West End developer accused of using ‘poor door’ for social housing
Posted May 6, 2015 9:02 am.
Last Updated May 6, 2015 9:24 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A Vancouver community group is worried people who will eventually move into a proposed condo tower will live in segregation. West End Neighbours says the tower will have separate entrances: one for condo owners and another for social housing renters.
Condo owners would enter the building from Jervis Street, while social housing renters would go in off Davie Street. Separate entrances are allowed by the city as long as they are equally as prominent. This proposal for a 19-storey residential building has yet to come before council for approval.
Randy Helton with City Hall Watch says this should be addressed. “Before the city totally goes with this as a precedent and a way of doing buildings and social housing, we think there should be a public discussion.”
It would be the first time the city has heard of what some are calling poor doors. City Councillor Kerry Jang says it appears this developer would be putting the social housing entrance on the more prominent Davie St. and the condo entrance on Jervis. Jang feels pulled in two different directions when it comes to poor doors. “When I sit in my office, I hear from all sides of the spectrum. I have tenants who are low income saying ‘No, we like our doors because like the privacy’ and we have other who say ‘No, I want to walk in the same from door as everybody else.’ And so, you know, it’s as mixed as you can possibly get.”
West End Neighbours says the building will also have separate amenities for condo owners and social housing renters. Jang says he would never vote to approve a proposal which would see anyone discriminated against.
