| Harvey Specter | 02-10-2016 02:58 PM |
Always a danger with unknown developers, biggest one would be the overall build quality of the units.
And I found this article posted in 2014 relating to this company, my guess is it's an overseas crowd funded type developer... Quote:
The second item at a Public Hearing starting at 6pm on today, Tuesday, July 8, 2014, is a rezoning proposal for 63 dwelling units on the site of the Avalon Farm, a historic dairy that was located at 5805 Wales Avenue in Vancouver.
Since the application first appeared a couple years ago, we have been mystified about who is behind Avalonna Homes. Our interest is not so much about this specific application, but about the example it illustrates oh so well. It is just one example of the MANY development applications in Vancouver fronted by an architect for a numbered company or un-named applicant. In this case, the architect providing cover is Robert Ciccozzi Architecture Inc., while the always-lurking Pottinger and Associates appears to have been involved in coordinating communications with the community. But the public might ask why things are done so secretly in Vancouver. Globe and Mail, Vancouver Courier, Vancouver Sun, and other media have covered this rezoning since 2012. But same thing. No mention of who is Avalonna? Not even curious? If anyone happens to discover who is behind Avalonna Homes, please do share.
Asymmetrical Information Disclosure
Updated: At the most fundamental level, what our civic government is condoning is asymmetrical information disclosure, with the imbalance being in favour of the applicant, and to the disadvantage of the public. It is not fair. New rules introduced by the current City Council prevent a citizen from speaking at a Public Hearing on another person’s behalf (unless that person is identified and IN the room). A citizen who writes to City Council for a Public Hearing — whether in support, opposed, or “other” — is required to provide one’s personal name and address. The City website publishes online the name of every such individual. But meanwhile, City rules permit numbered companies or opaque companies (that is, with no information about the company publicly available other than the company number or company name) to apply for multi-million dollar rezonings and development applications. In many cases, they have significant impacts on citizens, on heritage, and on the character and livability of neighbourhoods. In many cases, the name of the individuals involved with these companies are never disclosed to the public. It appears that sometimes, even City staff don’t know who is behind the screen. Architects or other agents are permitted to provide a veil of secrecy for the individuals or entitites who are the true applicants. The public deserves to know who is applying and benefiting from Council approvals of changes in land use that are typically very lucrative.
At the moment today, just two hours before start of the Public Hearing, correspondence to City Council on this rezoning application is low. One letter in support, and one “other” comment. The agenda for the meeting, plus all related correspondence, is here. Here is our analysis of the project: https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/...ublic-hearing/.
Below is an excerpt of that article about the mystery of the applicant. Why the veil of secrecy? Who benefits from it? Who loses?
One thing has mystified us from the beginning: WHO is Avalonna Homes Ltd.? A web search turns up nothing. The public has a right to be concerned that so many major deals are made in Vancouver by numbered companies or elusive companies with no names attached. More transparency is needed for rezonings, which are a license to print money (especially for multi-unit dwellings), and when the proponent seeks benefits from the government such as density bonuses for heritage protection. As in this proposal, architects often serve as a front organization for the actual owner and developer. Consulting firms, like Pottinger and Associates in this case, also play that role. Heritage organizations and consultants also get involved in negotiations, and in some cases, even the line between those two is blurred. Yet the inability for the public to know who is really behind a deal leaves the door open for political lobbying, favours, inappropriate influence on staff and politicians, and so on. And the opaqueness makes it difficult for anyone to identify connections between political gifts/donations and decisions made by our elected officials. We believe in the principle of “trust and verify.” We have no choice but to trust. But when the real individuals behind major land deals are intentionally concealed from the public eye, it is impossible for the anyone to “verify” the integrity of deals with City Hall. Anyone with tips on the real ownership here, please e-mail citizenYVR@gmail.com. Confidentiality will be protected. The lack of transparency appears to be the rule, not the exception. Consider for example the billion-dollar Concord Pacific Corporation in our article about social responsibility, integrity and governance.
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