, Christine Boyle, Adriane Carr, Lisa Dominato, Colleen Hardwick, Sarah Kirby-Yung, and Michael Wiebe.

      On January 30 this year, the city council at the time unanimously approved an application to rezone the property for a 10-storey mixed-use building.

      The development will have 231 housing units on the upper floors above the first three storeys to be utilized for commercial and medical office uses.

      A minimum of 33 percent or 76 of the units will be occupied at welfare rates, according to the approved rezoning.

      A media release by the city noted that the provincial government is putting in $30 million.

      The release also stated that the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, which is the prospective leaseholder in the development, has committed to raise another $30 million.

      "The funding for this project will allow for a target of more than 50 per cent of the units to be rented at shelter or pension rates," according to the city.

      This means at least 115 units will be rented out at income assistance rates.

      At the council meeting Thursday, staff told councillors that there isn’t enough money yet on the table to construct the building. In addition, available funds are not sufficient to subsidize welfare- and pension-rate rents at the development. 

       

      Comments