Social Housing in Vancouver - The 14 Sites

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

It's almost as if entrepreneurs realize that a shopping centre in the wrong location can actually fail and sit empty...

[GenWhy?]

The malls were so successful they had to find another way to make loads of money by working with municipalities to change the zoning...

Anyway I hope we all wrote in to the changes being proposed for these sites and contacted Staff on questions / comments.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Meh, I've got no complaints with the housing (aside from a possibly-questionable occupant vetting process).

[Changing City]

Hey Vin

Pop quiz time

Which well-known Vancouver property developer acquired prime real estate at a price that’s been described as ‘the bargain of the century’, built over 7,000 condo units on the land but hasn’t built a single unit of social housing?

Which developer announced a new neighbourhood with ‘restaurants and lounges, cafes, a market, a pharmacy, financial services and boutique retail’ and then didn’t sign up tenants to deliver most of those?

Which developer sued the City of Vancouver to try to stop the City building social housing by putting a 46 storey condo tower on top of a seven storey social housing podium, including large-format retail space? (Hint, they lost the case).

Which developer bought part of a successful suburban mall, and is redeveloping it with 2,500 market and rental residential towers, without adding any additional retail space?

Which developer sued a rival developer proposing to build market, social housing and retail, restaurant and office space on an adjacent site to try to stop it being developed? (Hint, they lost the case).

Which developer was approved to build towers through the City of Vancouver’s view cones to 41 storeys, but five years later still hasn’t submitted an application?

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Hey Vin

Pop quiz time

Which well-known Vancouver property developer acquired prime real estate at a price that’s been described as ‘the bargain of the century’, built over 7,000 condo units on the land but hasn’t built a single unit of social housing?

Which developer announced a new neighbourhood with ‘restaurants and lounges, cafes, a market, a pharmacy, financial services and boutique retail’ and then didn’t sign up tenants to deliver most of those?

Which developer sued the City of Vancouver to try to stop the City building social housing by putting a 46 storey condo tower on top of a seven storey social housing podium, including large-format retail space? (Hint, they lost the case).

Which developer bought part of a successful suburban mall, and is redeveloping it with 2,500 market and rental residential towers, without adding any additional retail space?

Which developer sued a rival developer proposing to build market, social housing and retail, restaurant and office space on an adjacent site to try to stop it being developed? (Hint, they lost the case).

Which developer was approved to build towers through the City of Vancouver’s view cones to 41 storeys, but five years later still hasn’t submitted an application?

Eh, TBF, the Concord Sears space is building ground-level retail on every building, including the old Sears, which means a net increase in retail space on the same level as a major expansion to the Mall itself.

There's also a glut of large-format retail space in DT Vancouver, especially with the downfall of Nordstrom and new developments in the area like the Post.

International Village's owners are also pretty incompetent- there's no big retail anchors in either International Village or Henderson Mall to bring in people, so there's never enough foot traffic and 1/3rd of the storefronts in even Henderson Mall are empty.

The stadium area is also very close to the DTES, making any retail a harder sell than it should theoretically be.

[Feathered Friend]

For what it's worth, the Urban Design Panel made a pretty strong suggestion to incorporate retail stores into the 1050 Expo and 990 Beatty street buildings.

City staff seemed really, really open to that idea too, but my understanding is the biggest challenge is coming from BC Housing, who don't seem comfortable with the idea of managing retail space, and don't want the headache of it either.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

For what it's worth, the Urban Design Panel made a pretty strong suggestion to incorporate retail stores into the 1050 Expo and 990 Beatty street buildings.

City staff seemed really, really open to that idea too, but my understanding is the biggest challenge is coming from BC Housing, who don't seem comfortable with the idea of managing retail space, and don't want the headache of it either.

Maybe sell the retail space back to Concord and let them manage it?

Especially 1050 Expo, pretty bad location for townhouses.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by fredinno

Maybe sell the retail space back to Concord and let them manage it?

Especially 1050 Expo, pretty bad location for townhouses.

The same Concord Pacific whose commercial website describes The Arc across the street as 'coming 2019', 'pre-leasing now'. They're a reluctant commercial landlord, at best.

[madog222]

Retail at 188 E 1st seems to be working well, both original tenants are still there.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Changing City

The same Concord Pacific whose commercial website describes The Arc across the street as 'coming 2019', 'pre-leasing now'. They're a reluctant commercial landlord, at best.

Better than giving it to someone else and risking a lawsuit.

[officedweller]

I do agree that 1050 Expo would be an isolated location for retail (west side of Nelson under bridge ramp may work) and Pacific and Expo Blveds would be noisy for townhouses, but the ground plane could have activity and common use spaces.

The Beatty site could extend retail (Expo Blvd side) from the adjacent Max project (Beatty side and Nelson side would be fire hall and residential entrance).

If a retail portfolio at a project is big and promising, it could be sold off, like how First Capital owns the retail at Toronto's 1 Bloor East (apparently suffering current and future vacancies).

