Behind The Scenes Cutbacks Unlikely To Bring Relief To Fraserhood’s Middle Class Renters

3233-3245 Fraser Street - (Archived Link)Would you be angry with your partner to learn the real reason you were driving down Fraser Street was not to have dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, but rather to drop by the Polish Community Centre? I suppose your answer might depend on how much you like boxed coffee, or...

July 5th, 21st, & 28th 2022 Public Hearings – An International Union Blooms As Parkside Residences Face A Local Blockade

Public Hearing – July 5th, 2022Update: As the July 5th meeting lost quorum during Item #5, it has been removed from the agenda, and will be forced to start over on July 28th. As for Item #6, it will continue as normal, and begin at 6pm on July 21st.With the news that the Broadway Commercial...

Affordability Comes At A Price For Vancouver’s Hottest Rental Homes

4408-4488 Fraser St and 707-709 E 29th AveAs Hannah and I enter our fifth year of recapping our region’s urban growth review process, Vancouver city council’s vote to streamline the secured rental policy seemed like an early Christmas present. We’re hopeful this means the Urban Design Panel multi-hour reviews of these standard six floor rental...

July 6th, 2021 Public Hearing – Decades Old Fears Threaten West End Community Pride While East Van Rental Homes Undergo A Green Revolution

Public Hearing – July 6th, 2021 I think Hannah would laugh at anyone that would call me an optimist, but I do believe that though the arc of the moral universe is long, it bends towards justice. Lately, there are many reasons to doubt that, as last month a small addition to a public school...

June 17th, 2021 Public Hearing – Vancouver’s Crème de la Crème Sours On Moderate Income Rental Homes Greenway Approach

Public Hearing – June 17th, 2021 This public hearing’s agenda will let me recap one of my favourite open house experiences, and one that Hannah still rightly scolds me for attending, as I was literally bleeding internally. Even with the post surgical fog, I’ll never forget the shocked faces in the room, though not every...

Moderate Income Rental Homes Bloom From The Ruins Of Vancouver’s Laneway Disaster

3615 - 3645 Fraser StreetWith city council’s decision not to renew or replace the Affordable Housing Choices Interim Rezoning Policy, Darren and I have watched the activity in our guide to that program wither away. A few active rezoning proposals linger, awaiting the judgment of our elected officials, but one has remained jarringly stuck at...

Public Hearing – April 13th, 2021 – North Shore Inspired Homes Bring A Landslide Of Community Benefits To The West End

Public Hearing – April 13th, 2021One has to feel a little bit bad for our city council, as this meeting comes not even a week after they finally finished the public hearing that started on March 11th. Granted, Hannah and I know to a certain extent this is self-inflicted, as they often engage in a...

March 9th, 2021 Public Hearing – New Vancouver Hotel Seeks To Triple Artist Housing As Urban Rooms Erupt Into East Van

Public Hearing – March 9th, 2021As last month's public hearing was only settled last week, I imagine city council is pretty grateful to whoever scheduled this night’s simple agenda. It could have gone even quicker if they decided to stop personally reviewing every townhome proposal in the Cambie Corridor, as Item #1 is not really...

Public Hearing – December 2nd, 2020 – A Pleasant Hope Shines Through East Van’s Trees, While Rental Homes Look For A Safeway Through Vancouver’s Asphalt Transformation

Public Hearing – December 2nd, 2020Update 12/03/20 – The public hearing has recessed, and will resume on December 10th at 6pm. As such, one can still send in correspondence or sign up to speak on Items 6 & 7.Considering the difficulties we’ve all experienced this year, Hannah and I are grateful Vancouver’s second last public hearing...

Urban Design Panel Urges City Staff To Make Room For Little Mountain’s Sprouts To Grow

5098 James Street - DP-2020-00442 - (Little Mountain - Building EB)In a weird way, I was relieved to hear the volunteers on the Urban Design Panel admit these weekly meetings were starting to feel relentless, and were leaving them fatigued. Hannah and I have certainly shared that sentiment, but the current public safety measures made...