The Rumours Of COPE's Demise Have Been (Only Somewhat) Greatly Exaggerated.

DoingTheRightThing

AlwaysIsVille.

Stumbled upon a COPEish-type blog the other day.

It's called Vanopolis, and there is some good stuff there.

What follows is from a good post from David Chudnovsky about the fallow Little Mountain lands in the center of Vancouver where 234 families used to live in affordable housing before their homes were knocked down more than three years ago:

...If the developer were simply making application for a market development of 1500 units they would have to make 300 of them “affordable”. So that’s what they should be required to do at Little Mountain. If the Holborn development plan is approved then about 300 of the market units need to be “affordable”.

And that means that at the new Little Mountain, 234 replacement social housing units plus 300 new “affordable” units – that’s 534 - need to be provided. And added to that, the Adjacent Area should have a minimum of 20% affordable units as well. Anything less doesn’t comply with the city (of Vancouver)’s policy on affordability...

Personally, I think this is one of those 'get out of the budge-box paradox' type issues for the Dippers.

Specifically, I think they should go to the wall on this one and make it clear that they are willing to go pretty damned close to revenue neutral to help build another False Creek South on that site where the development is truly mixed such that everyone on the socioeconomic ladder can live and thrive there.

After all, if we can spend more than half-a-billion dollars on that stupid magic carpet atop BC Place for no good reason at all, we can afford to do the right thing for British Columbians of all stripes at Little Mountain.

And make the developers (reasonably) happy too.

And the construction workers also.

Not to mention real living and breathing familes.

OK?

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And I know, I know, I know!... That the CoV is a major player here as well...And that it is complicated...And all of that...But, don't forget that the land has not yet been sold by the Province given that is, according to the Wizards of Snooklandia,  part of the selling of crown assets still to come...

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