Richard Evans, Chair of RePlan – a committee of the False Creek South Neighbourhood Association – responds to Vancouver City Council’s decision today regarding the future of False Creek South, saying:
“Thank you to the incredible False Creek South community and to City Councillors for all of the time, effort and hard work that has been put in to get to where we are today. The community at large rallied, with nearly 170 local residents, housing experts and advisory bodies speaking against the City’s real estate plan, carefully articulating the risks of adopting that vision in its original form.
“Today, Council has been decisive and unanimous in receiving the asset management proposal for the future of False Creek South as information, enabling this process to find its way back into the Planning department where it belongs.
“Council has also set the direction to ensure that the growth of non-market housing is a priority, rather than an afterthought, demonstrating the importance of using public land to build community wealth in a way that doesn’t leave lower-income households behind.
“We are ready to restart a transparent and fulsome community planning process that won’t be predetermined by the City’s Real Estate Department, but will instead benefit from the City owning the land, creating an incredibly unique opportunity to do something really significant for truly affordable housing.
“Perhaps that opportunity is to plug into the untapped capacity of the community housing sector to deliver new housing as both developers and operators of purpose-built housing in partnership with the False Creek South Community Housing Trust. Together, let’s roll up our sleeves to focus on the continuation of existing non-market housing, while building purpose-built non-market affordable homes, which have housing costs that reduce over time and where revenues can help develop more housing, so people and families can stay in this city.
“We continue, however, to have concerns around lease renewals and we’re looking forward to a prompt start to lease discussions getting underway with stratas and co-ops.”