March against condo gentrification & BC Housing bailout of Sequel 138

March to block condos from the 100-block and defend Downtown Eastside low-income communities against gentrification and displacement

STOP PANTAGES CONDOS!
SOCIAL HOUSING NOT DISPLACEMENT!
SAY NO TO THE BC HOUSING BAILOUT OF SEQUEL 138 CONDOS!
Tuesday December 11
Rally & march meeting 2pm
In front of the Pantages demolition site at the blue wall
(About 138 E Hastings)

The developer who wants to build condos on the 100-block of E Hastings has recently announced a plan to start his sales. This project is part of a siege of the DTES by new condo projects that are driving up land prices and rents in hotels. Meanwhile, cops are clearing the streets and boutique shops are pushing out low-income serving stores and services.

The sales drive (whether imagined or a real threat) is backed by BC Housing dollars. A recent Province news article revealed that BC Housing bailed the Sequel 138 condos from the brink of foreclosure in the early summer with a low-interest $3.75M loan and promises $20M more to help with construction. Are Sequel 138 to be BC Housing’s first condos? (See more info below)

On Tuesday December 11 we will rally and march to demand social housing not expensive condos! People not profit! Stop gentrification! Community not displacement!

Organized by DTES Not for Developers Coalition
https://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com

–BACKGROUNDER–

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2012

BC HOUSING BAILS OUT CONDO DEVELOPER WHILE HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES

Vancouver, Unceded Coast Salish Territory- Residents and organizations in the Downtown Eastside are outraged and alarmed at the recent news that BC Housing gave Sequel 138 condo developer Marc Williams a $3.75 million loan (at 1.29 percent interest) for pre-construction costs and may provide around $20 million to fund construction for condos at the Pantages site. According to news reports that interest rate is well below the going bank rate of 4 to 8 percent.

Rally & March to STOP PANTAGES CONDOS, Tuesday December 11, 2pm

Townhall Nov 28: ENDING CYCLES OF DISPLACEMENT

Downtown Eastside Anti-Displacement Town Hall

ENDING CYCLES OF DISPLACEMENT
Town Hall about forced displacement and gentrification
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 28
2PM
CARNEGIE THEATRE
(1st floor, 401 Main St)

Speakers including Toghestiy, Unis’tot’en Clan about the struggle against pipelines; Myriam Hernandez about displacement out of Latin America; DTES community organizers about the history of displacement in Vancouver and the realities of gentrification today.

“Woodward’s East” condos rezoning decision Tuesday at City Hall

The public hearing for the proposed condo project at 955 E Hastings finished last week. Nearly forty people came out and spoke about the project, the majority were low-income residents and their supporters speaking against the project. You can watch the amazing speeches of these community leaders through the city website here: http://cityofvan-as1.insinc.com/ibc/mp/md/open/c/317/1202/201210181745wv150en,001

The council decision about the project was put off until this week, Tuesday October 30 at City Hall. The meeting starts at 9:30am but there is one discussion point on ahead of the decision, listed under “unfinished business”, so we don’t know what time the decision might be made.

Downtown Eastside residents will be meeting in front of Carnegie Centre at 9am sharp to go up to city hall together and be present for this decision which, no matter which way it goes, will play a central role in shaping the future of the community. Everyone who opposes this mega project is welcome to come join us.

For more information call Ivan at 604-781-7346 and read a backgrounder here:
https://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/955/#more-605

“Woodward’s East” condo rezoning hearing continues Thursday…

Quick update:

The public hearing about 955 E Hastings got started last night but only 3 out of 30 speakers got to speak. The rest of the speakers – and anyone else who wants to sign-up – have been put off until Thursday evening.

Come to the next (and last) public hearing appearance for the 955 E Hastings condos rezoning: Thursday October 18, 6pm at Vancouver City Hall.

To go up there from the DTES meet at the Carnegie Centre at 5pm for dinner and to head up together.

Bring your banners and signs to send a message from council chambers!

To register to speak at the public hearing:
Call: 604-829-4238
Email: publichearing@vancouver.caYou can also register to speak at city hall between 5:30pm and 6pm.

Stop the “Woodward’s east” condo proposal by Raycam!

This Tuesday come tell City Council:
STOP THE “WOODWARD’S EAST” CONDO PROJECT AT 955 E HASTINGS!

On Tuesday October 16 Vancouver City Council will be considering a rezoning application for a major condo project at 955 E. Hastings, right across the street from Raycam.

Come to a news conference with DTES community speakers
Tuesday October 16
7pm
Vancouver City Hall
(south side, on the steps facing 12^th Ave)

Sign up to speak at the rezoning hearing starting Tuesday October 16 about 7:30pm
Call: 604-829-4238
Email: publichearing@vancouver.ca

Come with the group leaving from the Downtown Eastside. Meet at Carnegie at 6pm for food and be ready to leave together by bus and van at 6:30pm.

This three-condo-tower development will be to the eastern part of the Downtown Eastside what Woodward’s has been to the west: more condos, higher property values, more upscale stores, and higher rents in nearby hotels. What we learned from Woodward’s is that low income people could be pushed out of nearby hotels and the street level retail area could become another zone of exclusion for low-income people.

