Frances Street Squats, Housing protest site in Vancouver, Canada
Frances Street Squats consisted of six occupied residential buildings in Vancouver, with one designated for women residents beginning in 1990. The buildings sat on land that a developer had scheduled for demolition.
Around 36 people moved into the houses starting in February 1990 after a developer purchased the land. The occupation lasted until a major police operation in November led to the evacuation of all buildings.
The residents created a shared garden and operated a free shop as part of their effort to support each other and advocate for housing access. These spaces reflected how the community tried to meet its own needs through mutual aid.
The site is no longer accessible as the buildings were demolished after the evacuation and nothing remains at the location today. Information about the occupation can be found through local archives and historical records.
Each occupied building received its own name chosen by residents, including Big House, Didley Squat, Eco Squat, Stein House, Token Squat, and Bush Wimmins. These names reflected the values and character of each household.
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