Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has unveiled a plan to revitalize the cityB次元官网网址檚 troubled Downtown Eastside that includes pausing the construction of net new supportive housing units.

He said he wants to integrate the neighbourhood into the rest of the city and B次元官网网址渂reak the cycle of hyper-concentrated social services,B次元官网网址� while cracking down on gang activity.

Sim announced the plan on Thursday at the Save Our Streets forum, held by a coalition concerned about crime and public safety in B.C.

B次元官网网址淔or too long, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent without delivering meaningful change,B次元官网网址� he said in a statement.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 time for a new direction, one that prioritizes recovery, inclusivity, and public safety while integrating the (Downtown Eastside) into the broader Vancouver community.B次元官网网址�

The mayor said Vancouver has 77 per cent of Metro VancouverB次元官网网址檚 supportive services, including housing and shelters, yet only has about 25 per cent of the population.

He said pausing construction of more supportive housing would allow the city to B次元官网网址渇ocus on renewing and revitalizing the current aging housing stockB次元官网网址� for the needs of the community B次元官网网址渦ntil supportive housing availability increases across the region.B次元官网网址�

Abundant Housing Vancouver, an advocacy group that supports housing supply, said it was B次元官网网址渟hocked and disappointedB次元官网网址� by the proposed supportive housing freeze.

B次元官网网址淭he solution to homelessness is housing; building less supportive housing will just result in more homelessness,B次元官网网址� it said in a statement.

In addition to the supportive housing pause, the other two platforms of SimB次元官网网址檚 strategy were a crime crackdown and updating the Downtown Eastside Area Plan to B次元官网网址渆ncourage a mix of housing, businesses, and services,B次元官网网址� instead of a focus on supportive housing, shelter services, and social services.

B次元官网网址淭his allows for the integration of the (Downtown Eastside) neighbourhood into VancouverB次元官网网址檚 broader community, ensuring a more balanced, supportive environment for residents, businesses, and visitors,B次元官网网址� a statement from the city outlining SimB次元官网网址檚 announcement said.

Sim said the city and Vancouver police would launch a crackdown on organized crime and gangs operating in the Downtown Eastside.

B次元官网网址淭his initiative aims to address street-entrenched violence by dismantling criminal networks that exploit vulnerable residents and undermine community safety,B次元官网网址� the statement said.

Sim and a slate of councillors under the ABC Vancouver party were swept into power in 2022 with a promise to improve public safety.

Save Our Streets chair and co-founder Clint Mahlman said SimB次元官网网址檚 proposal to address the concentration of social services and supportive housing in the Downtown Eastside was in line with B次元官网网址渂est practicesB次元官网网址� in countries such as Switzerland.

B次元官网网址淥ne of our experts that had studied in Switzerland described that getting people out of a concentrated area B次元官网网址� where it increases the potential for exposure to people that would pull them down again B次元官网网址� was a huge part of the success of the Switzerland model,B次元官网网址� Mahlman said.

Mahlman, who is the president and chief operating officer of retail chain London Drugs, said there was more to be done about public safety.

B次元官网网址淚t remains at a crisis point,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd I think that was expressed by the citizens in the last provincial election as one of the many issues B次元官网网址� (where) they need change.B次元官网网址