Root causes contributing to the Downtown East Side's lack of development.

   In my first blog post I seemed to be particularly specific within incorporating the key issues that are contributing to the Downtown East Side’s lack of development. By targeting the key issues I was also speaking heavily about the causes; such as prostitution, poverty, and drug abuse. These specific issues all contribute to the saddening fact that the Downtown East Side is on a heavy spiral towards an altering path. The reason the Downtown East side has reached such a dramatic stage of discomfort and destruction is due to the government’s inability to enforce the key problems; which then turn into the causes. Problems such as poverty, prostitution, and drug abuse are the cause for the Downtown East Side’s lack of development. The issues resulting in the Downtown East Side are much more serious than though of.

    Vancouver is a very well know city. It is recognized for its sky rise buildings, clean neighborhood’s, family inviting environments and its city vibe. But it is very seldom that people witness the residences in Vancouver that lacks these developments. The Downtown East Side is a condensed environment where all the negative attributions are suffocated into one location; causing a vast eruption and an overwhelming amount of drug usage and prostitution.

   Specific issues that have resulted in an increase of poverty in the Downtown East Side are: demolishing of low income housing units for the development of high scale developmental projects such as the Olympics. The increase of prostitution in the Downtown East Side is due to the funding cuts for women centers, and rape crisis centers. The growing rate of poverty in the Downtown East Side is forcing women into the survival trade (sex trade), to support drug habits and pay bills. Although the sex trade is frowned upon , the lack of interest that police, politicians and society have to make the environment safer, is creating a higher crime rate in the Downtown East Side district. In the Downtown East Side people are not adequately served, meaning they have no permanent housing, behaved illness problems, and no access to health services. This is living proof that the Downtown East Side is a very capable city; if we distinguish the issues and solve them. Another large issue was revolving bed closure in psychiatric facilities. Individuals with mental issues, and difficulties with substance abuse were let free. This made it extremely likely that they would come to contact with the criminal justice system. 49% of police calls to the Downtown East Side were due to a mentally ill person.

  The rate of prostitution has been roughly the same in the past decade. Women in the Downtown East Side face the most violence. Downtown East Side Vancouver attracts those who are interested in looking for sex workers due to its “recognitions”. The living conditions in the Downtown East Side match up to those in a third world country: issues such as gang wars, drug bust and shootings. The disappearance of individuals from the Downtown East Side has been an issue that individuals adjust to. Once a person has been gone for a long period of time they are presumed dead. Vancouver is the most desirable places to live in the world; it could achieve much greatness if it had the slightest bit of guidance from government officials (government attention). Although the Downtown East Side lacks a sever amount of development, it has the potential to become a very safe and welcoming environment.  

What is the root of the problems plaguing the Downtown East Side? "The root of the problems plaguing the Downtown East Side is the concentration of poverty, homelessness, drug addiction, poor housing, prostitution, petty crime, and mental illness in the area. This high concentration may be traced to developments in other parts of Vancouver like Expo that have reduced the availability of affordable housing until only the Downtown East Side remains. It will most likely continue because the Downtown East Side acts as a magnet for people from other parts of Canada and even the United States who are afflicted with personal, economic and social problems and are looking for a place where they will belong."- Mark Hume . Drug problems in the Downtown East Side/Youtube.com