Petition for Social Housing at 105 Keefer

Dear Premier David Eby, Minister Ravi Kahlon, and Mayor Ken Sim,

尊敬的尹大衛省長、柯議倫部長和沈觀健市長,

We, the undersigned low-income residents of Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside (DTES) and their supporters, write this petition to express our deep concern and opposition to the proposed luxury condo development at 105 Keefer Street by Beedie Living and to urge you and your government to intervene and take immediate action to develop 100% social housing at welfare and pension rates on the property instead. As Vancouver is facing a worsening housing and affordability crisis, there is a resounding need across the city for housing affordable to those with low incomes, most urgently in the DTES and Chinatown.

我們,下方連署的唐人街和溫市中心東端 (DTES) 的低收入居民及其支持者,在此呈上請願書,以表達我們對 Beedie房地產開發商提出在奇化街 105 號豪華公寓建設申請的深切關注和反對,並敦促您和您的政府立即採取行動,開發福利和養老金可負擔的 100%社會房屋。 由於溫哥華正面臨日益惡化的住房和負擔能力危機,低收入者迫切需要負擔得起的住房,而在市中心東端和唐人街尤其緊迫。

On Thursday, May 25th, over 500 residents of Chinatown and the DTES, including Chinese seniors, DTES residents (housed and unhoused), and allies, gathered for a Community Council. This gathering marked the largest mobilization in Vancouver’s Chinatown in over a decade, demonstrating widespread community resistance to the billionaire developer’s plans for luxury condos at 105 Keefer St. Despite the overwhelming opposition expressed by the community, the condo proposal includes zero units of social housing, exacerbating the already dire housing crisis faced by our community.

在5月25日星期四,住在唐人街和市中心東端的500多名街坊,包括華裔年長者、市中心東端(有住房和無住房)以及各方盟友,聚集在105奇化街廣場召開社區大會。這次大會標誌著溫哥華唐人街十多年來規模最大的公民動員行動,表明了這個社區對億萬富翁開發商在奇化街 105 號建設豪華公寓的計劃的強烈抵制。儘管這個社區已經明確地表示反對,這份豪華公寓提案仍然沒有提及任何社會住房單位,此開發計畫加劇了我們社區本已嚴峻的住房危機。

During the Community Council meeting, residents voted against the luxury condo development, instead calling unanimously for the development of 100% social housing at welfare and pension rates.

在社區大會的會議上,居民投票表示反對豪華公寓的建設,並一致呼籲開發福利和養老金可負擔 100%社會房屋。

On Monday, May 29th, a rally was held at city hall, where 200 individuals, including 130 Chinese seniors, demonstrated their unwavering opposition to the project. Overwhelmed by the strength of the Chinatown community, the DPB chose to delay their decision until June 12th.

在5月29日星期一,華埠居民在市政廳舉行了一場集會,其中包括130名華裔長者在內的200多人再次表達了他們反對該項目的堅定立場。被唐人街社區的強大組織力量所震攝下,發展許可委員會選擇將他們的決定推遲到6月12日。

Since 2012, the residential base of Chinatown and DTES have been organizing against this development for over a decade. Beedie has attempted to get approval for his luxury condos 5 times, and each time we have fought and won. The most recent round of fighting was in 2017 and despite losing again Beedie is back. Instead of doing the necessary work to put in an application that would pass at the Development Permit Board, Beedie has chosen to spend the last few years taking the municipal government to court. And now, he has been granted another audience with the Development Permit Board. These fights have been won by us, the thousands of hard-working people who live in the neighbourhood, not organizations who claim to represent us.

自2012年起,唐人街和市中心東端的居民已經組織起來反對這項開發計劃十多年了。Beedie Living五次試圖申請開發其豪華公寓,而每一次我們都奮起抗爭並取得了勝利。儘管2017年開發申請再次被拒絕,Beedie不顧社區居民的訴求,在過去開發申請被拒的幾年間,Beedie Living不投入準備符合居民需求以及可在開發許可委員會通過的申請,而是選擇不斷將市政府告上法庭。在今年五月初,Beedie又獲得了另一次在發展許可委員會開聽證會的機會。這些鬥爭的勝利以及抗議的聲音屬於我們,居住在這個社區的成千上萬辛勤工作的租客居民,而不是那些聲稱代表我們的組織。

Organizations like the Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver, Chinese Freemasons of Vancouver, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden Society, Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver, Vancouver Chinatown Merchant’s Association, Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association Society, and Vancouver Chinatown Foundation do not represent our voice.

這些組織並不代表我們的聲音,例如:溫哥華華人總會、溫哥華華人共濟會、孫中山古典園林協會、大溫哥華華人文化中心、溫哥華唐人街商會、溫哥華唐人街商業改進協會以及溫哥華唐人街基金會等。

We implore you and the BC government to take immediate action and demonstrate your commitment to the poor and working-class citizens of Vancouver. We have one clear demand: That the government take and use the land at 105 Keefer St. for the purpose of developing social housing at welfare and pension rates.

我們懇請您們和卑詩省政府立即采取行動,並展示您們對溫哥華貧困和工薪階層居民的承諾。我們有一個明確的要求:政府收回並利用位於105奇化街的土地來建設福利和養老金可負擔的社會房屋。

We have been fighting for this goal for over a decade, and it is time for the government to act decisively and fulfil its responsibility to its constituents.

我們為這個目標奮鬥了十多年,現在是政府實施果斷行動、兌現選民承諾的時候。

We urge you to heed our call, listen to the voices of the community, and take the necessary steps to ensure the development of 100% social housing at welfare and pension rates at 105 Keefer. Your prompt action is necessary to affirm that your government stands firmly with poor and working-class people in Vancouver.

我們敦促您響應我們的呼籲,傾聽社區的聲音,並采取必要的措施來確保在105奇化街興建符合福利和養老金標準的百分百社會住房。您們的迅速行動是必要的,以表示您們的政府會堅定地支持溫哥華的貧困和工薪階層居民。

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to your swift response.

感謝您對此事的關注,我們期待您們的即時回應。

 

1,415 SIGNATURES
2,000 signatures

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