Course:GEOG350/2024/Additional Housing Supply and Transit Systems in Westside of Vancouver

View from Broadway

Introduction

The section of the course we selected to provide context for our final project is “week one cities as living spaces”. In Vancouver recent surges in high density urban development and the installation of new transportation systems, such as Skytrain extensions and the “Broadway Plan”, bring up important questions regarding the themes of section one. These themes are place, identity, and urban change; these are conceptually integral to both Massey’s Places and their Past and Lefebvre's Lost in Transportation.

Massey’s Places and Their Past focuses on the dynamic nature of the place and how the definition and themes of a place change over time. In terms of Masseys chapter, there are two major points that are most relevant to our stated issue of focus. The first point, although we may think that a place is unique because of its own creation, it's really made unique through geographic connections that are broader than the place itself. Massey explains this by saying “Place, now, is a conjunction of many histories and many spaces” (Massey, 1995). The second most relevant point, the past seems to most people as the “real” place; a place based version of nostalgia for the past. Massey further elaborates on the importance of understanding the historical context of spatial relationships “Perhaps a really radical history of place would be one which did not try to present either simple temporal continuity or only spatial simultaneity with no sense of historical depth” (Massey, 1995).

Lefebvre’s Lost in Transportation focuses on recontextualizing spacing, the importances of the people's right to the city and critiques the current dominant capitalistic framework. Lefebvres takes a similar but more abstract approach than Massey regarding place, “Space is nothing but the inscription of time in the world, spaces are the realizations, inscriptions in the simultaneity of the external world of a series of times, the rhythms of the city, the rhythms of the urban population” (Lefebvres, 2000). Given Lefebvre's points on how relative our personal perspectives are regarding space and by extension our personal connection to that space, he concludes and empathizes how essential the right to the city is; regarding it as the highest form of right among liberty and individualization. Taking what we have learned from Lefebvres and Massey, we explore how the introduction of the Skytrain extension to the Westside combined with additional housing density may change the Westside’s identity, structure, and how it affects the right to the city.

Overview of Issue/Focus

We will be examining the fundamental changes occurring in the Westside of Vancouver, surrounding the identity of place and everyday life of inhabitants. Projects based around transit and increased urban density have begun construction and planning, specifically the Skytrain extension to Arbutus (with a potential to reach UBC in the future) and the “Broadway Plan” which encapsulates multiple projects for first of its kind high rise apartments in the area. While the majority polled are for the projects, 92% based on a Translink survey with over 15,000 respondents (Chan, 2021), there is a loud minority against such projects. Personal opinions aside, it will most certainly change the area forever. Affecting housing prices, potential gentrification, and the way future generations perceive this culturally significant area of Vancouver.

Depending on the area of Vancouver one inhabits, the Skytrain affects property value differently. One study suggests “With the west side, the neighborhoods of Shaughnessy, Oakridge, and Marpole - being away from Skytrain improved property price levels” (Xin, 2014). However, communities such as Arbutus Ridge Chinatown, Downtown Eastside, Strathcona, Mt. Pleasant has increased value due to proximity to Skytrain stations. The divergent effects of Skytrain proximity on property value are likely due to socioeconomic positions of demographics in each neighborhood and attributes they value in their community. As in the East side “a large percentage of individuals commute by public transit for trips” and in the West side “those on the west-side are relatively wealthier, live in larger homes, and have a higher number of individuals owning and commuting by car – therefore, Skytrain is not of importance, and actually devalued.” (Xin, 2014). From this we can reasonably say why some who want to keep their own property values up would be against such a project, but for those dealing with the housing crisis in Vancouver, they would benefit from this. There is also the struggle of gentrification that has been documented around rapid transit hubs in Vancouver “coincidence of low average incomes and high rates of recent immigration in census tracts close to sections of the SkyTrain Rapid Transit Line.” (Jones, 2015). Making it clear the struggle between more established and wealthy residents of the Westside and newer or less financially secure residents.

