Monthly Archives: August 2006

blog post o’ the day: “I didn’t feel anything die in my jeans…”

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That’s not the title, but it’s sure as hell the reason I’ve included it here. Got this via Gawker.

Let’s go to the transcript for some more sample lines:

They say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. I say that the easier-shortcut-that-all-the-locals-know-about-but-don’t-tell-the-tourists starts with this phrase: “It seemed like a really good idea at the time.”

Because that’s what this plan did; it seemed like a really good idea at the time.

And, of course, goes on from there. Add a cockroach, an elderly Russian woman, and underpants, and presto! instant blog post o’ the day.

Another low-income building threatened with closure

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Pivot Photograph 

Vancouver – The relentless assault on low-income housing in Vancouver continues in August as the American Hotel, a 37-unit low-income residential hotel on Main Street in Vancouver issued illegal eviction notices to all of its tenants demanding that they leave by September 30, 2006.

“This is beginning to look more and more like Expo 86,” said David Eby, lawyer for Pivot Legal Society. “The eviction notices are illegal, but the process for appeals under the Residential Tenancy Act is so difficult that most tenants will probably get kicked out nevertheless.” 

The reason given by the American Hotel on the eviction notices for evicting all the tenants is that renovations they are planning cannot occur with tenants in the building.  However, no City permits have been obtained, a requirement before evicting a tenant to make renovations under the Residential Tenancy Act.  In addition, the forms used were invalid.  When the representative of the American Hotel was advised of this fact, he told lawyer David Eby: “I don’t care.  I’m going to change the locks at the end of September anyway.  If you want to help, get some money together to pay rent for these tenants to go somewhere else.”

Under the Residential Tenancy Act, a tenant who wishes to appeal an illegal eviction notice must go to Burnaby to obtain an arbitration decision, a process which can take up to 6 weeks.  If the landlord ignores the ruling and changes the locks anyway, the tenant must apply to Supreme Court for an enforcement order.  This entire process can take up to two months, is complicated, involving multiple court appearances and multiple trips to the residential tenancy office – an almost insurmountable challenge for many low-income tenants. 

“The temptation for owners of SRO hotels to find ways to evict their tenants and make a quick dollar is only going to increase as the Olympics approaches,” said Eby.  “If the City of Vancouver and the Province of BC do not begin to make good on their commitment to protect low-income housing, the world will arrive on our doorstep in 2010 to witness a major homelessness crisis.”

The impending closure of the American Hotel (37 units) by the owners of that building follows the slow-motion closure of the Lucky Lodge (61 tenants as of July, 2006) by the City and the Province where 9 units are now vacant due to welfare’s new policy to refuse to issue rents to prospective tenants of that building. These closures in progress follow the dramatic closures of the Burns Block hotel (18 units) and the Pender Hotel (36 units) in March, 2006, and the closure of the Marble Arch hotel (148 units) and St. Helen’s hotel (100 units) to low income tenants through renovations and rent increases.

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Further Comment:     David Eby (778) 865-7997 – Pivot Legal Society

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The 2010 Inner-City Inclusivity Commitment to protect low-income housing and ensure that people are not made homeless was part of the Vancouver Bid Book, the formal application to host the Olympic Games. 

To read the Inclusivity Commitment Statement, visit: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/commsvcs/housing/sra/pdf/statement.pdf .

About Pivot Legal Society
Pivot’s mandate is to take a strategic approach to social change, using the law to address the root causes that undermine the quality of life of those most on the margins.   We believe that everyone, regardless of income, benefits from a healthy and inclusive community where values such opportunity, respect and equality are strongly rooted in the law. 

To subscribe or unsubscribe to the Pivot Newswire, just send a note with that subject line to newswireatpivotlegaldotorg.

poor signals

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From the Archive

Hello? Can you hear me?

A couple of men were shopping in Urban Fare, and there wasn’t anything I wanted so I eavesdropped, not shopped. The tall one in the sleek Calvin pullover and microfiber pants was saying that people have the most embarrasing conversations on cellphones.“Oh?” said his buddy, a shorter blond guy with a wiry, mountainbiker look.

“Yeah,” he said. “Imagine if you had the same conversation without the cellphone; either on a real phone or face-to-face. Would you say those things, or would you have a real talk? Nobody says anything requiring a scintilla of intelligence on a cellphone.”

“You mean nobody discusses the meaning of life and the big philosophical questions on a cell?”

“Yes, yes, that’s it exactly. They talk about, you know, do you want the broccoli or the peppers, ’cause the broccoli is on special…no, no, the peppers look good…but the broccoli looks good too…”

“But do you think those kind of people ever have meaningful discussions?”

“At all?”

“At all.”

“Nope.”

“Well, let me ask you: do you have a cellphone?”

There was a pause. They stared at each other. This was Yaletown, what were the odds, eh? The guy pulled a tiny flip-phone from his pocket and a sheepish expression from somewhere in his upbringing.

“And Do you have meaningful conversations?”

“Point taken.”

“Do you?”

“This is about as good as it gets.”

Bravo! Charo!

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Charo in Vegas. Forget Wayne Newton!

tow the thin blue line

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From the Archive
  Tuesday, October 01, 2002

If you’ve ever wanted to know what resigned dutifulness looks like (and it’s not something we see very often, you must admit) you would have liked to have been with me this afternoon. As I was passing the cop shop, just at the start of rush hour(s) I saw somebody getting towed. Now, no biggie, you think, that happens all the time, all over town. Three PM sharp they start picking up cars and too bad for the owners. Happens all the time. Sure, but to a cop?

Yes indeedy, there, on Cordova, right in front of the Police Station, was a big beefy cop of the wholesomely mustachioed variety, dutifully-resignedly watching his patrol car get towed. And ticketed. And he just stood there and took it; what else could he do? But his mustache was a couple of inches shorter by the time the towtruck driver drove away.