Adequate and affordable housing for low-income residents is essential for the well
being of the community. In the City of Vancouver, the majority of available low-income
housing is located in the inner city and, in particular, the area around the Downtown
Eastside neighborhood. The continued loss of units due to redevelopment and conversion
is a serious concern in relation to the lagging replacement of units.
This study explores the relationship between inner city gentrification and social
housing provision. It looks at current gentrification trends in Canadian inner cities and
uses the case example of the Four Sisters Housing Cooperative in the Downtown Eastside
neighborhood to illustrate a possible model for future housing.
Gentrification is shown to be a major factor behind the increased pressure for
residential development and the conversion of existing units in the inner city. A second
contributing factor is the planned redevelopment of large parts of the inner city. Both are
considered by-products of the restructuring of the urban economy from manufacturing to
the service industries, which increases competition for and around the central business
district. The study provides a cursory examination of current theory on gentrification with
an emphasis on the impact on social housing provision. A number of factors are shown to
influence the demand for residential accommodation in Vancouver’s inner city. These are:
-the favourable central location of the inner city relative to suburban locations;
-the shift of the economy to the service sector, which has resulted in the growth of
residential opportunities to capture the growing market of downtown workers;
-the increase in tertiary and quaternary employment;
-new consumer preferences which value the inner city lifestyle;
-significant demographic changes related to the age, household size and
composition, employment profile, and income of inner-city population;
-the continued economic dominance of the downtown. Research carried out in various Canadian cities indicates that gentrification is
becoming more complex, often moderate or gradual, and potentially chaotic. The observed
encroachment of development activity, growth in the number of families, and the prognosis
for new residents with a higher socioeconomic status, is a concern in terms of the future
ability to develop housing for local residents and establish policy for the protection of
existing private housing.
The study shows that the Four Sisters Cooperative has achieved both practical and
political goals by providing secure, long-term accommodation for Downtown Eastside
residents, providing further economic stability in the area, and adding to the needed stock
of family housing. Through its income base, the Four Sisters also caters to a rising demand
for low-end market housing in the inner city. The new advocacy for family accommodation
in the inner city on the part of the Vancouver Planning Department is evidence of the
success of the project.
The findings suggest that, as the Canadian inner city becomes more economically
and socially diverse, initiatives like the Four Sisters are uniquely suited to respond
effectively to the future need for long-term, low-income accommodation. However, the
Four Sisters model is unlikely to be readily replicated in the difficult economic times
ahead, particularly given the deep level of subsidy that it requires and the current fiscal
constraints which all levels of government are under. This implies that future housing
solutions must be formulated through government leadership and in cooperation with the
community, all levels of government, the non-profit sector, and the private sector.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/4993 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Allueva, Raul C. |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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