A1
                             ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

                                            Date: November 21, 1995
                                            Dept. File No. 3409

    TO:       Vancouver City Council

    FROM:     Manager of the Housing Centre

    SUBJECT:  Change in the Downtown Core SRO Stock: 1970-1994


    INFORMATION

         The General Manager  of Community Services submits this report for
         Council's INFORMATION.

    COUNCIL POLICY

    Housing  for low-income downtown singles  is one of  the City's housing
    priorities.


    PURPOSE

    This  report presents for  Council's information the  report "Change in
    the Downtown Core SRO Stock: 1970 - 1994" (limited circulation; copy on
    file with the City Clerk).

    BACKGROUND

    The  City has  surveyed the  low-income housing  stock in  the downtown
    regularly  since 1990, and produced  two reports summarizing the change
    in  the stock of SROs, non-market housing and Special Needs Residential
    Facilities.    There has  been continuing  interest  in changes  to the
    downtown's low-income housing  stock, in  particular in the  SROs.   To
    answer these questions,  and to provide  an accurate base for  the East
    Downtown Housing Study currently underway, a detailed review of earlier
    surveys, the City's permit files, and  archival material was undertaken
    to track SROs and non-market housing since 1970.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    -    At the beginning of 1970, there were about 13,300 SRO units in the
         Downtown Core.  By  January 1995, this stock had declined by 5,700
         units,  or 43%,  to  7,600 units.   The  steepest  decline in  SRO
         housing  was in the Central  Core area (58%)  followed by Downtown
         South (46%), Main East (45%) and Main West (33%).
    -    Most of the  SRO losses occurred in the 1970s,  partly as a result
         of by-law  enforcement and  urban renewal projects.   The  overall
         trend  has been continuing but  decelerating losses.   Only 10% of
         the SRO losses  occurred in  the last  10 years,  with an  average
         annual loss of around 85 units.

    -    The  number of non-market housing units in the area increased from
         just over 500 units  to just over 4,700.   This increase was  at a
         slightly  higher rate than for  non-market housing in  the rest of
         the city.   In 1970, the Downtown Core  had 23% of the city's non-
         market housing.   By the beginning of  1995, this had increased to
         25%.

    -    Of  the 4,200 non-market units added, about 70% are self contained


         units,  13% are single rooms  in converted SRO  buildings, and 17%
         are  single rooms  in  new  buildings.    The  non-market  housing
         includes family units as well as units for low-income singles.  

    -    The combined SRO and non-market stock declined from 13,800 in 1970
         to 11,000  at the end of  1981 before increasing to  12,300 at the
         end of  1994; a decrease of 11% since  1970 and an increase of 12%
         since 1981.  Since 1986 non-market housing additions have exceeded
         SRO losses each year.

    CONCLUSION

    A comprehensive survey of the change in housing for downtown
    low-income singles,  in  particular  SROs  and  non-market  housing  to
    replace SROS, has been completed.  Each SRO hotel and rooming house was
    individually tracked,  and the  survey is  considered to be  reasonably
    accurate, though  complete accuracy cannot  be guaranteed.   The report
    will  be circulated and corrections  will be welcome.   Any corrections
    will  be noted in the City's regular  survey of the stock of low-income
    downtown housing.


                           *     *     *     *     *