Photo: CTV News

Senior residents of a low-income apartment complex in East Vancouver are protesting the redevelopment of their homes.

The 64 residents of Alice Saunders House fear they'll be forced out if the project goes ahead, and they held a block party on Saturday to voice their concerns.

"This place, to me, is like a small piece of paradise," 80-year-old Jim Dailey told CTV News.

But, Carolina Ibara with Brightside Community Homes Foundation says the aging building doesn't have adequate accessibility requirements, and residents can come back to a new building for the same rent.

"This is not a for-profit venture, that is not why we are doing this. We are doing this to improve long term lives of our residents," Ibara told CTV.

The residents have yet to be given notice to move, and Brightside will also provide a relocation co-ordinator to help them find new homes. A rezoning application has not yet been made to the city.

Brightside says the building doesn't have an elevator – but that doesn't bother resident Sam Diana.

"What do we need an elevator for, to go to the moon?" he said.

– with files from CTV Vancouver