17 minute read
REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE Affordable-housing options getting political heed
by Carlito Pablo
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Real estate has made millionaires out of many people, at least on paper.
Even on the less ritzy East Side of Vancouver, a typical detached home was worth $1,546,700 in January 2021.
The appreciation of property values has contributed to a widening gap in wealth. This, in turn, breeds elitism among some.
As a housing advocate, Edgardo Sabile is keenly aware of such snobbery.
According to the acting president of the nonprofit One Housing Society, some property owners view mass-housing models such as cooperatives and public housing “like a ghetto”.
“Some people think that only poor people live there,” Sabile told the Straight in a phone interview. “It’s not true.”
Sabile said that lawyers and doctors also live in housing cooperatives because they like the sense of community found in these places, where people know each other.
He speaks from personal experience. He and his wife and their two children live at the Killarney Gardens Housing Co-operative, a multicultural housing co-op in East Vancouver.
“In our co-op, we got engineers; we have professionals,” said Sabile, a night manager at a Vancouver hotel.
Sabile’s family pay market rate at Killarney Garden. Some of their neighbours pay subsidized-housing fees.
In public-housing developments, such as those owned by the Metro Vancouver regional government, a number of residents also pay market-level rents.
One Housing Society is formally known as the Fil Co-operative One Housing Society. The housing nonprofit is an offshoot of the One Filipino Co-operative of B.C., a credit cooperative. Both are pioneering organizations in the province’s Filipino Canadian community.
On January 29 this year, the two groups wrote to a B.C.-based panel created by the provincial and federal governments in 2019.
One Housing Society and One Filipino Co-operative of B.C. submitted a letter as their contribution to the second phase of public consultation by the Expert Panel on the Future of Housing Supply and Affordability.
The panel, led by ICBC chair and former B.C. NDP MLA Joy MacPhail, is scheduled to make housing-policy recommendations to the two levels of government this spring.
In their letter, the two community organizations made two proposals.
One is the creation of a Registered Family Home Savings Plan (RFHSP).
An RFHSP could help “lower to middle income level Canadian families…accumulate a fund specifically dedicated to the purchase of an affordable housing where the homebuyer and his/her family will live, thrive, and contribute to the local economy and social fabric”.
Moreover, the savings plan can be “modeled after some or all relevant features (for example, cumulative roll-over of ceiling amount, non-taxability of interest or other earnings, unless withdrawn for another non-housing purpose) of the Registered Retirement Savings Plan”, or RRSP.
The second proposal is also a type of
savings plan but designed for new housing co-ops and housing nonprofits.
It is called a Registered Members’ Fund for Affordable Housing. An RMFAH will encourage groups to save for a down payment for their affordable-housing project.
According to the letter, middle-class people organized into housing cooperatives or nonprofit housing societies have the “potential to pool their financial resources into a housing fund that will strengthen their eligibility for government and financial institution financing of their affordable housing project”.
“In addition, to incentivize initiatives such as this, we propose for the government to endow this registered fund features such as a grant contribution as well as tax shelter (similar to the Registered Education Savings Plan),” or RESP, the two community associations wrote to the panel.
One Housing Society’s Sabile signed the letter along with Roel Gumboc and Jojo Palencia, president and general manager, respectively, of One Filipino Cooperative of B.C.
B.C. NDP MLA Mable Elmore represents Vancouver-Kensington in Victoria. She is also the only member of the provincial legislature with Filipino ancestry.
Elmore said that she is impressed with the submission made by the two organizations.
“They made a couple of very concrete and clear policy recommendations, which will contribute to the dialogue on the complex area around housing supply and affordability,” Elmore told the Straight in a phone interview.
Last summer, the expert panel on housing released an interim report about what it heard during the first phase of its public consultation.
One theme that emerged was “diversity” in housing.
Diversity, as the panel heard, has three aspects. One involves a mix of housing tenures that does not favour ownership over rental, or vice versa.
The second is diversity in housing types, with an emphasis on lower- to middle-income levels.
The third is the “need to diversify the delivery of housing allowing more organisations (i.e. non-profits, social REITs [real estate investment trust], co-operatives, etc.) to participate in the supply of housing”.
The B.C. NDP government has pledged to invest $7 billion in affordable housing over 10 years. In 2018, it announced a plan to work with partners in delivering 114,000 affordable homes over a decade.
On the part of the federal government, Ottawa has launched a national housing strategy. It involves a 10-year, $55-billion plan to build 125,000 new affordable housing units, repair 300,000 existing ones, and reduce chronic homelessness by 50 percent.