A similar issue has been seen in Burnaby, accelerated by transit and the construction of high-density condominium towers. Concentrations of aging, private, low-rise apartments built through welfare state programs four to five decades ago have become the affordable homes for lower-income residents, including recent refugees and immigrants. These neighborhoods are highly valued by their residents for their proximity to family services and SkyTrain stations, which are crucial for their daily commutes and access to amenities (Jones,2015).

However, this very proximity to transit is now bringing about a significant change. The regional sustainability policy of transit-oriented development (TOD) is permitting the construction of high-density condominium towers around SkyTrain stations. In Burnaby, this redevelopment is being accelerated by the upzoning policy of the NDP-led municipal council, which is removing planning protection from the existing low-rise apartments. The council justifies this approach by arguing that, due to cost-saving measures by higher levels of government, there is no alternative to such gentrification if the city is to maintain its services and infrastructure (Jones, 2015).

Jones describes Burnaby's approach to urban development similar to a world city like London’s, mirroring the practices seen in inner London boroughs such as Southwark and Hackney. Where progressive councils sell public housing estates to manage budgets due to central government cutbacks. This has led to the displacement of thousands of tenants and the regeneration of affordable estates into privatized landscapes with a mix of condominiums and so-called "affordable" housing that is more aligned with market rates than previous social rents. In Burnaby, the outcome of such redevelopment offers no subsidized housing, leaving only the hope for some indirect benefits from the increased density and development.

This situation is not unique to Burnaby; across Canada, similar affordable housing stock from the welfare state era is at risk as subsidies expire and the pressure for redevelopment mounts. The loss of these homes exacerbated the housing crisis, particularly for vulnerable populations who rely on such affordable options; pushing out low income inhabitants. Could we see the same demolition of affordable housing happen in the already pricey Westside? Certainly more supply of homes will have a net effect on creating more housing which will have filter down effects, but as citizens of the Westside and Vancouver more broadly struggle with affordable housing and property prices. Will the addition of high rises in the Westside help curb these worries; or repeat what we have seen in Burnaby?

The Skytrain is also a crucial piece in making it possible for high density housing to be achievable through the Broadway plan. Actors such as U.B.C, Developers, and First Nations groups know the only way to capitalize fully on these high density housing projects is with the Skytrain being present (Condon, 2019). The city also has changed zoning, with a significant increase in rezoning applications for the Broadway Plan. Applications are up from 29 at the end of Q4 2023 to 46 at the end of Q1 2024, as per the report. For context, an annual average of 76 rezoning applications were submitted across the entire city over the last five years, according to the city's memo (Kotyk, 2024). When completed sometime in 2026, the $2.83 billion extension of SkyTrain’s Millennium Line will stretch 5.7 kilometers from Great Northern Way to Arbutus (Penner, 2024). Both the Skytrain and the “Broadway plan” are two projects that work in symbiosis and one cannot prosper without the other.

A recent study from the Journal of Urban Affairs focused on high-density apartments in Vietnam, suggests that high rise apartments have many negative impacts on neighborhood social networks, social cohesion, place attachment, and loneliness. This is further supported by a journal article in the Radical Housing Journal which documents extensive community pushback against rezoning actions viewed by the neighborhoods mostly working class and immigrant residents who view rezoning for new housing developments as gentrification aimed to push them out  “a letter signed by hundreds of community members demanding that the councilmember oppose a rezoning proposal that would forever change the neighborhood’s working class and immigrant character under the banner of Protect Sunset Park, an alliance of residents and local anti-gentrification groups” (Mullenite, 2020). In regard to Vancouver's new zoning laws, some buildings in the area will reach double the height of previously code regulated buildings. These changes will undoubtedly transform the landscape and identity of the West side of Vancouver. For better or worse? Only time will tell, but change is certainly always on the horizon.

(City of Vancouver) https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/broadway-plan.aspx

Case Study of Westside of Vancouver

Building off of the previous explanation of the issue surrounding changes in land value, there are also cultural and societal considerations surrounding the fundamental changes occurring in the west side of Vancouver. Before describing these considerations surrounding the changes to Vancouver taking place it's important to contextualize how we should think about space according to Messey’s Places and their Past and Lefebvre's Lost in Transportation.

