Chinatown Action Group and Chinatown Concern Group
1,000 signatures reached
To: Vancouver Mayor and Council, City of Vancouver
Cut the CRAP! Stop the Chinatown mass displacement plan! 刪除CRAP！停⽌令華埠 ⼤規模流離失所之意圖
Dear Mayor Robertson and City Council：致溫哥華市⾧羅品信及市議員：
We demand that you reject the new zoning plan for Chinatown (the Chinatown Economic Revitalization Action Plan update, or CRAP). 我們要求閣下反對華埠新⼟地規劃(CRAP)。
Instead, we call on you to implement a zoning plan for Chinatown that requires:取⽽代之，我們希望閣下考慮採納以下的華埠⼟地規劃：
1. A pause on new market-rate developments in Chinatown until the number of social housing units at welfare-pension rates in the neighbourhood matches the current number of market-rate housing units 暫停華埠以謀利為主的地發展項⽬，多興建低收⼊公共房屋，直到其數量與市價房屋⼀致。
2. After this, 50% of all new residential housing in Chinatown must be for social housing at welfare and pension rates 之後，華埠新地發展項⽬必須有50％為低收⼊⼈⼠⽽設的公共房屋。
We demand that you reject the new zoning plan for Chinatown (the Chinatown Economic Revitalization Action Plan update, or CRAP). 我們要求閣下反對華埠新⼟地規劃(CRAP)。
Instead, we call on you to implement a zoning plan for Chinatown that requires:取⽽代之，我們希望閣下考慮採納以下的華埠⼟地規劃：
1. A pause on new market-rate developments in Chinatown until the number of social housing units at welfare-pension rates in the neighbourhood matches the current number of market-rate housing units 暫停華埠以謀利為主的地發展項⽬，多興建低收⼊公共房屋，直到其數量與市價房屋⼀致。
2. After this, 50% of all new residential housing in Chinatown must be for social housing at welfare and pension rates 之後，華埠新地發展項⽬必須有50％為低收⼊⼈⼠⽽設的公共房屋。
Why is this important?
The Problem
Vancouver is facing a housing affordability crisis. Yet Vancouver City Council is considering a new zoning plan for Chinatown (the Chinatown Economic Revitalization Action Plan update, or CRAP) that lets developers build expensive condos in Chinatown, but doesn’t add any social housing.
More expensive condos will only make gentrification worse, while doing nothing to meet overwhelming need for permanently affordable, quality housing in Chinatown. In Chinatown today, there are two condos for every social housing unit. In 2016 alone, 398 new market-rate housing units opened up in Chinatown, but only 11 new units at welfare-pension rates were added. Meanwhile, Chinatown’s residents and businesses are facing rent increases, evictions, and displacement.
Even City staff admit that the CRAP will do nothing to make housing more affordable in Chinatown. They claimed hearing during their public consultation that public benefits like social housing “aren’t worth it”, even though for years residents have said that new social housing is absolutely necessary for the continued survival of the Chinatown community.
The Solution
Instead, the Mayor and City Council should implement a zoning plan that keeps Chinatown affordable for the existing community and the generations to come. By pausing new market developments until social housing units match market-rate units, and requiring a 1:1 rate of development based on floor area thereafter, working-class residents will be shielded from a tidal wave of rent increases due to new development.
But stopping gentrification isn’t enough. This is why Chinatown residents and organizations have created the People’s Vision for Chinatown to ensure that the neighbourhood remains permanently affordable and welcoming to seniors, workers, and low-income people of all backgrounds. The People’s Vision calls for truly affordable housing, culturally appropriate retail, accessible community spaces, democratic decision-making, neighbourhood safety, and better health and social services for seniors and low-income people. For more details, visit http://www.chinatownaction.org.
Take Action
For too long, Chinatown has been a place where people have experienced discrimination, displacement, neglect, and political exclusion. This must end today. Sign this petition, tell the City that it must put the urgent needs of people before corporate profit, and join us in support of the People’s Vision for Chinatown.
癥結所在
溫哥華正面臨房屋可負擔性危機。然而溫哥華市議會正考慮推行振興華埠經濟行動計劃，容讓發展商於華埠區內大肆發展私人房地產，而忽略公眾對可負擔房屋的需求。
高價的私人房地產只會令仕紳化的問題加劇，同時亦無法解決華埠社區正需要大量可負擔房屋的問題。今日的華埠，私人住宅和可負擔房屋的比例是二比一。單單在2016年，華埠增添了398個私人住宅單位，而新建的可負擔房屋的數量只有11間。同時，華埠社區的居民和商販正面臨租金上漲，逼遷和客源流失等問題。
市政府官員曾坦承振興華埠經濟行動計劃不會改善華埠社區的可負擔性。他們辯稱從公眾諮詢會中收集到的意見是可負擔房屋沒有價值。而事實上，區內居民多年來都強調可負擔房屋是華埠能否持續生存的重要關鍵。
解決方法
反之，市長及市議員應考慮以華埠房屋的持續可負擔性為前題而進行土地劃分。通過制衡私人住宅和可負擔房屋的發展數量，並按單位面積量度兩者的發展速度，才能有效地預防勞工階層面對由於地產發展導致租金急劇上漲的問題。
單單阻止社區仕紳化是不足夠的。所以華埠居民和組織推出了華埠人民願景，以確保華埠住宅的持續可負擔性，維護耆英、勞工階層和低收入人士的需要為前題。人民願景推崇絕對可負擔房屋、符合區內文化內涵的商店、便利的社區空間、民主的決策過程、社區安全和提供良好的保健和社會服務給耆英和低收入人士。查閱該願景的詳情可瀏覽網頁 www.chinatownaction.org
付諸行動
一直以來，華埠的居民經歷著各種歧視、逼遷、忽略和被剝奪政治權利。我們今天要結束這個局面。請您在請願書上簽名，告訴市政府他們必須重視人民的訴求多於商業利益。請支持我們的華埠人民願景。
This petition is co-created by Chinatown Action Group and Chinatown Concern Group.