According to Elmore, groups such as Sabile’s One Housing Society would make a “good partner” for the provincial and federal levels of government. g
Edgardo Sabile (left), acting head of a nonprofit housing society, says cooperative housing attracts all types of residents, and NDP MLA Mable Elmore welcomes his input into housing-policy dialogue.
Some people think that only poor people live there. It’s not true...We got engineers; we have professionals.
– Edgardo Sabile
H
ome sale OF THE WEEK
A bidder made $1 million over a tax-sale price for the property shown above. d A DERELICT HOME with a bit
of history with the City of Vancouver recently changed hands. A buyer purchased 3469 Arbutus Street for $2.5 million, which was over the property’s listing price of $2,395,000. The listing by Sutton Group–West Coast Realty describes the 2,385-square-foot residence as “not livable”. An October 27, 2020, report to city council by Marina Marzin, collector of taxes with the City of Vancouver, noted that the city auctioned the property as part of its annual tax sale on November 13, 2019. “The Owner has not paid any City taxes on the Property since 2016,” Marzin related. “The Property appears to be abandoned. The Owner does not reside at the Property.” At the 2019 city auction, a “tax sale purchaser bid the minimum upset price, $4,373.74, plus $1,400,000.00”. g by Carlito Pablo
HEALTH Never Alone serves up hoodies with mental health
by Charlie Smith
Former university athlete Paul Marlow has created a brand and online platform that aim to create connections for those hoping to improve their mental health—while also selling some casual attire.
Tall Paul, as Paul Marlow sometimes calls himself, seemed to have it all in his early 20s. At 6-7, he played basketball and baseball at Louisiana State University in Shreveport and was even drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays.
In a phone interview with the Straight, Marlow said he didn’t have trouble attracting female attention and even did some modelling for a while.
But in 2018, a decade after his university career ended, the Vancouver entrepreneur was afflicted with serious depression. It came after a difficult breakup with a girlfriend and his father being diagnosed with both Parkinson’s disease and then cancer, which claimed his life the same year.
“It affected me greatly once he passed away,” Marlow revealed. “I decided to open up about what was going on on my social media and to my family and friends. And with people reaching out to me, saying, ‘Thank you for saying these things,’ and, ‘Thank you for being honest and open,’ I realized there was an area that wasn’t being hit.”
It gave birth to the Never Alone project, which he described as the “first mental health brand”. It’s a web platform that allows people to share their struggles and observations about mental health, and it’s combined with a clothing line offering hoodies and caps that celebrate the value of forging connections.
“The Never Alone vision is to help the regular person just understand that it is okay to feel anxiety; it’s okay to be depressed at times,” Marlow says.
The blog posts on Weareneveralone.co include tips on everything from getting motivated in the gym to how to write entries in a diary. There’s also advice on what to say when someone dies.
Marlow said that when he was in the throes of depression, he visited other online sources, including government sites, that had many good quotes and stories. “But I didn’t find a lot of actionable content that could help my day-today life long-term,” he added.
He also feels that many mental-health sites are a “little safe”, whereas he wants to push the boundaries of public discourse.
As an example, he wrote one post revealing how he tried MDMA therapy. He took the psychedelic treatment in his 10th session—a six-hour experience that helped him understand why his childhood led him not to accept himself for who he is.
Marlow said that prior to this, he never realized how fearful he was of not living up to others’ standards. That would occur even when he was standing in line, going to a restaurant, or spending time with friends and family members.
“I was worried of being judged in a situation where no one would judge me,” he disclosed.
Marlow noted on his blog that he took MDMA in the presence of an “underground psychedelic therapist” with extensive background in this area.
And he said that prior to this experience, he never would have such an open conversation with anyone, let alone a reporter. “Until all this happened, I was quite
– Never Alone founder Paul Marlow a different person,” Marlow declared.
He’s also eager for his platform to be a home for those who feel marginalized by mainstream society.
In the “Never Alone Stories” section of the blog, Toronto-based mental-health advocate Asante Haughton wrote a piece called “Dear White People…Why Is Your Mental Health So White?”
“What you do with your answer might save me,” Haughton declares at the end of the post. “It might save us all.”
In another post, a gender-fluid artist named Em shared her experience as a sex worker. “I never felt in danger, I did have to navigate toxic masculinity and misogynist behaviours,” Em writes. “I also had, and facilitated, extremely caring and even healing sexual experiences. I made enough money to buoy my finances, pay for laser eye surgery in cash, and fund a really beautiful trip with my partner for his birthday.”
