Pending sale for Vancouver's May Wah Hotel jeopardizes residents' future

The potential sale of a historicbuilding in Vancouver's Chinatown has the dozens of low-income residents who live there concerned for the future of their homes.

The May Wah Hotel building on Vancouver's EastPender Street isowned by theShonYee Benevolent Association andislisted for $10 million. It includes a rooming house on the top three floors with 120 single room occupancy units. The majority of residents are senior-aged women.

"One of our primary concerns is we're seeing 120 tenants possibly beingdisplacedfrom this hotel low-income tenants," saidKing-MongChan with the Chinatown Concern Group.

"We're also going to see 120 units of low-income housing being lost in Chinatown and the city."

The association's past president, Mike Jang,saidthere's been somedisagreement among the owners about the sale, but many of them areseniors themselves and they're looking to get out of the market.

The building is listed on Vancouver's Heritage Building Registeras having significant historical or cultural significance, as well as a legal heritage designation from the City of Vancouver.

But Chan said the designation is noguarantee for the building's vulnerable residents.

"What does it actually mean on the ground?I mean, we're seeing historic sites going up for sale. We're seeing all this change happening in Chinatown," Chan said.

"Does designation actually protect the needs of the local community?Does it actually protect the low-income residents?Right now all this is up in the air,and it doesn't seem like the designations are going to do that."

Thereal estate agent in charge of the sale, Erik Kwok, agreedhistoric designations aren't in stone. He saidthere's often room to negotiate. For example,he said the facade of the building could be saved but the rest of it replaced with something new.

The building also includes a handful of businesses on the ground floor. Kwoksaid their fate will be decided by the new owners as well.