FEDS NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE ON HOUSING, SAYS KINGSWAY NDP CANDIDATE
Little Mountain Social Housing Site
Vancouver, B.C.
The federal government should start doing its share to help provide affordable housing to people in
Vancouver, and the Little Mountain Social Housing project is a great place to start, federal NDP
candidate (Kingsway) Don Davies said today.
"Everyone is in agreement that affordable housing is a top priority and must be pursued," Davies said.
"But the federal government has been abdicating its housing role since 1993. It's time for the federal
government to start putting words into action."
Davies, who won the nomination to challenge David Emerson's seat in March in a meeting attended by over
600 Kingsway residents, said that the Little Mountain Social Housing development provides a perfect
opportunity for federal involvement.
"Until recently, Little Mountain was in federal hands. Because it needs updating, it can be a model of
federal environmental development," Davies said. "It also provides a natural opportunity for the federal
government to contribute funds as part of its housing legacy commitments to the 2010 Olympics."
Davies pointed out that the federal government was one of four partners who promised to add affordable
housing in addition to protecting existing rental stock as part of the Olympics bid package.
"With over 15 acres, there is now an opportunity for us to add hundreds of new affordable housing units.
This is a perfect time for the federal government to fulfill its commitment while also meeting a vital social
need," said Davies.
Davies also pointed to the recent report of the Housing Table that recommended the building of an average
of 800 new units of affordable housing every year for four years prior to the Olympics to help meet the Olympics
promises.
"This can only happen with strong federal support," Davies said. "But the federal government has not
contributed anything significant toward its stated goals to date.
"That's not a legacy at all. That's reneging on a commitment," Davies said.
Davies also said we should resist the pull from developers to convert the property to mainly market housing,
even if partial profits are used to develop social housing elsewhere.
"Vancouver's housing land base is almost entirely market-based already," Davies said.
"There are very few tracts of land available for affordable housing, including social,
supportive, senior and co-op arrangements.
"And there is a huge backlog demand for affordable housing for young families, singles, the aged, disabled and
low income residents. This means we need to guard and enhance what land is available and dedicate it exclusively
to affordable housing," Davies said.
Davies pointed out that Vancouver has one of the tightest rental markets in the nation, as well as the most expensive.
"CMHC figures from 2006 show a vacancy rate of 0.3% in Vancouver - to put that in perspective, 3% is generally
considered to be healthy," Davies said.
"Affordable housing is something our citizens want. It is something that will take all levels of government to accomplish.
"I call on the federal government to start to do its share," Davies concluded.
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For more information:
Don Davies - 604-874-9906
dondavies@ndp.ca
