ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: June 28, 2000
Author/Local: J. Scholtz/7848

RTS No.01587

CC File No. 4661

Council: July 11, 2000

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	Directors of Current Planning and the Housing Centre
SUBJECT:	Housing Agreement: 4250 Fraser Street

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve a Housing Agreement to require at least one resident in each household for this project to be aged 55 or older, and

B. THAT Council instruct the Director of Legal Services to bring forward the necessary by-law.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services submits A and B for CONSIDERATION.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council requires a Housing Agreement where parking ratios are relaxed because of specific occupancy.

PURPOSE

This report seeks Council approval of the Housing Agreement for the seniors rental project at 4250 Fraser Street.

BACKGROUND

This project is a recently completed four-storey 25-unit retail/residential building. It was originally a partnership between the developer, Can West Group, and the Downtown Eastside Residents Association (DERA). The proposal at the time of the development permitapplication was to accommodate residents eligible for subsidies under the Province's Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program in the building, with DERA as the building manager. A reduction in parking was approved on condition that the residents in the project would be 55 years of age or older. Council approved height and density relaxation for the project on July 8 ,1998. The height and density relaxations were typical of developments in C-2 zones, and were not related to the SAFER or seniors component of the project.

The development permit (DE403106) was approved and the project proceeded on the basis that half the residents in the project would be eligible for subsidies under SAFER. The developer signed a 219 Covenant prohibiting stratification, thereby guaranteeing that the project remains rental, and committing them to enter into a Housing Agreement with the City prior to occupancy of the building requiring that at least one resident in each household be aged 55 or older and that half of them be eligible for subsidies under SAFER.

DISCUSSION

Now that the project is completed, the developer and DERA need an occupancy permit which in turn requires that the Housing Agreement be in place. They continue to work together to make the project work for seniors eligible for SAFER. However, this has proven to be very difficult in the current market. The developer and DERA have asked the Housing Agreement be amended to delete the requirement that half the residents be eligible for SAFER subsidies. Since the relaxations required by the development permit were not based on the SAFER component of the proposal but only on the project being rental and restricted to seniors, staff recommend that Council approve a Housing Agreement which would only require that at least one resident in each household be at least 55 years of age. It would not require any of the residents to be eligible for SAFER subsidies. The existing 219 covenant prohibiting stratification would remain on title.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver