Vancouver council wants full disclosure of documents surrounding Little Mountain sale

Vancouver city council has unanimously passed a motion to throw itssupport behind a community group seeking the public disclosure of documents related to the 2008 sale ofthe Little Mountain social housing complex.

The Little Mountain housing project, which hasbeen in a state of suspensionfor over a decade, has attracted considerable scrutiny at a time where housing affordability has become a hot button issue in the city.

Completed in 1954, the 224-unit social housing complexwasVancouver's first large-scale modern social housing project. The complex, nearEast 37th and Main Street, housed a vibrant community.

It was initially managed by the federal government, then passed on to the province and B.C. Housing in 2007.The complex was sold by the provincial government, then led by the B.C. Liberals, to HolbornHoldings Ltd., a private developer in 2008.

The plan for redevelopmentincluded1,400 market value homes but also 234 social housing units, child care, a new community plaza and public park.The existingresidents were asked to relocatebut were told they could return after the newer building complex was completed.

But whilemost of the units on the site were demolished by 2009, very little progress wasmade. Most of the site has remained a vacant lot for the past decade.

"To see it sit empty for so long when so many people in our city need homes, it's upsetting," saidCoun. Christine Boyle, who submitted the motion.

Boyle said while the city has limited jurisdiction on what it can do with the land, it can support efforts to bring about accountability and transparency.

"It's been a lot of effort by the neighbourhood trying over many years to make these documents public," Boyle said. "And it's in the interest of the city to find out what the provisions were in this contract to inform our decisions for the future."

Boyle said a heavily redacted version of the contract of sale was released, but the Riley Park South Cambie Visions Committee, whichis seeking the documents, wants a full disclosure.

She said now that the motion has passed, Mayor Kennedy Stewart will write a letter in support of the group for full disclosure of the document.