Because the province prepares to shut the Luugat single-room occupancy (SRO) constructing on Vancouver’s Granville Street by the tip of June, it seems BC Housing doesn’t need the general public to see inside the previous resort that taxpayers paid thousands and thousands of {dollars} to transform to supportive housing throughout COVID.
“I’m completely happy to get out of there,” Luugat resident Stewart Holcombe stated with a chuckle Friday.
Holcombe advised International Information he and a couple of dozen different residents have been shifting to new houses on Might 1, after they have been advised in September that the province could be discovering them locations equal to or higher than 1176 Granville Avenue.
Holcombe stated the toilet roof in his fourth-floor unit on the SRO had caved in on account of flooding from all of the fires through the years, and his new lodging in East Vancouver is approach higher.
“It’s 3 times the dimensions, it’s cheaper and I’ve, like, a full fridge, full range,” he advised International Information forward of the deliberate transfer. “It’s an entire bachelor suite as a substitute of just a bit field.”
The Luugat had roughly 80 residents within the fall of 2025.
As of April 27, 36 residents remained and all had been provided various housing, based on B.C.’s Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
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Though Holcombe disputes that declare and stated some residents haven’t been provided any housing but, the ministry stated 18 residents have accepted affords and are ready to maneuver, whereas the rest are “evaluating which housing possibility will work finest for them”.
One other flood at Aura nightclub on the bottom ground of the previous Howard Johnson resort on Fri. April 24 provided a glimpse of the residing situations within the supportive housing above.
With the assistance of a plumber, bar proprietor Alan Goodall stated he tracked the water to an overflowing rest room in a first-floor unit, which was piled with two to 4 toes of rubbish – and no mattress.
International Information wished to present the general public a clearer look inside after the constructing’s almost six-year tenure as an SRO.
“It was destroyed in lower than a 12 months and a half,” Holcombe stated in an interview. “Fairly unhappy.”
BC Housing denied International Information’ request to movie the Luugat’s frequent areas and unoccupied rooms, stating it has an obligation to respect the privateness of present residents.
“For that motive, we will be unable to accommodate any media tour of the constructing,” the Crown company stated in an electronic mail.
In Oct. 2020, International Information was welcomed contained in the constructing for a tour, simply months after the province bought the previous resort for $55 million to accommodate individuals from encampments.
Our cameras photographed a safer provide allotting machine, the overdose prevention website above the foyer, and varied residents within the elevators and hallways.
Atira, the housing operator on the time, spoke concerning the helps obtainable for residents, together with well being care help employees.
“It was stunning to start with,” recalled Holcombe.
BC Housing stated it was completely happy to have the ability to accommodate International Information beforehand. There additionally seemed to be no privateness points with residents at the moment.
Greater than 5 years later and following a number of fires, floods and a minimum of $1.87 million spent on constructing repairs and remediation, it seems BC Housing doesn’t need taxpayers to see what’s left of the Luugat.
“All of the stuff within the hallways, footage have been taken off the wall, the TVs have been all taken and bought – like, it was destroyed in lower than a 12 months,” Holcombe stated, including he believes the general public ought to be capable of see the situations. “Completely, yeah, it’s been destroyed like, it’s completely decimated in there, like there’s flood harm on each ground, there (are) a number of rooms you possibly can’t even go in, the roofs are caving in.”
When pressed on entry and what had modified since 2020, BC Housing stated individuals within the constructing are within the course of of getting to maneuver out.
“This can be a destabilizing and irritating second in individuals’s lives and our focus is on supporting the move-out course of for residents and the neighborhood,” the Crown company responded in an electronic mail.
Holcombe, who survived a weird incident which noticed him caught within the constructing’s air flow shaft for greater than 24 hours in August 2024, stated he’s optimistic for the following chapter of housing.
“I’m fairly excited,” he stated on shifting day.
© 2026 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
