Vancouver City Council approves new supportive housing building near Renfrew SkyTrain

Feb 17 2023, 5:17 am

The new Vancouver City Council has approved its first permanent supportive housing building, now set for a site about two blocks west of SkyTrain Renfrew Station.

On Tuesday, City Council unanimously approved BC Housing’s rezoning application to build a six-storey building with 64 supportive housing units at 2518-2540 South Grandview Highway, replacing two single-storey duplex lots. It will be operated by non-profit housing provider Community Builders.

All units will be studios with a private bathroom and kitchen. Residents will have access to shared building amenities such as laundry, a dining area, program spaces, and a private green space. These homes are intended for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including those who may have mental health and addictions challenges. Rents will be set at a maximum of $375 per month, as all units will be at the shelter component of income assistance.

In their presentation to City Council, BC Housing and Community Builders promised this supportive housing building will have the key distinction of wrap-around support services for residents, with 24/7 staffing, meals, education, life supports, and peer work opportunities. They also confirmed there will be areas in the building where residents can use substances safely, and that such a space will be for residents only

As a condition of supporting the application, City Council approved an amendment moved by ABC councillor Lisa Dominato to require Community Builders to establish a “Community Advisory Committee” to directly address the concerns expressed by the nearby Italian Cultural Centre, Casa Serena retirement home, and other neighbourhood organizations.

Mario Miceli, the executive director of the Italian Cultural Centre, spoke against the project on behalf of his organization, asserting the public consultation conducted since Spring 2022 was “inadequate” and “lacked transparency.”

“Yes, I did meet with this [applicant] group, and when we met with this group, we were told it would be a home for adults and seniors with a disability who are experiencing homelessness or near homelessness,” Miceli told City Council during the public hearing.

“When I read a memorandum, I realized this is going to be low-barrier housing, so it is going to have the issues of drug addiction, substance abuse, and mental health issues.”

2518-2538 South Grandview Highway Vancouver BC Housing Supportive Housing

Site of 2518-2538 South Grandview, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

2518-2538 South Grandview Highway Vancouver BC Housing Supportive Housing

Site of 2518-2538 South Grandview, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

He challenged the claim that the building would have sufficient on-site professional staff to meet the unique needs of the residents.

Early on in the pandemic, a block of Slocan Street next to Vancouver Technical Secondary School and the Lowe’s Home Improvement store, just north of the Italian Cultural Centre, was the site of a sizeable homeless encampment of dozens of RV vehicles. Miceli told City Council he did not want the issues of the encampment, specifically open drug use, to return to the area.

“We just want to make sure it will have the necessary supports for the 64 residents that will be there, and that the community around the facility, especially the Italian Cultural Centre that has over 100,000 visitors per year… that everyone is going to be safe,” said Miceli.

“We want to collaborate. We want to make sure the risk mitigation is in place.”

Julie Roberts, the executive director of Community Builders, said an effort will be made to work with the community, and that most of their projects have also had a Community Advisory Committee, which is established prior to opening the housing complex.

She says her organization currently operates 13 sites in Vancouver, including the recent temporary modular supportive housing buildings of Alewem at 1582 Vernon Drive and the nearby Naomi Place at 3598 Copley Street, and three homeless shelters in downtown.

2518-2540 South Grandview Highway Vancouver supportive housing

Artistic rendering of the supportive housing at 2519-2540 South Grandview Highway, Vancouver. (BC Housing)

2518-2540 South Grandview Highway Vancouver supportive housing

Artistic rendering of the supportive housing at 2519-2540 South Grandview Highway, Vancouver. (BC Housing)

ABC councillor and former Vancouver Police Department constable Brian Montague suggested this future supportive housing building cannot be fairly compared with the previous problematic supportive housing buildings, operated by other entities and without the same level of promised wrap-around supports.

“I’m familiar with a lot of projects that were brought up today. I think it’s important to realize this isn’t a Marguerite Ford building,” said Montague, referring to the major public disorder issues experienced with the supporting housing building at 215 West 2nd Avenue near the Olympic Village.

“We’re not warehousing people using a housing-only approach here. I don’t think that works. We’re looking at a purpose-built facility rather than putting someone in a building that already exists that was never intended for supportive or social housing… I understand the concerns from a public safety perception, but we’ll continue to advocate to make sure that this project succeeds and isn’t a failure.”

Green councillor Pete Fry said “solid operating agreements” are being made moving forward to help address the concerns seen at other locations, and that there is a need to disperse this kind of housing across Vancouver.

“We recognize that centralizing all of the supportive housing in one part of town isn’t necessarily the best outcome for anyone, and we don’t have the physical space to centralize all the supportive housing in one part of town. This is part of complete communities,” said Fry, adding that he would have appreciated a larger building with more housing given the location’s close proximity to SkyTrain.

2518-2540 South Grandview Highway Vancouver supportive housing

Artistic rendering of the supportive housing at 2519-2540 South Grandview Highway, Vancouver. (BC Housing)

This project at 2518-2540 South Grandview Highway is one of two BC Housing supportive housing proposals in Vancouver being considered by City Council this month. During Tuesday’s public hearing, City Council ran out of time to review and decide on the separate rezoning application to build 72 supportive housing units at 1925 Southeast Marine Drive, operated by The Kettle Society. The public hearing for this second project has been rescheduled for February 21.

Both buildings will have a permanent modular design built to a Passive House green certification standard.

Both projects are part of the provincial government’s September 2020 commitment of building at least 350 additional permanent supportive modular homes over several years. The City of Vancouver is providing the land for both buildings, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is covering the cost of construction and BC Housing is providing annual operating funding.

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