Six people protesting homelessness were arrested at an empty provincially owned building in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside on Sunday.

They were among about 12 members of the Anti-Poverty Committee who were trying to take over the building, but police blocked the entrance on East Hastings Street.

Police in Vancouver arrested six people during a protest by Anti-Poverty Committee members.
(CBC)

At that point, the protesters pitched two tents on the sidewalk.

A few hours later, police moved in and made the arrests.

The group had staged two earlier protest squats, and spokeswoman Jill Chettiar said they won't let up until there is more affordable housing.

"We are looking not just at other empty buildings, but definitely things like government offices — places we might go to, to bring the attention to the doorsteps of the people who have the power and the money to do something about this."

Rich Coleman, B.C. minister responsible for housing, said the poverty committee's tactics won't work.

"What they're doing doesn't help anybody that's either homeless or at the risk of being homeless, because all they do is break the law."

The minister said that can make winning support for social housing at public hearings more difficult.

Coleman said the Liberal government is committed to funding affordable housing.

Last week, the province pledged $2.5 million for 44 units of social housing in Vancouver.