Marlow said he understands how privileged he is as a tall white male. And to him, “it sucks” that people who look like him are the ones doing the most harm in the world.
“I don’t want to take over from people’s voices,” Marlow emphasized as the interview drew to a close. “I want to bring them alongside me as I grow. Then it’s a win-win. I can use my privilege as a good thing.” g
IN THE COURT OF JOINT MAMLATDARII OF MORMUGAO TALUKA AT VASCO DA GAMA, GOA.
Mutation Case No. 16908 Village: Cansaulim.
1. Mr. Aires Presentacao Antonio Das Dores Carvalho alias Aires Carvalho,
Mr. Vila Nova Jose Estevao Antonio De Spirito Santo Carvalho alias Vila Nova Carvalho,
Mr. Lui Tolentino Assumcao Antonio Carvalho alis Lui Carvalho and
Mr. Raul Anotonio Joseph Eleuterio Carvalho alias Raul Carvalho through their POA holder
Mr. Lester Agnelo Vicente Barreto r/o H. No. 237/A, Tontem Morod, Cansaulim, Goa .....Applicants
V/S
1. Mr. Darrel Carvalho,-. 2. Mr. John Petrovic,-. 3. Mr. Ligorio Viegas,-. 4. Mr. Rufi no Cordeiro,-. 5. Mrs. Alice Vitoria Carvalho,-. 6. Mrs. Benardine Mercie Carvalho,-. 7. Mrs. Blanche Antonieta Carvalho Petrovic,-. 8. Mrs. Christina Carvalho,-. 9. Mrs. Lira Antonieta Cordeiro,-. 10. Mrs. Renee Antonieta Carvalho,-. 11. Mrs. Sheila Carvalho,-. 12. Mrs. Violeta Antonieta Viegas,-..
PUBLIC NOTICE
.....Opponents
To, Th e above name Opponents/Legal heirs if any/interest parties if any. Th e applicants Mr. Aires Presentacao Antonio Das Dores Carvalho alias Aires Carvalho, Mr. Vila Nova Jose Estevao Antonio De Spirito Santo Carvalho alias Vila Nova Carvalho, Mr. Lui Tolentino Assumcao Antonio Carvalho alis Raul Carvalho through their POA holder Mr. Lester Agnelo Vicente Barreto r/o H. No. 237/A, Tontem Morod, Cansaulim, Goa had applied for mutation to include their names in the occupants’s column as occupants after deleting the name of existing occupant, Irineo Carvalho as they had acquired right to entire property admeasuring an area of 3625 sq. mts., under survey No. 100/1 of village Cansaulim of Mormugao Taluka. Th e right acquired by virtue of Judgement and Order dated 13/01/200 passed by the Court of the Civil Judge, Senior Division at Vasco in Spl. Inventory Proceedings No. 19/92 and supported by Notarized copy of last Will and Testament of Irineu Caitan Antonio Carvalho dated 27/07/1967 and Notarized copy of English Translation of the Public Will of Marja Zelia Das Augustias Carvalho dated 30/12/1980. AND WHEREAS, the notice in form X were generated to be served to the party by registered A/D party was unserved with postal remarks, as unserved, insuffi cient address, party expired, etc, hence to be served by way of publication in local newspaper.
AND WHEREAS, the applicant has prayed vide his application for sub substitute service, by publication of public notice in any one newspaper as required under order V Rule 20(1A) of C.P.C as the applicant does not know the legal heirs and the addresses of the interested parties. All the interested parties are hereby given notice of the said mutation entry and called upon to submit to me their objection if any to the mutation entry with in 15 days from the date of publication of this notice failing which the suitable order under the provision of LRC shall be issued by the Certifying Offi cer.
Place: Vasco de Gama. Date: 25/01/2021
FOOD / LIQUOR Champagne cocktails don’t stop at the French 75
by Mike Usinger
Abottle of Champagne Krug Clos d’Ambonnay says “I’m a keeper” in the same way a six-pack of Baby Duck screeches “run for the door”. And there’s seemingly a scientific reason for that. Australia’s Dr. Max Lake deduced that scents of dry Champagne can replicate female pheromones—the subtle scents that attract suitors. (For the curious, men’s pheromones have been linked to the scents of red wine).
Sooo, for a certain segment of the male population, bubbly is basically the scent of bottled-up sex appeal. And for women, it’s a sign that a suitor’s Champagne tastes don’t stop at, well, her.
So what to do after you’ve popped the cork? No one’s going to do anything but applaud you for drinking things straight up. But playing liquor nerd with Champagne can also be stupidly easy, as anyone with a Mimosa (equal parts Champagne and fresh orange juice) addiction is well aware.