(Graphic image by Maria Wallstam)
Vancouver is facing a housing affordability crisis. Yet Vancouver City Council is considering a new zoning plan for Chinatown (the Chinatown Economic Revitalization Action Plan update, or CRAP) that lets developers build expensive condos in Chinatown, but doesn’t add any social housing.
More expensive condos will only make gentrification worse, while doing nothing to meet overwhelming need for permanently affordable, quality housing in Chinatown. In Chinatown today, there are two condos for every social housing unit. In 2016 alone, 398 new market-rate housing units opened up in Chinatown, but only 11 new units at welfare-pension rates were added. Meanwhile, Chinatown’s residents and businesses are facing rent increases, evictions, and displacement.
Even City staff admit that the CRAP will do nothing to make housing more affordable in Chinatown. They claimed hearing during their public consultation that public benefits like social housing “aren’t worth it”, even though for years residents have said that new social housing is absolutely necessary for the continued survival of the Chinatown community.
The Solution
Instead, the Mayor and City Council should implement a zoning plan that keeps Chinatown affordable for the existing community and the generations to come. By pausing new market developments until social housing units match market-rate units, and requiring a 1:1 rate of development based on floor area thereafter, working-class residents will be shielded from a tidal wave of rent increases due to new development.
But stopping gentrification isn’t enough. This is why Chinatown residents and organizations have created the People’s Vision for Chinatown to ensure that the neighbourhood remains permanently affordable and welcoming to seniors, workers, and low-income people of all backgrounds. The People’s Vision calls for truly affordable housing, culturally appropriate retail, accessible community spaces, democratic decision-making, neighbourhood safety, and better health and social services for seniors and low-income people. For more details, visit http://www.chinatownaction.org.
Take Action
For too long, Chinatown has been a place where people have experienced discrimination, displacement, neglect, and political exclusion. This must end today. Sign this petition, tell the City that it must put the urgent needs of people before corporate profit, and join us in support of the People’s Vision for Chinatown.
癥結所在
溫哥華正面臨房屋可負擔性危機。然而溫哥華市議會正考慮推行振興華埠經濟行動計劃，容讓發展商於華埠區內大肆發展私人房地產，而忽略公眾對可負擔房屋的需求。
高價的私人房地產只會令仕紳化的問題加劇，同時亦無法解決華埠社區正需要大量可負擔房屋的問題。今日的華埠，私人住宅和可負擔房屋的比例是二比一。單單在2016年，華埠增添了398個私人住宅單位，而新建的可負擔房屋的數量只有11間。同時，華埠社區的居民和商販正面臨租金上漲，逼遷和客源流失等問題。
市政府官員曾坦承振興華埠經濟行動計劃不會改善華埠社區的可負擔性。他們辯稱從公眾諮詢會中收集到的意見是可負擔房屋沒有價值。而事實上，區內居民多年來都強調可負擔房屋是華埠能否持續生存的重要關鍵。
解決方法
反之，市長及市議員應考慮以華埠房屋的持續可負擔性為前題而進行土地劃分。通過制衡私人住宅和可負擔房屋的發展數量，並按單位面積量度兩者的發展速度，才能有效地預防勞工階層面對由於地產發展導致租金急劇上漲的問題。
單單阻止社區仕紳化是不足夠的。所以華埠居民和組織推出了華埠人民願景，以確保華埠住宅的持續可負擔性，維護耆英、勞工階層和低收入人士的需要為前題。人民願景推崇絕對可負擔房屋、符合區內文化內涵的商店、便利的社區空間、民主的決策過程、社區安全和提供良好的保健和社會服務給耆英和低收入人士。查閱該願景的詳情可瀏覽網頁 www.chinatownaction.org
付諸行動
一直以來，華埠的居民經歷著各種歧視、逼遷、忽略和被剝奪政治權利。我們今天要結束這個局面。請您在請願書上簽名，告訴市政府他們必須重視人民的訴求多於商業利益。請支持我們的華埠人民願景。
This petition is co-created by Chinatown Action Group and Chinatown Concern Group.
(Graphic image by Maria Wallstam)