The B.C. government has purchased six more rooming houses on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to house the homeless, Premier Gordon Campbell announced Thursday.

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell says the new hotels will give people in need of housing support a brighter future.
(CBC)

"The acquisition of these buildings means a brighter future for people who will be able to have housing with support services to stabilize their lives and regain their independence," said Campbell.

The six buildings were all current or former single-room-occupancy hotels, and three were vacant buildings, said the Premier.

The purchase brings the total number of hotels bought by the province over the past year to provide housing to 16.

"This is the latest in a series of investments we are making to provide new hope and opportunities for people through increased affordable housing options in Vancouver," said Campbell.

The province paid a total of $23.7 million for the six buildings.

The next step will be assessments to determine the physical condition of each building and develop renovation plans, said the premier. Then the province will select non-profit agencies to manage the buildings and provide support services to residents.

"With today's announcement, we have committed to more than 2,400 new provincially-subsidized units in Vancouver since last April," said Rich Coleman, the minister responsible for housing.

At the Vancouver news conference, Campbell also denied rumours the government has plans to redevelop the Riverview hospital site in Coquitlam.

An article in the Vancouver Sun on Thursday outlined detailed plans to fund the redevelopment of the psychiatric hospital with the development of up to 30,000 residential condo units on the 98-hectare hospital grounds site.