Thursday, January 3, 2013

Editorial on UNA Funding Legal Firm, The Ubyssey

While I don't think The Ubyysey's reference to south campus development is fair (many among the UNA Board oppose the excessive south campus over-development), they hit the nail on the head with the comments regarding the Musqueam development. The student newspaper has a full length story on the UNA's recent decision to fund a legal firm's series of Campus Resident articles into leasehold values.

The Following editorial was posted in The Ubyssey, Jan. 2, 2013

UNA reaction to Musqueam development smacks colonial

As the Musqueam prepare a development that could change the look of the population of the University Endowment Lands, some familiar faces are doing some hand-wringing.
The University Neighbourhoods Association (UNA) has commissioned a study to see if the Musqueam development will impact the value of residents’ 99-year leases. They insist that they don’t see the Block F project as a liability — though they gave $15,000 to a former UNA director’s law firm to investigate the financial impacts of the development on existing properties.
The association loves to stop things from happening on campus, but it’s crazy to think that opposing this massive development could go well for them. Any paranoia about the Musqueam development carries an odd note, given the explosion of development on south campus.
After all, it’s not like the UNA was here first.