Lawsuit against Marpole modular housing dismissed

A lawsuit to put the brakes on modular housing for the homeless in Vancouver’s Marpole neighborhood has been dismissed.

In a petition filed last month, a group calling itself the “Caring Citizens of Vancouver” claimed the city failed to properly consult with residents, and that the property near Heather and 59th Ave. isn’t zoned for temporary modular units.

But a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled that the city provided sufficient notice of a public hearing, and the decision to issue a development permit to the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency (VAHA) rather than refer the matter to the Development Permit Board was not unreasonable.

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The controversial 78-unit project has drawn concerns from some local residents, saying it could bring crime to the community and that it’s too close to three schools, one of them an elementary school.

The units are expected to be completed next month.