Mixed-income neighbourhoods

[sabotabby]

There's certainly something to be said for projects like this one, intended to decrease the ghettoization of the poor, rebuild crumbling neighbourhoods, and promote communities.

My problem? Why is it always about building market condos in poor areas? If mixed-income was really meant to benefit poor people, they'd be building social housing in Rosedale and Yorkville. In every case I can think of where mixed-income developments happen in an existing neighbourhood, it's always about the invasion of the rich into prime real estate that someone has inconveniently built a housing project on.

I sense ulterior motives, and a very local sort of imperialism.

Comments

[misslynx.livejournal.com]

Yes - mixed-income communities are a far better idea in theory, but in practice, they often seem to be based on taking away part of the stock of existing affordable housing and converting it into condos. I'd be more supportive if it went both ways - if there were also projects going on that involved converting buildings or neighbourhoods that are now mainly condos or other high-end housing partially into social housing.

[sabotabby]

Exactly. And there's such a glut of condos that there's no reason it can't be done, besides greed and lack of political will.

[frandroid.livejournal.com]

Actually, AFAIK, we haven't reduced the number of available units, we're increasing the local density and that increase goes towards private housing...