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By Fred Alvarado Fred is a community journalist with FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

Community organizations are fighting an epic battle against KingSett Capital which wants to build a luxurious condo tower at 214-230 Sherbourne properties.

On Saturday June 10th, social housing advocates, grassroots groups and community organizations rallied at Dundas and Sherbourne Streets and marched on KingSett’s office and then to the Fairmont Royal Hotel to fight for affordable social housing in Downtown East Toronto and fight back at KingSett Capital's plan for building a condo tower at 214-230 Sherbourne in the heart of a community that desperately needs social housing. There were speakers at the rally and meals were provided.
 
After a decade long struggle to get the city to expropriate the properties, the city put in a bid to purchase 214-230 Sherbourne last year to build social housing on the land only to be outbid by KingSett Capital, who paid $53 Million for the empty lots, but community advocates and organizations won’t give up the fight.

Community leaders, advocates and residents called Councillor Chris Moise and the city to begin negotiations with KingSett Capital to buy back 214-230 Sherbourne and build much needed social housing.

If CEO Jon Love and KingSett Capital refuses to negotiate then the 230 FightBack grassroots group and many other local community organizations will demand that the city immediately begin the expropriation process for the properties.

Sherbourne/Dundas has been dealing with issues of chronic homelessness for far too long. It is time to alleviate some of this suffering by providing affordable rent geared to income housing for the community.