Residents and activists project their demands for social housing outside city hall
Several dozen residents and demonstrators gathered last Monday outside Montreal’s City Hall to demand the acquisition and construction of social housing units at 700 Jarry West in Park Extension.
Members of the Coopérative Un Monde Uni and Parc-Extension and tenants projected their demands onto the walls of the Lucien-Saulnier building during the City of Montreal’s council meeting.
“One year after a luxury apartment project was blocked on the site, tenants of Parc-Extension hoped to highlight the importance of acquiring 700 Jarry West amidst a staggering increase in evictions”, said Amy Darwish, coordinator of the Comité d’action de Parc-Extension(CAPE).
Demonstrators demanded that the City of Montreal negotiate with the owner and acquire the lot. This occurred as the City debated the possibility of extending their right of first refusal for affordable housing during the city council meeting.
Background
700 Jarry West is a focal point in Park Extension with regard to social housing. The lot, housing a small mechanics shop and an abandoned market, was earmarked for a high-end condominium project in 2019.
Many residents and activists collectively protested the project, saying it would further contribute to the areas’ gentrification and permanently change the socio-economic makeup of the area.
In 2021, the Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension borough council blocked the developers’ project, thanks in large part to pressure from residents.
Since then, many in Park Ex have demanded the city use its right of first refusal to buy the lot and building to build social housing units in an area that is rapidly gentrifying.
Rent control and social housing
Given increasing rent prices both in Park Extension and across the island of Montreal, groups like Comité d’action de Parc-Extension (CAPE) have long advocated for better solutions to address the housing crisis.
This includes provincial-level strategies such as comprehensive rent registries and rent control, as well as municipal initiatives to acquire land and build more social housing. So far, the City acquired Plaza Hutchison but has yet to develop it.
“As one of the largest remaining sites for social housing, and the target of neighbourhood
mobilizations for nearly a decade, the lot could be the site of a cooperative and community spaces for tenants who are being pushed out of their homes and priced out of the neighbourhood.” said Darwish of the lot on Jarry.
According to housing advocacy groups like CAPE, the site on Jarry located between Champagneur and Bloomfield would be ideal for social housing as it is in a central location with access to schools, commerce and public transit.
“As one of the largest remaining sites for social housing, and the target of neighbourhood mobilizations for nearly a decade, the lot could be the site of a cooperative and community spaces for tenants who are being pushed out of their homes and priced out of the neighbourhood.”
Right of first refusal
According to the City of Montreal, the city can use a legal mechanism known as a right of first refusal (Droit de préemption) to block the sale of a lot or building and give purchase priority to the city at the asking price.
“The right of first refusal gives the City of Montreal priority over other potential buyers to buy certain buildings or land to carry out projects for the benefit of the community,” reads the cities definition of the mechanism.
“The City wishes to improve the quality of life of citizens by developing libraries, sports centers or parks, by developing social housing or by protecting our heritage,” continued the definition, adding that sellers could not refuse an offer made by the city.
Nonetheless, the right of first refusal cannot be used until the building is listed for sale. So far, 700 Jarry West is still not listed and is therefore not subject to the legal mechanism. Borough officials have cited this as a significant roadblock in developing the project.
Social housing as an essential tool in the housing crisis
Demonstrators last Monday emphasized that only a serious investment in social housing can respond to an escalating housing crisis and meet the needs of low-income tenants.
“More and more tenants are contacting CAPE after receiving an eviction notice sent to everyone living in their building,” said Sohnia Karamat Ali, a tenant support worker at CAPE.
“The landlords want to evict their tenants to do major repairs and increase the rent dramatically,” she continued, referring to the increasing practice of renovictions to expel residents from their rental units.
“If we really want to make sure that affordable and decent units are available for low-income households, we cannot rely on the will of private developers,” she added. “Social housing is an essential tool to counter the housing crisis!”, Ali added.
