The City of Vancouver may tout modular homes as part of the solution to the city’s homelessness crisis, but housing activists say they’re wary the stopgap solution may end up being the final one.
J.J. Reich, with the activist group ‘Alliance Against Displacement’ said, “It wouldn’t be surprising if that is treated as a final solution. Now you have modular housing, the state can wipe its hands after.”
“They could put in some Atco trailers and say they fixed the problem,” he added.
According to the city, the homes are to house people until more permanent housing is built.
Approximately 12,000 new permanent housing units are expected in the next ten years.
“It’s completely speculative, they haven’t even consulted with the people they’re affecting in putting this modular housing in,” exclaimed Reich.
Two locations, which will be part of a public hearing next week, are being considered.
One is at 501 Powell Street, and the other is on Franklin Street, near the so-called ‘Sugar Mountain Tent City’.
The city says $66 Million has been promised by the province to build modular housing on underused land across Vancouver.