I examine the non-medical impacts of Vancouver Downtown Eastside Overdose Prevention Sites on nearby (less than 175 metres away) property values, littered needle rates, and crime rates. I examine sites that opened in 2016 and 2017 during the British Columbia overdose crisis, with my study period spanning 2013-2021. Using a novel application of Callaway-Sant’Anna spatial difference-in-differences in drug policy research, I find a 2-4.3% increase in property value that is plausibly linked to a 1.4-3.7% decrease in littered needles. I find no impact on crime. The examined sites led to a 6.7 million-21.2 million CAD neighbourhood wealth gain as measured by property value. This analysis diverges from much literature that finds a decrease in property value in other cities, which I theorize is due to the Downtown Eastside having relatively much higher concentrations of drug use. Because of the higher use concentration in the Downtown Eastside, Vancouver Overdose Prevention Sites may decrease visible signs of drug use. This research addresses community concerns that Vancouver Overdose Prevention Sites have negative non-medical externalities despite their documented health benefits.