Flavoured simple syrups—which we’ve discussed previously as being stupidly simple to make—instantly make a great thing even better. For a herbal flair add thyme, rosemary, or sage syrup. Ginger, lemongrass, or galangal syrup give things an exotic kick.
Take the sting out of the fact you’re not going to Mexico any time soon with a tamarind chipotle syrup—making sure, as always, the chipotle doesn’t sit in the tea water for longer than a couple of hours. Unless, that is, you want the full-on Mexicanvacation, “¿Dónde está el baño?” experience four or five hours after consuming.
One of the first Champagne cocktails dates back to the middle of the 1800s. Barkeeps placed a sugar cube in the bottom of a chilled glass, splashed it with a couple of dashes of Angostura bitters, and then filled with Champagne. Flash forward a couple of decades and Charles Dickens was using world book tours to sing the praises of the “Tom Gin and Champagne Cups”—a cocktail of his own creation.
Dickens proved something of a pioneer in more ways than one, because pretty soon the idea of mixing gin and bubbly became a thing, most famously at the beginning of the 20th century.
As the First World War raged on, the French 75 (named after a high-calibre French combat cannon) came into being. Concocted at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, the cocktail eventually took root in America after becoming a favourite at the Stork Club in the Big Apple. And it achieved immortality after making a cameo in Casablanca—not only one of the greatest movies, but also one of the greatest love stories of all time.
Here’s how to make what might be the Queen of Champagne cocktails.
FRENCH 75 1 ounce gin 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/2 ounce simple syrup 3 ounces Champagne (or other sparkling wine)
Add gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a Champagne flute, top with the Champagne, and garnish with a lemon twist. g
Although no one will judge you for drinking your Champagne straight up, simple syrups, lemon juice, and hard liquors like gin can take things to new heights. Photo by Getty Images.
A taste of Burma in Vancouver in troubling times by Charlie Smith
Recently, I dined at Amay’s House (5706 Victoria Drive), which offers authentic Burmese cuisine in a casual setting. One of the as a huge surprise, given the country’s history. Although only two percent of the Burmese population traces its roots back to India, there were much stronger links first things you notice in the room is a portrait of Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s only Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
She was once seen as an icon of democracy for standing steadfast against the military dictatorship in Burma, a.k.a. Myanmar, during 15 years of detention. However, Suu Kyi, the country’s state counsellor, has come under severe criticism during the past three years for not publicly condemning genocidal attacks on the predominantly Muslim Rohingya minority.
But not long after my visit to Amay’s House, Suu Kyi and President Win Myint were under arrest. This came after the armed forces again took control of the Southeast Asian country, which is home to 54 million people.
The military has justified its coup by claiming fraud in a November election that Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won. The losing party, the USDP, was backed by the military. It’s sad to think of how this news is being received by Burmese expats, including staff at Amay’s House.
During my recent visit, I ordered chicken biryani, which was Indian inspired but differed from this dish as served in South Asian restaurants. It was warm, savoury, and cardamom-scented, and it had its Burmese styling, with the chicken on top. But it was mellower and simpler than the more heavyhanded Indian chicken biryani, which is a fiery mix of rice, chicken, and spice. I also ordered beef rendang, a classic curry in Malaysian and Indonesian culture, originating in West Sumatra. At Amay’s House, the beef rendang is light, tender, and aromatic, with Malaysian and Indian influences. In between bites of the plentiful portions, I sipped on steaming-hot jasmine tea, which is provided for free. The connection to India shouldn’t come during colonial times. In the 19th century, the British East India Company took control of Burma. Over several decades, Indians came to the country in substantial numbers as soldiers, workers, and traders. In the Second World War, the Japanese Army and Burmese nationalists pushed British and Chinese forces out of the country. Suu Kyi’s father, Aung San, was a student activist when he was recruited by the Japanese to aid these efforts. He played a key role in Burma achieving independence from the U.K. after the war ended. Historian Thant Myint-U’s outstanding 2011 book, Where China Meets India: Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia, described how this Southeast Asian nation fell increasingly into China’s orbit under the military dictatorship in the 1990s and early 2000s. The Indian influence, once such a hallmark in the colonial era, has diminished considerably. But it lives on in Burmese cuisine in restaurants in the West, including Amay’s House. g
Beef rendang is a popular curry dish in Southeast Asia, often coming with lots of coconut milk; at Amay’s House in East Vancouver, it includes Indian influences. Photo by Getty Images.
