Recently in Housing Category

11 members of a workforce (the 'security force') of 10,000 sent home (see story at the foot of the page) was an "extremely minimal number."

But if one window gets broken and a little paint spilled it triggers (!) a massive security response.......

It's all about security

For a full size image of this poster.....

If nothing happens to threaten 'security' security forces will say 'see, we did a good job.'

If something happens they will say 'see, we were needed'.It's a 'post 9-11' version of nuclear deterrence.

The Grand March for Housing drew support from a wide range of groups and individuals across British Columbia, all of whom have had enough of the pain and distress caused by homelessness they see everyday, and are calling for all three levels of government to stop talking and act.

This shot shows the marchers gathered at the Art Gallery in front of the ironic excesses of the Georgia development.


While this shot is of a white board where people were encouraged to write their comments - the 'shovel' sums it up.

 

The march was passionate but peaceful, as several streams of marchers united before gathering at the Vancouver Art Gallery to hear speeches and entertainment. More about the coalition and future events can be found here: http://www.citywidehousingcoalition.org/

Gerry Bellett

Vancouver sun

From the Georgia Straight, original here:

On a covered sidewalk on West Cordova Street, where the smell of vomit and urine hangs in the air, Ken Foster talked about what it takes to push the boundaries of his art.

A homeless artist whose work is well known on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, Foster paints on materials he picks up in alleys, like discarded construction signs.

"I'll sell it for $6, maybe, and with that buy a can of paint," Foster related. "And so I end up doing 10 paintings before I finally get enough supplies to make one painting that is actually pushing a boundary of any sort, or furthering, you know what I mean, like, any sort of importance."

When the Georgia Straight caught up with the 37-year-old street artist, Foster's challenges were a lot greater. A Sharpie pen was all that was left of his possessions because of the recent street sweeps by city crews and the police on the Downtown Eastside.

"The last time, they threw out my wheelchair, $150 worth of paint, my backpack, my ID, and I don't own anything other than what you see right here," he said, showing the pen.

Foster recalled one incident. "They said, 'You have half an hour to get that cleaned up; get somebody to help you move it out of here,' " he said. "So I had gone. I came back 15 minutes later. It wasn't even half an hour. And they had thrown it all, and they're laughing at me."

And the police who accompanied the city crew? "They're laughing at me too," Foster said.

VANCOUVER - Every night in Oppenheimer Park, Brian Humchitt and his wife Tina lay their heads beneath a large banner that says, "Homelessness is not a crime." They've called the inner city park -- which has become a tent city of sorts -- their only home for the past two months.

Dozens of homeless people and their supporters flock to the Downtown Eastside park, bounded by Jackson, Dunlevy, Powell and Cordova streets, to sleep in tents at night, socialize during the day and take advantage of the soup kitchens, free showers and bathrooms available nearby.

However, violence is common in what some call "Dopenheimer Park." Dealers and addicts jockey for space under the trees, idling away the hours on old mattresses.

I don't know who Tom Sandborn is but this is so nicely done.

Motivation for an opera, a play, an installation? Anyone?

Tom Sandborn
Vancouver Courier

Friday, July 25, 2008

I have a file in my computer called "No Future for Satire." It is dedicated to news items that support my favourite literary theory, the proposition that satire is dead as a form of fiction in the 21st century. The basic assumption here is that it is impossible to make up anything as grotesque as the six o'clock news.

A little-noticed decision by city council last September is now a standout piece of evidence in that file. The folks we elected to conduct city business decided, in their infinite wisdom, to spend $5 million from the $20 million Olympics Legacy Fund on turning two downtown parking lots into enormous outdoor venues. Those of us who can't afford the pricey tickets for Olympic events can gather there and watch them on huge TV screens and enjoy live entertainment. Talk about pay per view!

Vancouver's wildly successful restoration program raises questions about trade in 'density bonuses'

VANCOUVER -- Robert Fung is the most active player in Vancouver's hugely successful heritage restoration program, undertaking six of 25 buildings that have been saved in the past five years. He spearheaded multimillion-dollar projects on the promise of incentives from city hall intended to help pay extra costs associated with preserving the city's history.

But Mr. Fung now suspects the city may have a memory problem, forgetting its commitments to those who took risks on heritage restoration.

A proposal to modify the program to help other neighbourhoods would be a betrayal to those who invested in the projects, he said in an interview.

"We negotiated in good faith years ago," Mr. Fung said. Any move by the city to alter the nature of the program "is really reneging on a good-faith arrangement."

Very comprehensive, very revealing.

DTES Demographic Study Final June 2008.pdf