Closer to home, doesn't Concord own the high end retail at The Carlyle on Alberni St.?
Hopefully they have developed some in-house expertise in retail leasing since they retained the retail at Marinaside (incl. Urban Fare) rather than selling it as strata lots years ago.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Seems like a moot point as long as the developers who hate owning retail are the only ones wanting to build there (which kind of explains most of Yaletown).

[whatnext]

I'm not sure if this fits best here, but a scathing report on BC Housing dropped this morning:

Report finds mismanagement, risk to public funds at BC Housing under former CEO
Review also uncovered financial mismanagement, but B.C. premier says no evidence public money had been stolen
By The Canadian Press | May 8, 2023, 12:48pm

The British Columbia government is restricting new funding to a major non-profit housing provider after an independent review found mismanagement by a former top executive atthe province's housing corporation.

The forensic investigation by Ernst and Young says the probe uncovered "significant risks to public funds" and lack of government oversight at BC Housing, the Crown corporation that develops, manages and administers subsidized housing.

The report found mismanagement related to a conflict of interest between the former CEO, Shayne Ramsay, and his spouse, Janice Abbott, the CEO of Atira Women's Resource Society, BC Housing's largest housing operator.

While the review uncovered financial mismanagement, Premier David Eby told a news conference it did not find evidence that public money had been stolen.

The government received the report in March, but just released it today, saying it has already implemented several of the 20 recommendations aimed at improving financial oversight, preventing conflicts of interest and ensuring accountability.

In addition to restricting new funding, the province says it will physically inspect Atira-operated buildings and suspend the renewal of agreements with Atira until a review of the operator's financial transactions related to BC Housing is complete....

https://biv.com/article/2023/05/report-f...public-funds-bc-housing-under-former-ceo

If I'm not mistaken after resigning over what he termed "fears for his safety" over the Arbutus & 8th social housing process, Shayne Ramsay landed at the development arm of the Squamish Nation.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

really? wow. colour me shocked. who would have ever thought a husband giving out millions in tax payers money, to a company his wife runs, could be a conflict?

OMG WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?!?!?! we 100% couldn't have figured that out with basic common sense.

[jasonpark]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I'm not sure if this fits best here, but a scathing report on BC Housing dropped this morning:

Report finds mismanagement, risk to public funds at BC Housing under former CEO
Review also uncovered financial mismanagement, but B.C. premier says no evidence public money had been stolen
By The Canadian Press | May 8, 2023, 12:48pm

The British Columbia government is restricting new funding to a major non-profit housing provider after an independent review found mismanagement by a former top executive atthe province's housing corporation.

The forensic investigation by Ernst and Young says the probe uncovered "significant risks to public funds" and lack of government oversight at BC Housing, the Crown corporation that develops, manages and administers subsidized housing.

The report found mismanagement related to a conflict of interest between the former CEO, Shayne Ramsay, and his spouse, Janice Abbott, the CEO of Atira Women's Resource Society, BC Housing's largest housing operator.

While the review uncovered financial mismanagement, Premier David Eby told a news conference it did not find evidence that public money had been stolen.

The government received the report in March, but just released it today, saying it has already implemented several of the 20 recommendations aimed at improving financial oversight, preventing conflicts of interest and ensuring accountability.

In addition to restricting new funding, the province says it will physically inspect Atira-operated buildings and suspend the renewal of agreements with Atira until a review of the operator's financial transactions related to BC Housing is complete....

https://biv.com/article/2023/05/report-f...public-funds-bc-housing-under-former-ceo

If I'm not mistaken after resigning over what he termed "fears for his safety" over the Arbutus & 8th social housing process, Shayne Ramsay landed at the development arm of the Squamish Nation.

So much money have been made from the downtown east side. Private and public institutions are both milking the poverty industry.

Hey, at least it's been concentrated in the downtown east side instead of spreading out to Kits, Richmond, and etc.

[jollyburger]

It's easy. Total clear out of management of Atira or they get zero funding from the government.

[whatnext]

And just like that, Atira's defiance crumbles:

Atira CEO Janice Abbott resigns after investigation into BC Housing
Kenneth Chan
May 15 2023

The longtime head of Atira Women’s Resource Society has resigned effective immediately, a week after Premier David Eby and BC Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon released the bombshell findings of the provincial government’s review into the operations of BC Housing and the non-profit housing provider.

Atira’s board announced today Janice Abbott’s departure from the organization, after 31 years of leadership....

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/atira-ceo-janice-abbott-resigns

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by whatnext

And just like that, Atira's defiance crumbles:

Atira CEO Janice Abbott resigns after investigation into BC Housing
Kenneth Chan
May 15 2023

The longtime head of Atira Women’s Resource Society has resigned effective immediately, a week after Premier David Eby and BC Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon released the bombshell findings of the provincial government’s review into the operations of BC Housing and the non-profit housing provider.

Atira’s board announced today Janice Abbott’s departure from the organization, after 31 years of leadership....

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/atira-ceo-janice-abbott-resigns

I guess she finally got around to reading the report?

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

I guess she finally got around to reading the report?

well i dont know what they were thinking when they released that statement in support of themselves and her. it was insanity. there was no other option than this.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

I guess she finally got around to reading the report?

I guess!