THE City of Vancouver and BC Government have taken the latest step towards creating 600 new homes for Vancouver’s residents who are homeless with the proposed addition of approximately 50 new temporary modular homes at 215 West 1st Avenue.

The new homes would see people experiencing homelessness placed directly into housing with 24/7 onsite support services. With the consideration of this site, over 550 new homes on nine sites are in various stages of development, with 156 homes already tenanted.

The site will be subject to a development permit application process and staff have begun to connect with local residents, businesses, schools and key community groups. The City will also hold community information sessions to share more details on the proposed project. Feedback gathered will inform the Director of Planning’s consideration of the development permit and provide BC Housing and the selected non-profit operator with feedback on the proposed operation of the buildings.

The new homes would be funded through the Government of BC’s $66 million commitment to build temporary modular housing in Vancouver, allowing the City and the Province to take bold action on urgently needed housing for people experiencing homelessness.

The program in Vancouver is part of a larger initiative led by the BC Government, through BC Housing, to build 2,000 units of temporary modular housing across the province.  If approved, the building would be managed safely and responsibly by a non-profit housing operator selected by BC Housing.

The proposed site will neighbour Sole Food’s Olympic Village Farm. Sole Food is a social enterprise that transforms urban land into street farms, and is working with the City and BC Housing on potential links between urban farming and the proposed new housing.

This area is also part of the area covered by the Southeast False Creek Official Development Plan. The City acknowledges the community’s contributions to this plan and the commitment to provide permanent affordable housing on the site. Temporary modular housing would not delay or impact delivery of any permanent housing.

To date, approximately 550 temporary modular homes are at various stages of the development process. It is expected the remaining proposed sites as part of the 600-unit funding commitment from the Province will be announced before the end of the year.

Approved temporary modular homes include:

• 7430 and 7460 Heather Street (78 homes built and tenanted)
• 1131 Franklin Street (39 homes built and tenanted)
• 525 Powell (39 homes built and tenanted)
• 4480 (formerly 4410) Kaslo Street (52 homes under construction)
• 2132 Ash Street (formerly 595 and 599 West 2nd Avenue) (52 homes under construction)
• Little Mountain (46 homes approved)
• TOTAL: 306 homes

Temporary modular housing sites at development permit stage include:

• 688 Cambie Street (approximately 100 homes, development permit application has been submitted to the City)
• 4949 Heather Street (approximately 100 homes, development permit application has been submitted to the City)
• 215 West 1st Avenue (approximately 50 homes, development permit application has been submitted to the City)
• TOTAL: approximately 250 proposed homes

To deliver more permanent social and supportive housing the City is:

• Working towards approving a target of 12,000 new units of permanent social and supportive housing over the next 10 years as part of the Housing Vancouver strategy.

• Continuing to approve and open new affordable homes to respond to the housing crisis and homelessness. In 2017, approximately 200 permanent social and supportive homes opened across Vancouver. In 2018 so far, nearly 400 permanent social and supportive housing units have opened and we expect nearly 500 more permanent social and supportive housing units to open.