Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has unveiled a plan to revitalize the city91裸聊视频檚 troubled Downtown Eastside that includes pausing the construction of net new supportive housing units.
He said he wants to integrate the neighbourhood into the rest of the city and 91裸聊视频渂reak the cycle of hyper-concentrated social services,91裸聊视频� while cracking down on gang activity.
Sim announced the plan on Thursday at the Save Our Streets forum, held by a coalition concerned about crime and public safety in B.C.
91裸聊视频淔or too long, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent without delivering meaningful change,91裸聊视频� he said in a statement.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 time for a new direction, one that prioritizes recovery, inclusivity, and public safety while integrating the (Downtown Eastside) into the broader Vancouver community.91裸聊视频�
The mayor said Vancouver has 77 per cent of Metro Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 supportive services, including housing and shelters, yet only has about 25 per cent of the population.
He said pausing construction of more supportive housing would allow the city to 91裸聊视频渇ocus on renewing and revitalizing the current aging housing stock91裸聊视频� for the needs of the community 91裸聊视频渦ntil supportive housing availability increases across the region.91裸聊视频�
Abundant Housing Vancouver, an advocacy group that supports housing supply, said it was 91裸聊视频渟hocked and disappointed91裸聊视频� by the proposed supportive housing freeze.
91裸聊视频淭he solution to homelessness is housing; building less supportive housing will just result in more homelessness,91裸聊视频� it said in a statement.
In addition to the supportive housing pause, the other two platforms of Sim91裸聊视频檚 strategy were a crime crackdown and updating the Downtown Eastside Area Plan to 91裸聊视频渆ncourage a mix of housing, businesses, and services,91裸聊视频� instead of a focus on supportive housing, shelter services, and social services.
91裸聊视频淭his allows for the integration of the (Downtown Eastside) neighbourhood into Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 broader community, ensuring a more balanced, supportive environment for residents, businesses, and visitors,91裸聊视频� a statement from the city outlining Sim91裸聊视频檚 announcement said.
Sim said the city and Vancouver police would launch a crackdown on organized crime and gangs operating in the Downtown Eastside.
91裸聊视频淭his initiative aims to address street-entrenched violence by dismantling criminal networks that exploit vulnerable residents and undermine community safety,91裸聊视频� the statement said.
Sim and a slate of councillors under the ABC Vancouver party were swept into power in 2022 with a promise to improve public safety.
Save Our Streets chair and co-founder Clint Mahlman said Sim91裸聊视频檚 proposal to address the concentration of social services and supportive housing in the Downtown Eastside was in line with 91裸聊视频渂est practices91裸聊视频� in countries such as Switzerland.
91裸聊视频淥ne of our experts that had studied in Switzerland described that getting people out of a concentrated area 91裸聊视频� where it increases the potential for exposure to people that would pull them down again 91裸聊视频� was a huge part of the success of the Switzerland model,91裸聊视频� Mahlman said.
Mahlman, who is the president and chief operating officer of retail chain London Drugs, said there was more to be done about public safety.
91裸聊视频淚t remains at a crisis point,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd I think that was expressed by the citizens in the last provincial election as one of the many issues 91裸聊视频� (where) they need change.91裸聊视频�
