Not enough consultation on Vancouver's housing strategy, neighbourhood group says

The Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods has sent an open letter to the mayor and council opposing the city's Housing Vancouver strategy, citing concerns with the proposed density and rezoning.

Coalition co-chair Dorothy Barkley says there wasn't enough consultation involved in the planning of the document, which goes to city council on Tuesday.

The letter asks the plan not be approved until there is "meaningful participation" by the communities who will be impacted.

"I would like to think that most of the people in Vancouver are a pretty progressive lot, and they believe in affordability, they believe in supportive housing, but it's the imposition without the consultation, without taking the time," Barkley said.

"We applaud the fact  the city is coming up with a strategy. We think that's terrific." 

But the coalition which represents over 20 member groups from the Downtown Eastside to west Point Grey wants the city to hold off on approving the plan.

"One of the big issues from the very beginning ... was the city's lack of consultation, meaningful consultation with the neighbourhoods," said Barkley.

Barkley says that while the city held meetings over the last year, there was no real discussion.

"The city talks and then they leave."

Part of the proposed plan calls for rezoning which would allow for more density in single-family neighbourhoods, new incentives for rentals, more social housing and measures to reduce demand.

And while Barkley says she supports "soft densification" measures, including laneway houses and incentivization of affordable rentals, she worries about demolition of character homes.

"It's possible in a character neighbourhood to preserve the housing stock that gives the city a sense of who it is and what it is … through different kinds of densification but not with wholesale demolition, not with wholesale rezoning," she said.

Barkley says the city should listen to the homeowners and business owners who have invested in the city.

"They're not afraid of change ... They recognize the need for it to maintain or increase affordable housing and supportive housing but they just want to be consulted so that it's done in such a way that's it's manageable for its absorption into the neighbourhood," she said.

"I think it's inevitable that people recognize the need for change, but they are reluctant the way it's being imposed."

With files from On the Coast