Modular housing for the homeless proposed for Vancouver's old RCMP HQ

Modular housing for the homeless proposed for Vancouver's old RCMP headquarters

The proposed temporary modular housing site is at 4949 Heather Street, near the Fairmont Academy, on Vancouver's Heather Street Lands. (Google Maps)

The latest temporary modular housing project proposed within the City of Vancouver is for the Heather Street Lands – the old RCMP headquarters – on the Cambie Street Corridor.

About 100 homes are envisioned within the two-building modular housing complex, which will be managed 24/7 by a non-profit housing operator with support services.

The proposed site for the project is at 4949 Heather Street – located near the northern end of the Heather Street Lands, closer to West 33rd Avenue and next to the historic Fairmont Academy.

This project, like other modular housing projects, is subject to a development permit, but it is not part of the permanent, long-term Heather Street Lands redevelopment. A policy statement for the future redevelopment of the 21-acre site was approved by City Council last month.

The permanent redevelopment includes 2,300 new homes in 12 buildings between 12 and 24 storeys, ample new public park and green space, a community centre and daycare, light retail, and a new home for a local French-language elementary school.

Artistic rendering of the selected concept for the redevelopment of the Heather Street Lands in Vancouver. (Canada Lands Company)

A number of modular housing projects have already been completed in the City, and earlier this week the City’s Development Permit Board approved the modular housing project for Little Mountain near Main Street and East 37th Avenue.

So far, about 500 temporary modular homes are either built, approved, or in the development permit stage:

Approved homes (306 units)

7430 & 7460 Heather Street (78 units tenanted)
1131 Franklin Street (39 units built, tenanting underway)
525 Powell Street (39 units built)
4410 Kaslo Street (next to 29th Avenue Station, 52 units under construction)
2132 Ash Street (formerly 595 and 599 West 2nd Avenue, next to Olympic Village Station, 52 units awaiting construction)
Little Mountain (46 homes approved)

Development permit stage (approximately 100 units)

688 Cambie Street (approximately 100 homes, the site of the future Vancouver Art Gallery in downtown Vancouver)
4949 Heather Street (approximately 100 homes, pre-development permit application)

Funding for these projects is provided by the provincial government as part of its $66-million plan to build 600 temporary modular housing units within Vancouver.

See also