Massey makes two major points which are important to inform our perspective on place. The first point is that most people have a nostalgic view of the past “The past seems to many as the “real” place, as we imagine it as it"should be" (Massey, 1995). The second point is that a place itself is made unique through its interaction between its connecting geographic areas “While we think a place is unique all by its own creation, it is really created through interaction with broader geographic areas ” (Massey, 1995). Building off of this Lefebvre follows a similar approach to Massey, however the Lefebvre approach is more multidimensional and abstract. Lefebvre asserts that space itself is the imprint of time in the world, essentially describing our concept of space as entirely dependent on the series of time “Space is nothing but the inscription of time in the world, spaces are the realizations, inscriptions in the simultaneity of the external world of a series of times, the rhythms of the city, the rhythms of the urban population” (Lefebvres, 2000). Lefebvre applies this approach to cities in the following quote “Urban form is based on simultaneity of events, perceptions and elements of the whole in 'reality' which socially involves the bringing together and meeting up of everything in its environs and urban society as the privileged site of the meeting of the oeuvre and the product” (Lefebvres, 2000).

Taking the perspectives of Massey and Lefebvre into account, it's vital that when discussing public opinion regarding the Skytrain extension and the Broadway plan that we acknowledge how relative personal perspectives are. Furthermore the best approach according to Massey is to accept that our sense of place is constantly changing and as it changes so will peoples different ideas about a places identity. Ultimately Massey concludes that the emphasis should be on the right to the city which aims to treat all citizens equal regardless of the relative complexities of residents' conceptions of space, their connection to it and said space's identity. Massey counts this right to the city among the highest of human rights along with liberty and individualization.

That being said, specifically this case study will focus on how the introduction of the sky train extension combined with new additional housing density changes the West side of Vancouver identity. This will be done through the context of Lefebvre's and Masseys work considering that a space has multiple identities that are dependent on a space's place in time. Ultimately the goal of this case study is to identify how one should view the changes in regard to facilitating the people's right to the West side of Vancouver which as Massey identified is the ultimate goal.

The issue that's important to understand is regarding the public opinion surrounding Skytrain extension to Arbusis and the “Broadway Plan” is that these developments will undoubtedly drive a substantial shift in the West side of Vancouver's identities according to the perspective of the current residents. Inevitably this extension will most likely get extended to UBC which will further introduce even more change. Given there is such high demand for housing supply in the greater Vancouver area most residents agree that these rezoned developments are necessary to address the high amount of housing demand. An example of one of these projects is the Squamish Nation building in partnership with developer Westbank will construct  “more than 6,000 rental units spread across 11 towers built in phases” (Holliday, 2023). Residents in the surrounding area have strong opinions about how this might affect the neighborhood, and legally challenged the development project only for it to be rejected in the BC supreme court “The B.C. Supreme Court has dismissed a neighborhood association's attempt to stop the City of Vancouver from providing services to the massive Senakw development currently under construction at the south end of the Burrard Bridge” (Holliday, 2023) .

Given that developers ultimately provide the mechanism to meet the high housing demand in Vancouver, it's important to understand their behavior and motivations. Typically developers are either viewed by the industry and public as simply focused on profit maximization or charitable by developing affordable housing projects and providing other social services. An journal article in Geofrom suggests that developers in Vancouver and toronto both categories ultimately have the same goal, stating that charitable developers follow a strategy of giving back to get ahead in the long run “land value capture policies involve the process of “giving back to get ahead;” through acts of gift-giving developers enhance their symbolic capital, or reputational prestige, leading to new opportunities for profit-making” (Hyde, 2022). The article goes on to link meaning and symbolism to the pursuit of further capital gains through the private sector  “I show how meaning and symbolism accompany the pursuit of monetary gains and mystify “giving back” as a strategy of accumulation for the private sector” (Hyde, 2022).

