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Tell Vancouver City Council Not to Gentrify the DTES!
Date 2 Dec, 2025
Residents of the Downtown Eastside are in danger of experiencing major displacement and homelessness. Zoning changes in the DTES are being tabled at City Council next week (Dec. 9) and we need to mobilize to resist gentrification that will cause more harm to low-income members of our city.
The City is proposing zoning amendments that will drastically reduce the number of social housing units and affordable housing for low-income residents in the Downtown Eastside/Oppenheimer District (DEOD).
Click to expand for details on what the changes include.
Changes include:
Decreasing the amount of social housing units required to be part of new developments in the area. Right now, developments are required to have 60% of their stock dedicated for social housing and the remaining 40% can be rented at market rate. Proposed policy changes would require only 20% units be for social housing, and 80% at market rate. This will change developers’ obligations when they replace Single Resident Occupancy (SRO) buildings, which provide housing of last resort for our neighbours who would otherwise be homeless. Right now, anyone redeveloping this kind of building has to replace each unit on a 1:1 basis. With the proposed changes, developers will only be required to replace 50-80% of those critical housing units.
“Social housing” would go from currently requiring at least 33% of units be rented at “shelter rates” ($500 per month for an individual) to just 20%. For example, under the proposed amendments, a new 100-unit development would only have 4 units available at shelter rates.
Public ownership of social housing units would no longer be required. Developers would own 100% of the building and lease back the social housing portion, meaning any public money or incentives (like government grants) end up subsidizing private ownership.
More market rate units in the neighbourhood will mean increased speculation in the area and increased land values. This will make building social housing more expensive, property taxes will increase, and rent will go up. This will no doubt lead to accelerated evictions and displacements.
We need your help to show Council that Vancouverites are standing up against gentrification and land speculation and that we need MORE, not less, affordable housing options!
Send a pre-written email below to City Council that you DO NOT support zoning changes in the Downtown Eastside as it will lead to devastating impacts for residents of the community.
You can also sign up to speak at City Council on December 9 at: https://vancouver.ca/your-government/request-to-speak-at-a-public-hearing-form-3.aspx.
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