VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Four families still living at the Little Mountain social housing complex in Vancouver have been given the news they were hoping for – they’re no longer being evicted.

The province, the city and developer Holborn Properties have agreed to build 50 social housing units on the site as soon as possible, while the rest of the property goes through the rezoning process.

While those units are being constructed, the four families will be able to stay in their townhouses.

Ingrid Steenhuisen has argued for years that relocating low-income tenants was going to be too traumatic for them. Steenhuisen lives in a unit with her mom, who has been living on the site since 1957. She was especially worried for her neighbours, a visually impaired couple.

“Moving when it’s not your choice is very traumatic. When you’ve got disabilities, it’s more traumatic.”

She says since they’ve already lived through demolition of most of the site, putting up with the construction all around them won’t be a big deal.

“Construction is much more organized then demolition. As long as we are provided our walkway, then it is not a problem,” she notes

The site next to Queen Elizabeth Park is being transformed into a village of shops, condo towers and even a canal. It will eventually house some 4,500 people.

The original agreement with the developer stipulates that all 224 social housing units on the site had to be replaced.

The latest agreement does not spell out when the new units will be built, or where exactly on the property they’ll be located.