housing « crisis, .. ™:

Thisi ‘is ‘the only: conclusion,

possible following ‘Tuesday's phone-in... program .on Community 10 TV; “which - showed a complete: lack..of ..

.agreement at both’ “the”

municipal council level and among residents who called the Program. ©... .-. The : ‘District Tow Meeting program wound. uP after 90 minutes. discussion which failed. to achieve consensus as to. whether _ the municipality ‘should help provide af- . fordable - housing, how it might go about it and whether it would permit “illegal” suites to ease the accommodation shortage. Mayor. Don Bell painted a ‘black picture of his council’s abortive attempts over the year to. deal ‘with © the ‘ problem of prohibitively’ .

priced * housing’ both” “by * | leasing land and selling off

reduced-width lots.

_ 7 Alderman Mike Lakes was.

unable to offer. any en-

North. ‘Vancouver Dis rict is. “split. ‘middle over what — if anything ~ — “to do

Ry

cup any North Shore Jand “at

sacha ‘condition could be _ degally . enforceable and Le “But Bell said: that’ tenders” -, : sold ~:by- ot District-were at a uniformly.

vany price’ ° because : ; they _ Would still profit ! from it. .

, on: land.«~being -

high level in excess of “$100, 000 per lot, whether Vi

prices ‘paid, for parcels at

. Kirkstone: ‘Place of.$122,000 = 1

to; $136,000 for: 40-foot lots had staggered council.

NON-PROFIT HOUSING However, Alderman Ernie

Crist’ countered: general feeling that prevails

is that there is nothing. we .

can do. This is far from true.”

He pointed out that ‘the GYRD is currently building several ° hundred” homes in non-profit housing schemers.

Advocating non-profit

‘housing: din-North:: Vanes

District, he said: “It is not

couragement to would-be, -true the municipalities can’t first home owners of the contribute to such schemes

District coming: their. help by selling municipal’ land below market ‘Pri S housing. =:

He explained that under ihe Municipal - Act. the District is compelled to. get the best return ‘whe slling off municipal a

This raised the’ point’ of people seeking land for their individual need having to compete against developers and realty firms.

Bell said that because. of this situation the District had - at one fime stipulated that land it was selling should go ': to individuals wishing to build their own houses.

The result was, he said, that at the next land sale “a lot of individuals appeared who, when we investigated, we found were represen- tatives for real estate compafiies" buying up the land to add to realtors’ “own stock”.

One caller agreed that realtors contribute significantly to the escalation of real estate prices, claiming that a realty, firm had told its staff to buy.

INFORMATION

by phoning

W.G. Atkinson Manager

by:making“land available at

réduced prices.”

rist|-brought expressions speration to Alderman

‘Lakes’ face as he went on to say. ‘that while. there were.

hundreds ‘ofarguments for council not‘ becoming in- volved, ‘housing remained “a ‘basic human need”.

He described the District’ s “so-called leasing policy” i

which it leased land at an ,

average of 10 per cent below -market. ; value as “quite - bluntly; a farce. 7

He “Suggested that land valued. presently at $99,000 could be leased on a.99-year term at $1,000 a year, plys built-in inflation clauses.

A caller to the program

suggested that council ‘should act on Crist’s suggestion.

Another caller. suggested ‘that any ‘move by council

would do nothing to. help those in the District unless _

council restricted - any scheme it planned strictly to existing residents and their families. -

' “Selling: lots to people

from. Winnipeg or Toronto

WEST VANCOUVER . MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION

BUS ROUTE CHANGES

Effective Monday, ‘March 2nd the’ following changes will apply:

CYPRESS PARK ROUTE

From Woodcrest, this bus route will:now. operate north on Woodgreen ! Drive, west on Woodburn and south on Northwood Drive to Caulfeild Drive.

BRITISH PROPERTIES LOOP This loop has been extended via Chartwell to Crestwell and Eyremont

Drive north of Groveland. The bus will follow the new route at-all times riss- ing a portion of Burnside, Groveland and Gilston.

New bus stops are Indicated by a blue marker.

Further information and maps can be obtained from the blue bus drivers or 926-4355.

the will not solve the. housing. Z “problem: one shore,” he insisted.

“The ~

program _ said” “he

look, after.

_ unless we’ compel’ our young —

| work every day.”

. single-family, also . brought’

the <“North '

say.” Alderman . Mary,

housing mix? - “I just hope this mix. Seymour. doesn’'t“j become a mix for only’ the very prospérous.” But a caller «

accommodate ~ everybody. ‘positively eared

“Somebody has, to ‘live -in® Spuzzum. or Do ‘Creek,’ " he chortled, uf

Callers found the idea of

Cc ANT AFFORD | were to be located were first

ee ‘polled: and gave consent; and

providing troublesome “tenants were asked to leave.

Alderman Segal main-

“qtained it is not just people in

“I don’t think the business of the District is to provide” low cost housing at a a loss to

3 ey Peace wee yas

pay for it. We can’t afford to’ © _ the ordinary _

people in the housing” | market.” q Alderman Segal |

responded: “We,can't.afford .. i to see that young people ag with. families. or elderly © people ‘cannot afford. to stay ay in this municipality. can’t afford ta.be a Sre-ape, D, one-income municipality, . ie . with the. schools closing.” ° ama “Alderman Crist agreed, | “Not ‘only “can we do something about it but we must do something about it,

4

people to live in tents in the Arctic and fly them: down to _,

The quéstion of legalizing | suites in houses in. the District, which. is zoned:

‘

“Installed at No Extra Charge

wants

‘housing

A “young ‘m n.. hoping to house.

would be glad to suites declared ‘le 30° the District could ascertain how

much revenue the . isuites,,

_NORTH SHORE TIRE

4 830 Marine Drive, North Van.

1

985-8204

“LE bata

DVVDVUVDE

B}

‘