C.A.L.M.
Community Advocates for Little Mountain

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SAVE SOCIAL HOUSING AT LITTLE MOUNTAIN

As of July 2009, over 200 homes sit empty at Little Mountain.  Vancouver’s oldest social housing complex - 224 homes on 15 acres beside Queen Elizabeth Park - is slated for redevelopment. The publicly owned site is being sold to the highest bidder, who will want expensive market housing. Tenants are being pressured to leave so the developer gets ‘vacant possession’, even though construction won’t start before 2010.

1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartments are vacant while thousands in Vancouver are homeless and dying in our streets, parks, and alleys. A well-functioning community where people have supported each other for decades is being destroyed. Their former homes could be temporary housing for hundreds of adults and children in desperate need. Instead, our governments have decided to demolish habitable buildings as they become vacant!

It is a scandal to leave homes empty while thousands of people sleep on our streets.

Tell our governments:

· Stop needless displacements and let remaining families relocate on site during construction of the promised social housing.

· Re-open vacant homes to families in need of housing.

· No bulldozing of any homes until construction is ready to begin.

· Increase the amount of social housing at Little Mountain and keep all housing non-market.

· Keep public land public – No sale of public land to private interests.

· Implement a comprehensive housing program. We need immediate action at all levels of government to build housing accessible for people of all income levels.

More than 30 pieces added to Outdoor Gallery for Affordable Housing

Vancouver—On January 11 more than 30 artists participated in the Little Mountain Art-In 2nd Edition. The results included:

  • a family portrait and two other pieces by a former resident of Little Mountain Housing, to be mounted on the apartment the family occupied 20 years ago
  • a giant PAID stamp designed by art students from the Emily Carr Institute, which elicited a variety of intriguing interpretations
  • a series of six silhouettes by Tiko Kerr which cover the entire lower section of a building facing Ontario Street
  • delightful children’s art
  • a depiction of the lights coming back on in a vacated building
  • an elaborate, striking political cartoon depicting the artist’s concept of Little Mountain financing
  • many, many more colourful, lively statements in favour of affordable housing

To see the assembled art, go to the corner of Ontario Street and 33rd Avenue. Look along Ontario Street to 37th Avenue, and along 33rd to the two buildings facing each other across a grassy (or snowy) expanse. Much of the art will be mounted on the weekend of January 17 – 18.

To offer to contribute more art,
email
calmhousing@hotmail.com or call 604-325-7209.



NEWS COVERAGE OF THE ART-IN ON DECEMBER 7TH
 
Vancouver Sun Gallery, Dec 7th

The Straight, Dec 7th

24hrs, Dec 8th

Metro, Dec 8th

The Province, Dec 8th

The Province, Dec 15th

Between the Cracks Magazine

24hrs, Dec 16th

There has also been good coverage on CBC tv (news at 6), CTV, City TV (Breakfast Television), and CBC radio (the Early Edition).

Artwork that was censored by BC Housing following the Art-In.... link

 


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