Doubling the number of social-housing units to 200 at the Woodward's redevelopment in Vancouver is expected to draw developers into the downtown area east of Cambie.

Coun. Jim Green, co-chairman of the Woodward's committee, said the new Woodward's now has the right balance of social housing and condos.

"Woodward's is much more than a housing project," he said yesterday. "It's a catalyst for the redevelopment of downtown Vancouver.

"This is going to be a model that people are going to come from around the world to see."

The B.C. and federal governments last Friday committed $13.5 million for another 100 social-housing units at Woodward's.

They are aimed at natives and people at risk of homelessness.

The City of Vancouver paid the B.C. government $5 million for the Woodward's site, which included a guaranteed 100 social-housing units.

Kim Kerr, executive-director of the Downtown Eastside Residents Association, said he wants 60 per cent of the units to be "deep core," where rents are set at 30 per cent of income.

Green, who just returned from meeting federal housing officials in Ottawa, said $1.5 billion will be available for social housing next year.

City officials will meet soon with the Woodward's developer, Westbank Projects, to see how the extra units will be integrated into the design.

Westbank has already said it can put 236 units in the development.

Simon Fraser University will decide whether to join the project by January. It wants to install a 180,000-square-foot arts school, but is still trying to raise the money.

The city is also down to two final candidates for a Woodward's housing sponsor, the Portland Hotel Society and the Affordable Housing Society.

© The Vancouver Province 2004