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Downtown Eastside Hunger Striker, (Formerly) Homeless Dave to “weigh-in” and deliver demands to City Hall
Hendrik Beune and the AHA MEDIA team will be seeing Downtown Eastside Hunger Striker (Formerly) Homeless Dave “weigh-in” and deliver demands to during his March to City Hall
There is a lot going on in the DTES these days and people are willing to work together on a platform of common ground that does not leave out the poor man. How can this be done? Well, campaigns like this are just as important as all the political rallying going on to prepare us for the provincial elections. On a political level we must hand the wishes of the community over to the Mayor and Council and expect them to be respectful of the wishes of the community and follow the plan of development without displacement. So far so good… march on, perhaps stop and think for awhile?
“Gentrification is intensifying; the housing crisis is deepening, and the health of the people and the land are under serious threat. Desperate times call for desperate measures.” -Homeless Dave
Contacts:
Wendy Pedersen 604-839-0379
Lorelei Williams 778-709-6498
Tami Starlight 604-790-9943
Blog | http://dteshungerstrike.blogspot.ca/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/DtesHungerStrike
Twitter | @dteshungrstrike
COPE Councilor Ellen Woodsworth speaking on COPE Housing Solutions for Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
COPE Councilor Ellen Woodsworth committed today to slow gentrification in the Downtown Eastside, a process that is pushing out local residents through unaffordable rent and rising food costs. In front of the controversial Pantages Theatre site, Woodsworth announced COPE’s plan to ensure property in the Downtown Eastside is devoted to affordable housing for the low-income community.
“The hundred block of Hastings is not a place for high end condos,” said Woodsworth. “The Downtown Eastside can count on COPE to make certain that housing developed in the neighbourhood provides for the current local residents.”
COPE committed to calling for a condominium development moratorium in the Downtown Eastside until sufficient low-income housing is in place. COPE will also strengthen the anti-conversion by-law by defining ‘affordability’ as being affordable to those on Government Assistance. This will ensure that residents of the area are not forced to leave their homes because of increasing rent.
“The Downtown Eastside community is well organised and they have set specific priorities for how the City plans their vital neighbourhood,” said Woodsworth. “COPE remains committed to listening to neighbourhoods, and this neighbouhood is speaking loud, and clear.”
Woodsworth highlighted the demands of local community groups, including the resident-based Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council, calling on the City of Vancouver to identify 10 locations to be designated as future sites for low-income housing. COPE also commits to providing greater security and safety for residents of Single Occupancy (SRO) hotels.
“Our city staff need more resources to help enforce standards of maintenance by-laws. This is crucial in order to protect our city’s most vulnerable from absentee or neglectful land owners,” added Woodsworth.
COPE also set a target of creating 1000 affordable housing units in Vancouver every year.
“Housing is a top priority for our city, and residents can count on COPE to create a Vancouver for everyone with safe, secure, affordable housing,” said Woodsworth.
While calling for a national housing strategy and for increased provincial support for affordable and supportive housing units, COPE wants the City to play a leadership role in making the creation of new housing a reality.
“We cannot let Stephen Harper or Christy Clark off the hook. Both provincial and federal governments must return to the housing table,” said Woodsworth. “Vancouver cannot wait though, and COPE councilors will work everyday to focus on how best to make Vancouver affordable for everyone.”
W2TV: Solidarity Notes Choir – Women’s Housing March and GentriFUCation Tour
5th ANNUAL WOMEN’S HOUSING MARCH
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Sat. Sep 17 @ 1:30 pm
Starts at Cordova and Columbia, just west of Main St.
Unceded Coast Salish Territories
On Saturday Sep 17 at 1:30 pm, join the Downtown Eastside Women Centre Power of Women Group* in the 5th Annual March for Women’s Housing and March Against Poverty.
We invite groups to bring their banners and anything else for our festive march and ‘GentriFucation Tour’. All genders are welcome and celebrated. Please bring your drums and regalia. This march is child-friendly and there will be a rest-vehicle for elders. Spread the word!
This year, we celebrate the recent victory that has forced the provincial government to commit funding to a 24-hour low barrier shelter for women as a result of our collective efforts. We also continue to march for:
– Social Housing, Childcare, and Healthcare for all!
– No more Evictions and No more Gentrification in the Downtown Eastside!
– Stop Criminalizing the Poor!
Email: project@dewc.ca or Phone: 778 885 0040
Video by Sid Tan of W2TV
DTES Block Party to Block Condos on the 100 BLOCK of Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
DTES BLOCK PARTY TO BLOCK CONDOS ON THE 100 BLOCK
Sat. Sep 17 at around 4 pm
Music, food, and the last bit of summer sun!
Marc Williams wants to build condos at the old Pantages Site in the Downtown Eastside. Condos in the heart of the neighbourhood will cause higher property values, higher rents in single-room occupancies, displacement of current residents, increased policing, and low-income residents feeling unwelcome in their own neighbourhood.
We are getting the neighbourhood and all our allies together to protect the site for 100% social housing for low-income residents. The DTES is not for developers to make millions, it is for our vibrant and vital low-income community!
For more info: http://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com/
HOW TO SUPPORT:
* If you are a group, endorse the DTES Community Resolution: http://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com/savepantages/
* If you are an individual, sign the online petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/nocondos/petition.html
* If you work in the DTES, sign the Boycott Statement:
http://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com/dtes-workers-boycott/
* If you are a social housing provider, don’t collaborate with Sequel 138:
http://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com/social-housing-provider-boycott/
Organized by Stop Pantages Condos Coalition: Aboriginal Front Door, Carnegie Community Action Project, Citywide Housing Coalition, DTES Neighbourhood Council, DTES Power of Women Group, Gallery Gachet, Streams of Justice, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users.
AHA MEDIA at Gentrification meeting of Vancouver Downtown Eastside hosted by CCAP – Carnegie Community Action Project
75 + people attended the Gentrification meeting of the Vancouver Downtown Eastside at Carnegie Centre hosted by CCAP – Carnegie Community Action Project
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