To sign up to speak at the hearing, you can call 604.873.7269, or send an email to speaker.request@vancouver.ca by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, March 11, 2014. 

This Wednesday March 12th, there will be an important public hearing at City Hall. Vancouver city staff will be presenting city councilors with a final draft of the Local Area Plan for the Downtown Eastside. Many of you signed the petition against the Chinatown height review and Sequel 138. This plan is the next step in the gentrification of the neighbourhood and will play a crucial role in determining the future of the DTES community.

The low-income caucus that has been participating in the Local Area Planning Process are urging all allies to come to City hall on March 12th and support their demand for a LAP that improves the future for all residents, especially low income and vulnerable residents.

You can read a breakdown of the Low-Income Caucus position on the Local Area Plan here: http://ccapvancouver.wordpress.com/2014/01/28/draft-local-area-plan-vs-low-income-caucus-demands/
More info & background after the jump..

To sign up to speak at the hearing, you can call 604.873.7269, or send an email to speaker.request@vancouver.ca by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, March 11, 2014. When you contact them ask what number you are so you'll have a rough idea of when your turn will come up. The public hearing will start on March 12th but is likely continue for several days. Individuals who are not present when called will be given another chance to speak at the end prior to the hearings close.

This will also be a great opportunity for curious undergraduate/graduate students to get an insight to the workings of the municipal government and the local planning process.

We hope to see you there,
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Additional information:

Carnegie Community Action Project has made a guide for how to speak to City Council, which includes what the low-income caucus wants to see in the Local Area Plan. You can read the CCAP “Guide to speaking at Council” here: http://ccapvancouver.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/guide-to-speaking-at-council-02-27-14.pdf

You can download the draft Local Area Plan here: http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/downtown-eastside-draft-local-area-plan.pdf

Read about the proposed changes to the definition of social housing here: http://themainlander.com/2014/03/09/vision-vancouver-plans-to-eliminate-the-citys-definition-of-social-housing/ http://downtowneast.net/2014/02/14/swanson/

For more information about the Local Area Planning Process: http://downtowneast.net/2014/02/14/draftlapp/ http://downtowneast.net/2014/02/14/lavender/ http://downtowneast.net/2014/02/14/caucusvscov/