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Jean Swanson: Vancouver needs three-step plan to help house homeless people now

COPE's only councillor says it's time for Vancouver to create a legal and safe place for people to live until permanent, well-built, and affordable housing can become available.

Jean Swanson: Why I'm hoping COPE will nominate me to seek reelection to Vancouver city council

She feels there's still a lot of work to do to address the city's most pressing problems.

Jean Swanson: Time for Vancouver to use local powers to protect SROs for low-income residents

About 4,000 people live in these buildings, which are mostly in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Jean Swanson: City council to vote on motion urging federal exemption so Vancouver can offer safe drugs, reduce deaths

A Vancouver city councillor is thinking of the six precious humans who died each and every day during the last month for which overdose deaths were tracked.

Jean Swanson: HandyDART users oppose proposed application procedures sure to reduce ridership

A Vancouver councillor worries that transit users don't have nearly enough input into how TransLink is operated.

Jean Swanson: Why I voted to allow nonprofits to build 12-storey buildings

Vancouver's only Coalition of Progressive Electors councillor explains her vote in the face of opposition from more than 100 speakers.

Jean Swanson: My three-point plan to tackle homelessness that creates six big winners

A Vancouver city councillor explains why she's not impressed by a city and provincial plan to build 450 housing units for the poor.

Jean Swanson: House people who are homeless in hotels now

A Vancouver city councillor points out that you can’t self-isolate if you live in a shelter with dozens of other folks on mats beside you.

Jean Swanson: Close-up look at who runs Vancouver City Hall

An email from a landlords' group in the midst of a council meeting caused politicians to reverse their position on capping rent increases for building owners who receive public...

Jean Swanson: Let's protect SRO residents from eviction to prevent homelessness

Landlords know that they can jack up rents as much as they like when they can get a tenant to leave so there is a profit motive for evictions, and the chance of homelessness...