Affordability is another substantial factor to consider regarding the West side of Vancouver's identity and the right to the city. In theory, by adding more housing supply there should be decreased demand which should lower prices. However according to the study in Urban Geography rezoning for higher density does not necessarily reduce prices as densification in vancouver is entangled with socioeconomic neighborhood composition  “Densification was found to be entangled with socioeconomic neighborhood composition as well as cultural and lifestyle characteristics of gentrification” (Quastel, 2012). Furthermore another Urban Geography study identified a price raising ripple effect  “A time lag of three months consistently exists in the communication of price shocks from an originating epicenter to other parts of the metropolitan region, with longer lags with several more distant municipalities, confirming the presence of an intra-metropolitan ripple effect” (Grigoryeva, 2019). These two factors combined provide a bleak picture for perspective and residents of Vancouver who are not among the ultra wealthy. That being said, it's important to contextualize what is meant by ultra wealthy as wealth status relative to the time period and geographic location.

Overall the implementation of the Broadway plan and the Sky train extension will most certainly shift both the visual landscape and the cultural fabric of the community of the West side of Vancouver. Unfortunately although these rezoning and additional transportation services will increase housing supply, it will do little to help affordability. These additions will however support Indigenous communities by providing economic development opportunities and will also give Indigenous groups and leaders a more substantial role in shaping the future story of Vancouver. This fits well with Lefebvres work as he advocated for groups that have historically been left unheard to take greater leadership roles which allows for more diverse, fair, and open dialogue in terms of creating a more true reflection of the city inhabitants. In reference to Massey work the right to the city which Massey highlights as being instrumental for inhabitants of the city will not be supported by these changes. Although these new rezoning developments may be unpopular, there is a current national housing crisis in Canada and from an economic perspective the additional housing supply and transportation systems are inevitable in order to sustain population growth in British Columbia.

Lesson Learned from other Urban Spaces

The exploration of Vancouver's Westside transformation through the lens of transit development and increased urban density offers valuable lessons that are applicable to other urban contexts. The case of Vancouver, with its Skytrain extension and the Broadway Plan, provides insights into the complex interplay between housing, transportation, and urban identity. These lessons can inform policymakers, urban planners, and community stakeholders in other cities facing similar challenges.

One of the key lessons learned is the importance of considering the social and cultural impacts of urban development projects. The introduction of high-density housing and transit infrastructure can significantly alter the character of a neighborhood, affecting social networks, cohesion, and the sense of place attachment. The resistance to change seen in Vancouver, as well as in other cities like London, demonstrates the need for inclusive planning processes that take into account the perspectives and needs of all residents, particularly vulnerable populations.

Another lesson is the recognition that while increased housing supply is essential for addressing housing shortages, it does not automatically lead to affordability. The entanglement of densification with socioeconomic neighborhood composition and the ripple effect of price increases seen in Vancouver suggest that additional measures are required to ensure that new housing developments are accessible to a diverse range of income levels. This could include policies such as inclusionary zoning, where a percentage of new housing units are set aside as affordable, or other forms of housing subsidies.

The role of transit in enabling high-density living is a critical takeaway. The Skytrain's presence is a prerequisite for the success of high-density housing projects, as it provides the necessary infrastructure for residents' mobility. Other cities looking to promote densification should invest in public transportation to support their development goals.

The experience of Indigenous communities in Vancouver, particularly with projects like the Senakw development, highlights the importance of including historically marginalized groups in the urban development process. This not only provides economic opportunities but also ensures that the city's growth reflects the diverse voices of its inhabitants.

The concept of the right to the city, as discussed by Massey and Lefebvre, serves as a reminder that urban spaces should be accessible and equitable for all residents. Policies that prioritize the needs of the ultra-wealthy at the expense of affordable housing and community services undermine this principle.

In applying these lessons to other urban contexts, it is important to consider the unique characteristics of each city. For example, the high cost of living in cities like San Francisco, New York, or Sydney may require different strategies for housing affordability compared to Vancouver. Similarly, the cultural and historical significance of neighborhoods in cities like Paris or Rome may necessitate a more cautious approach to densification and transit expansion due to the historic appeal being a major selling point to both tourists and citizens.

The lessons learned from Vancouver's experience with transit-oriented development and high-density living are instructive for other urban areas. They emphasize the need for balanced development that respects the social fabric of communities, invests in public transportation, and ensures housing affordability. By considering the diverse needs of all residents and the historical context of urban spaces, cities can strive to create inclusive, livable environments that support the right to the city for everyone.

References

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