Housing Archives

Vancouver: human error and ‘terrible housing crunch hundreds lined up to see a $1,200 two-bedroom co-op suite

April 20, 2017 By administrator

Members of a Vancouver housing co-op say an inadvertent error may have led hundreds of people to line up to view a two-bedroom suite.

But co-op representatives also suggested that the extreme interest is an indication of the need for more affordable rental housing.

“There’s a terrible housing crunch out there,” said Erin Gilchrist, president of the Heritage Housing Co-op on W. 8th Avenue at Heather Street.

About 200 people attended an orientation meeting — similar to an open house — Wednesday night to view the co-op’s unit.

Co-ops are non-profit housing ventures where members pay a share and are considered equal owners.

They share in maintenance costs and responsibilities which, combined, help to keep housing costs down.

The charges for Heritage Housing’s 900 square-foot unit are $1,220 per month, but could rise depending on a family’s income.

Many online were shocked by images of the long lines of people trying to view it.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/this-is-nuts-why-hundreds-lined-up-to-see-a-1-200-two-bedroom-co-op-suite-1.4078756?cmp=news-digests-british-columbia

Photo: Here’s what $2.4 million gets in five Metro Vancouver communities “Thanks to China Money”

January 30, 2016 By administrator

Photograph by: Files , MLS

(Vancouversun) 453 W 14TH AVENUE, Vancouver offers prime location in Point Grey. It lists for $2.398 million.

Shop and compare: Vastly different homes list at the same price — $2.4 million — in five Metro Vancouver communities: Point Grey, North Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey and Langley.

Another 1996 Shaughnessy mansion slated for demolition raises bar in debate over Vancouver real estate

By all appearances, the house at 6088 Adera St. is a well-appointed, relatively new, $6 million luxury home with an indoor pool, media room and new hardwood floors. It would seem to be a desirable residence as is, but instead it is slated for demolition.

The prospect of a luxury mansion becoming just another Vancouver tear down is sparking a new level of debate over the rapid re-construction of Vancouver’s residential neighbourhoods as word of the development circulates among neighbourhood and housing advocates.

11686112 “It’s mind boggling,” said Caroline Adderson, a Vancouver author and heritage advocate. “They’re not putting up condo complexes, it’s going to be another single-family house.”

She said the home’s demolition and the presumably even-more-luxurious replacement “runs contrary to every single goal the city stands for,” because redeveloping the property won’t help increase affordability or density” and “there is nothing green about demolishing a perfectly livable house.”

The city has confirmed that the home’s owner has made an application for a demolition permit, which is pending until approval of the combination development and building permit for its replacement.

The building permit application is for a new, single-family dwelling, said city spokesman Jag Sandhu in an email, which complies with the neighbourhood’s RS-3 zoning.

Property records show that the 7,300-square-foot house was last sold in 2013 for just over $6 million — the assessment today is $7.44 million. According to the 2013 listing for the property, it boasted $350,000 in recent renovations including new hardwood floors, a water purification system and windows. The listing sheet shows the two-storey house on a corner lot has 19 rooms including seven bedrooms, a media room, office and 12-foot by Seven-foot walk-in closet off the master suite.

Adderson has become a heritage advocate for Vancouver’s character homes, administering a Facebook page dedicated to chronicling the rapid demolition of pre-1940 houses and co-authoring the book Vancouver Vanishes, which explores the issue.

However, she said increasingly people are calling her attention to houses built in the 1990s or later being replaced by new homes.

“Everything is bulldozer bait,” she said. “Now it’s all about the building lot.”

In early 2015, The Sun reported that almost 8,700 buildings were demolished in Vancouver since 2005 and that houses were still being torn down almost daily.

“It’s very disheartening,” said Vancouver Coun. Adriane Carr of the rapid demolition of homes.

She said she plans to raise the Adera Street demolition at council to find out more about the circumstances and whether there are ways to “prevent the destruction of perfectly good homes.”

“It’s such an incredible waste of resources at a time in our planet’s history when conservation of resources is on everyone’s mind.”

At present, Carr said it doesn’t appear that there is a way to do so, but she mused whether council can use zoning changes to prevent such demolitions.

Carr is one of two council liaison members to the city’s heritage plan committee which is looking for ways to encourage the retention of more pre-1940 heritage homes and zoning is one of the options being considered, which she hopes could be applied to “the problem of any home that’s decent being torn down on a whim.”

Artsakh and Fuller Center for Housing Armenia Launch Partnership

May 29, 2014 By administrator

BERDZOR, Artsakh—The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia (FCHA) team with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Artsakh, Ara Harutyunyan, marked the official launch of the Artsakh Project on Wednesday. The launch of the program in the Republic of Artsakh coincided with the day of the Declaration of Independence of Armenia as well as the launch of the FCHA’s 300th house construction.

“It is symbolic that we launch such a wonderful project on this day, which shows the development of liberated Berdzor. Thanks to the Fuller project and its donors for this chance. I’m looking forward to seeing quick expansion of this program in Artsakh, with the support of the government,” said Ara Harutyunyan.

“May is a month of victories for our nation; may the symbolism have its impact on the project too and may it be a prosperous and contagious one with more families assisted,” said FCHA president Ashot Yeghiazaryan in his opening remarks.

The May 28th launch of the program started with the construction of the symbolic 300th home. The partners joined the Khachatryan family of three helping them build their home.

Lyudvig and his parents lost their home during the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict when their village — Maragha — was invaded by Azeri troops and which still remains under their control. Ludvig has met his future wife in Berdzor, the latter had moved to Berdzor from the city of Masis, Ararat region, in Armenia. The family had to earn their living and build a home at the same time. The Khachatryans managed to build two small rooms during the first 4 years, lived there for a while but soon they sold it and left for earning their living abroad. Later in 2010 the couple returned to their homeland. They managed to buy a half constructed house with only the walls built and the roof installed. They renovated the roof with the support of the municipality. Since then the family has been trying to complete the construction of the half-built house and finally have simple housing conditions.

“The launch of this program is encouraging. Each resident of our town came here with an only dream to build and strengthen our land and we all still believe in it; your support will make us stronger in our dreams and we will continue working hard to create a better future for the coming generation,” said Lyudvig, the family father.

Thanks to this collaboration, the Khachatryans will have finally completed the construction of their dream home by the end of year. The Khachatryan family house is sponsored by Minakian and Candan families.

Up to now enough funds have been raised from individual donors to sponsor three families to be assisted in the framework of this project.

All Armenians and interested sponsors are encouraged to participate in the Artsakh Project. The completion of a half-built home is $10,500 and a renovation project is $2,900. To join this new movement, please send your donation to: The Fuller Center for Housing, Inc., PO Box 523, Americus, Georgia 31709, USA. Be sure to add “Armenia-Artsakh” in the memo line. Online donations can be made here. All donations from the USA are tax-deductible.

The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia is a non-governmental, charitable organization that supports community development in the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh by assisting in building and renovating simple, decent and affordable homes, as well as advocating the right to a decent shelter as a matter of conscience and action. FCHA provides long-term, interest-free loans to low-income families. The monthly repayments flow into a Revolving Fund, which is used to help more families, thereby providing a financial foundation for sustainable community development. Up to now the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia has assisted 300 families. For more information, please visit www.fullercenterarmenia.org.