Housing From Who’s Perspective?

On Saturday morning, the residents of Grandview will have a chance to see some part of the new Community Plan Citizens’ Assembly (CA) process in action. This first public event is a forum called “Perspectives on Housing” — and a very particular perspective it promises to be.

The panel put together by the CA managers to discuss Grandview’s housing future consists of a realtor, a developer, a social worker, and a City planner.  Fine people all, I am sure.  But without an owner not in the housing business, or one of the 60%+ of Grandview who rent, or one of the 1000-odd people who live in co-ops, (not to mention one of the homeless), this is just a housing industry/City perspective that’s being presented, completely unrepresentative of the neighbourhood.  These are the people that the CA has “training” the CA members.

This is the latest gaffe in a process that has been off the rails for well over a year.  It is about time we called “Time!” on this whole sad affair, and allow our highly successful community to continue to evolve and grow at its own pace in its own way as we have been doing so well since the last Plan back in 1980.

If you want to attend the forum, it begins at 10:45am on Saturday 4th October, at the Croatian Cultural Centre.

 

Previous posts on the Community Plan.