Removing land as a commodity to be bought and sold would address the housing crisis and block the parasites and flippers who, like in the case of the Little Mountain corrupt deal to pay the rich, can without remorse tear down social housing and sit on an empty lot for years until the opportune time arrives to either sell it or build something on it for a huge profit. Instead of having rich owners expropriating the value workers produce in building, maintaining and supplying the necessary material for housing, the value would be reinvested back into the sector for the good of all.

Putting a market price on land and buying and selling it become obstacles for economic and social development. In fact land has no economic value unless used, improved or serviced. The Little Mountain land, fenced in and sitting mostly vacant for 12 years in the middle of Vancouver, is devoid of economic value. Yet paradoxically and parasitically, its market value has skyrocketed to pay the rich. This destructive practice must be stopped.

Seven hundred people were displaced when BC Housing sold Little Mountain to parasites. Holborn took possession of the property and tore down the social housing. Of course, this was accomplished while spouting high ideals and promises of this and that. But the aim is to become richer and that trumps everything, including principles and humanizing the social environment. To stop this corruption in its tracks, the city and province should have jointly kept the property public and formed a human-centred public construction enterprise to build new expanded housing and amenities on the site and elsewhere. This public enterprise could hire permanent construction workers, architectural and engineering professionals and acquire as public property all the productive means and forces necessary to build, maintain and supply housing for all.