But this project doesn’t even offer the good parts of Woodward’s. Woodward’s had about 150 units of welfare rate social housing. This development has only 24 units at welfare rate and no community amenities besides the housing. It will also have 282 condos, and about 70,000 sq/ft of market rate rate and industrial space with no dedicated community or non-profit spaces.

Come to city council to speak out against this major, neighbourhood changing condo project.

(For more information see below)

6th annual Women’s Housing March Saturday September 15

Hello DTES Not for Developers and Stop Pantages Condos supporters,

We hope you can attend and spread the word about this important annual demonstration this weekend organized by the DTES Power of Women group.

Our coalition is involved in a couple of actions within this march; a surprise street theatre performance along the route, and a  paint-in at the newly cleaned-up and neatly boarded-up Pantages lot after the march is finished. So come ready to rally, ready to march, and ready to paint afterwards.

See you there!

~ DTES Not for Developers coalition

***************************************
6th ANNUAL WOMEN’S HOUSING MARCH
***************************************

Sat. Sep 15 @ 1:30 pm
Starts at Cordova and Columbia, just west of Main St.
Unceded Coast Salish Territories

* Homes for People, not Profit for Real Estate!
* No Slumlords, No Evictions and No Gentrification!

* Rent Control not Social Control!
* Homes not Jails!
* Homes not Pipelines!
* Housing, Childcare, and Healthcare for All!

FB RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/368896053180255/
Download posters: http://www.dewc.ca
Videos and photos from last year: http://is.gd/DQ5j8h

On Saturday Sep 15 at 1:30 pm, join the Downtown Eastside Women Centre Power of Women Group in the 6th Annual March for Women’s Housing and March Against Poverty.

This year we continue to march for housing, childcare, and healthcare for all low-income residents in the DTES. We want no more evictions, no more displacement, and no more gentrification in our neighourhood. We know that the growing number of cops and condos in the DTES is part of a larger pattern to destroy and privatize neighourboods, communities, and the land. We want to live free: free from BC Housing controls, free from violence against women, and free from this system that is hurting and killing us.

We invite groups to bring their banners and anything else for our festive march. All genders are welcome and celebrated. Please bring your drums and regalia. This march is child-friendly and there will be a rest-vehicle for elders. Spread the word!

Email: project@dewc.ca or Phone: 778 885 0040

The DTES Power of Women Group is a group of women (we are an inclusive group) from all walks of life who are either on social assistance, working poor, or homeless; but we are all living in extreme poverty in and around the DTES. Our aim is to empower ourselves through our experiences and to raise awareness from our own perspectives about the social issues affecting the neighbourhood. Many of us are single mothers or have had our children apprehended due to poverty; most of us have chronic physical or mental health issues for example HIV and Hepatitis C; many have drug or alcohol addictions; and a majority have experienced and survived sexual violence and mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional abuse. For indigenous women, we are affected by a legacy of the effects of residential schools and a history of colonization and racism.

 

City orders condo developer to clear all rubble from demolition site, Downtown Eastside residents call for further protections

City orders condo developer to clear all rubble from demolition site, Downtown Eastside residents call for further protections

UNCEDED COAST SALISH TERRITORIES – The City of Vancouver has issued an

City order for Marc Williams to clean up the rubble, on the remaining wall of the Pantages site

order to Marc Williams, owner of the former Pantages theatre site and target of community actions for over a year. The order, signed by Will Johnston, Director of Licenses and Inspections and Chief Building Official, says that Sequel 138 Development Corp must “remove the accumulation of construction debris, rubbish and discarded material on or before July 31, 2012.” It threatens legal action for “failure to comply with this order” including a threat that the city will undertake the clean-up work if the owner does not. (Download a pdf of the city order: 120718 City of Vancouver order to clean up Pantages)

Tired of rats & demolition disaster DTES community challenges city hall to act

Tired of rats & demolition disaster DTES community challenges city hall to act

Colleen Boudreau unveils model social housing built out of Pantages rubble

UNCEDED COAST SALISH TERRITORIES – On Monday July 16 Downtown Eastside (DTES) residents gathered outside the Pantages demolition site to draw attention to rats and rubble disaster that festered in their community for over a year.

“Nearly two months ago we conducted a community rat count to show that 138 East Hastings was full of rats who were using the site as a staging ground to invade neighboring hotels,” said organizer Jean Swanson. “And just last night again I counted 18 rats in five minutes.”

Pantages rubble challenge letter to Vancouver City Council

Monday, 16 July 2012

Gregor Robertson and Members of City Council
City of Vancouver
453 West 12th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5Y 1V4

Mayor Robertson and Members of City Council:

We are writing as a broad coalition of residents, community members, activists and allies of the Downtown Eastside low income community to demand that you act speedily to clean up the pile of rubble at 138 East Hastings, the site of the former Pantages Theatre.  This was once a historic landmark that Vancouver’s founding neighbourhood could be proud of.  Now, thanks to the negligence of the lot’s current owner, Marc Williams, it is a toxic pile of junk that is both an eyesore and a health hazard in the heart of the community.