Social Housing in Vancouver - The 14 Sites

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Jebby

Those aren't solar panels. They evacuated tube solar collectors to heat water. They don't produce electricity.

Thanks.
So do the tubes contain water that gets heated by the sun (and what happens in winter?)

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Thanks.
So do the tubes contain water that gets heated by the sun (and what happens in winter?)

The water that will be heated isn't in the tubes. It's another liquid that can be heated to a much higher temperature and doesn't freeze.

This is basically how they work:


http://www.homepower.com/sites/default/files/articles/ajax/docs/10_HP133_pg70_Marken-5.jpg

[officedweller]

Cool, thanks!

[Prometheus]

A first-hand account of what life is allegedly like in one of the City's newest tax payer-funded social housing projects (Burrard and Helmcken):

• Video Link

[Vin]

Why should all these palaces be built for people who refuse to improve themselves? They should be evicted once they cause trouble. Give those vacant subsidized units to those who are willing to work and be accountable for their own lives, not those who always give excuses for their own actions. Once they drop below the mark, kick them out of these tax-payer funded buildings, and there will be no remorse for doing that.

[a very long weekend]

right, because vancouver needs more destitute homeless mentally ill people in the streets/jails/hospitals.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by a very long weekend

right, because vancouver needs more destitute homeless mentally ill people in the streets/jails/hospitals.

How about mental hospitals and rehab centres? Or perhaps you want to take them in?

[LeftCoaster]

Most mental health institutions in Canada were shut down decades ago, which is why you see such a large amount of mentally unstable people on the streets downtown.

I think providing them a roof over their head is a step back in the right direction.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by LeftCoaster

Most mental health institutions in Canada were shut down decades ago, which is why you see such a large amount of mentally unstable people on the streets downtown.

I think providing them a roof over their head is a step back in the right direction.

Agreed, and if those complexes that provide a roof over their head, but also provide at least basic services that were once provided by mental health institutions, even better.

[WarrenC12]

If the government built a "new riverview", let's say as a part of the new St. Paul's Hospital, we'd have an entirely new challenge trying to get those people in there.

[Klazu]

Seen the "Roller Girl" in the area recently. Been wondering to myself what the heck she has been smoking. Quite a character and I wonder when she gets overrun by a car.

[hollywoodnorth]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Seen the "Roller Girl" in the area recently. Been wondering to myself what the heck she has been smoking. Quite a character and I wonder when she gets overrun by a car.

oh ya ... quite the character ....

She has previously been convicted of manslaughter and spent at least 10 years in a male penitentiary. In more recent years, Vancouver police have had numerous encounters with Dawson, frequently ticketing her for trying to direct traffic.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-co...-damages-from-vancouver-police-1.3009637

[Klazu]

Like, what the fudge?? The type of people there are...

I would hate to be standing in the red light and have him/her hit and scratch my car. Him/her skating is not that good and good thing that he/she has been ticketed for it. But there is no changing crazy...

[casper]

Originally Posted by csbvan

Agreed, and if those complexes that provide a roof over their head, but also provide at least basic services that were once provided by mental health institutions, even better.

The problems are just so complex and diverse, I think it going to be challenging to make inroads as long as just outside is the same destructive environment that cause the problems in the first place.

The "culture of the downtown east side" is the problem that needs to evolve into something more positive.

[Vin]

Looks more like the problem people are free to do what they please in expensive neighbourhoods without giving a hoot about their neighbours. Providing a roof over their heads will not solve their problems. In fact, spoiling the ones who don't want to contribute to society only attracts others to do the same. I see more homeless sleeping in front of shops along Granville, Howe and even Seymour streets these days. I'm sure they are hoping to be approached by one of those social workers and be offered a free condo to "get well". Just like the quote from some old movie: "If you build them, they will come." For certain folks, there can only be tough love.

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by Vin

For certain folks, there can only be tough love.

What do you envision as "tough love"? Obviously not giving them a place to sleep indoors, so what then? Tolerate them living homeless on the streets? Incarceration until they agree to make a living? One-way bus tickets to Calgary? Labour camps?

[nds88]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but why is this a Vancouver problem? I don't hear of free social housing being given to the homeless in Surrey, Burnaby, Richmond, West Vancouver and the rest of the Metro. All this does is move the tri-cities' problems into Vancouver. And not just the tri-cities. Across the entire I would assume the homeless hear about the free housing in nice neighbourhoods and immigrate to Vancouver to take advantage of it.

Having one city take on this burden creates a downward spiral that we don't have the resources to support. Why is Vancouver taking on the responsibility of these 14 sites? Why not 4 sites and the rest shared throughout the rest of the Metro? They claim that the solution is to spread out the housing so its not concentrated, well, spread it out through the rest of the Metro/Province instead of concentrating it in one city.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Vin

Looks more like the problem people are free to do what they please in expensive neighbourhoods without giving a hoot about their neighbours. Providing a roof over their heads will not solve their problems. In fact, spoiling the ones who don't want to contribute to society only attracts others to do the same. I see more homeless sleeping in front of shops along Granville, Howe and even Seymour streets these days. I'm sure they are hoping to be approached by one of those social workers and be offered a free condo to "get well". Just like the quote from some old movie: "If you build them, they will come." For certain folks, there can only be tough love.

I think part of the solution is for social housing to be stage 2 or 3 or 4 in the process. Not the first step.

Some of these people should be in the psychological ward of a hospital where only once they are assessed and progress along a treatment plan of some sort that arrives at the point where they can clearly live on their own then putting them into social housing makes sense. But the shinny new suite should be a reward for progressing through the treatment, a reward that may be lost if they chose not to go down that path.

Others may belong in a drug or alcohol rehab program and again once the treatment is done then maybe the shinny new suite is the next step.

The downtown east side is the wrong place for any of this. If there is any chance of this working these people need to be removed from that culture and given enough time to recover.

[mcminsen]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Construction at the project at 16th and Dunbar is proceeding quickly. Some of those units will have great views of the mountains.

Originally Posted by whatnext

For SFUVancouver, the site at 16th and Dunbar. Wish I had had more time to take a panorama showing the irony of the brand new social housing sitting across from the tarp covered, leaky market housing across the street!

3595 West 17th Avenue
Number of units: 51
Status: Complete
Occupancy date: December 2011
Service provider: Coast Mental Health
Plan: Lot 1, Blk 28, DL 139, Group 1, NCWD Plan BCP 36078
Development documents
• Development application
• Lease terms




I was in the area today so I took these pics. The first five are of the south side along 17th Ave. The last one is of the north side along 16th Ave.

(eegads, in the last pic the grass is already brown and it's not even June yet)



May 29 '15, my pics

[mcminsen]

1050 Expo Boulevard
Number of units: 89
Status: Under development
Estimated occupancy date: To be determined
Service provider: 127/St. James Society
Plan: Lot 232, PL LMP 13013, New Westminster, DL
Development documents:
• Development application
• Lease terms




May 29 '15, my pics