COPE Coun. Jean Swanson wants city staff to look into how to protect single-room occupancy hotels and low-income housing, which she fears could be adversely affected as a result of the construction of the new $1.9-billion St. Paul’s Hospital and health care facility.
Council approved the rezoning application for the hospital development last November. It’s being built on an 18.4-acre site on False Creek Flats.
At the public hearing for the application, Swanson voted in favour of the project, but she also raised concerns about gentrification and suggested the development could result in SRO rents going up. At that time, she introduced an amendment to the main motion calling on staff to report back on ways to protect lower-rent housing in the vicinity of the hospital. Mayor Kennedy Stewart ruled it out of order but indicated Swanson could bring it up as a separate motion at a later date.
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