Most problems between and among people lose a bit of their edge once folks become acquainted. Possibly that common sense reality is what we've been leaving out of the current debate on the development of permanent supportive housing for our homeless neighbors.
And, I am as guilty as anyone on this one. When I heard that another community task force had been appointed to work on the "problem," my cynicism kicked in prematurely.
Shame on me!
The result of City Council Member Dave Neumann's appointed work group has been encouraging to say the least. Clearly, the group set about the tough business of addressing a community crisis in a most creative and pro-active manner.
My hat is off to everyone concerned.
The following editorial appeared in Tuesday's (9-14-10) edition of The Dallas Morning News. Take a moment to read about the power of a good cup of coffee and getting to know new folks.
Editorial: A good book and cup of coffee to help mend wounds
Trust, frankly, did not exist. Bad blood doesn't begin to describe it. When the Dallas Housing Authority and The Bridge quietly tried to relocate dozens of formerly homeless people from Dallas' downtown assistance shelter into Cliff Manor, a north Oak Cliff high-rise, angry accusations poisoned the atmosphere.
Despite community protests from several Cliff Manor neighbors, 50 apartments were set aside for the formerly homeless.
But instead of the hard feelings one might expect, a community task force appointed by City Council member David Neumann is helping the new residents meld into Oak Cliff life. The approach includes a "good neighbor agreement" and a nonprofit organization to operate a coffee shop, bookstore and employment training.
Cynics among us might not expect this idea to make much of a difference, but our hope is that it can bring together north Oak Cliff residents and their new Cliff Manor neighbors in a true sense of community. This model could prove especially important as the housing authority moves forward with plans to place formerly homeless people across Dallas.
People who have struggled on the street with mental illness and addiction must feel secure and welcome again in neighborhoods. And by getting to know our new neighbors, the rest of us can learn that many of those who have fallen on hard times can make it back, with a little help.
Yes, it's a learning process for everyone, but it's one that offers great promise for rebuilding lives and neighborhoods in small, meaningful ways.
Showing posts with label Dallas Housing Authority. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dallas Housing Authority. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Dallas Morning News publishes Op-Ed essay
The Dallas Morning News published my Op-Ed piece in this morning's editons of the paper. Here's a taste of my point of view:
I think I understand the feelings, including the fears, of the folks who live in north Oak Cliff around the now controversial Dallas Housing Authority property Cliff Manor.
Our housing authority recently teamed with Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance to open 100 apartments at Cliff Manor for use by the chronically homeless, who overcrowd the city's homeless assistance center, The Bridge. Neighborhood reaction fell into the familiar pattern we've come to expect when it comes to housing homeless men, women and children.
Just ask these Oak Cliff property owners and residents what they fear, and they'll recite a familiar list: Loitering. Petty crimes and misdemeanors. Public intoxication. Public obscenity (usually related to absence of toilet facilities). Panhandling. Threats to the safety of children.
Fears about crimes against children – or violent crime in general – are largely unfounded.
And the remaining fears relate directly to behaviors characteristic of people with no place to live. The obvious way to eliminate the offensive behaviors of the homeless is to provide them permanent places to live. Permanent housing serves as an amazingly effective intervention in the lifestyles of the chronically homeless.
Click here to read the entire essay. Love to have your reactions.
I think I understand the feelings, including the fears, of the folks who live in north Oak Cliff around the now controversial Dallas Housing Authority property Cliff Manor.
Our housing authority recently teamed with Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance to open 100 apartments at Cliff Manor for use by the chronically homeless, who overcrowd the city's homeless assistance center, The Bridge. Neighborhood reaction fell into the familiar pattern we've come to expect when it comes to housing homeless men, women and children.
Just ask these Oak Cliff property owners and residents what they fear, and they'll recite a familiar list: Loitering. Petty crimes and misdemeanors. Public intoxication. Public obscenity (usually related to absence of toilet facilities). Panhandling. Threats to the safety of children.
Fears about crimes against children – or violent crime in general – are largely unfounded.
And the remaining fears relate directly to behaviors characteristic of people with no place to live. The obvious way to eliminate the offensive behaviors of the homeless is to provide them permanent places to live. Permanent housing serves as an amazingly effective intervention in the lifestyles of the chronically homeless.
Click here to read the entire essay. Love to have your reactions.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Looking for a home. . .
More news this morning about the commitment of the Dallas Housing Authority to address the needs of some of the hardest to house residents of our community: the chronically homeless.
Carrying on the traditions and values of her predecessor, DHA President and CEO MaryAnn Russ recently publishes a request for proposals for several hundred special use housing vouchers. A number of groups responded. As a result, more homeless persons will leave our streets.
The story here is all win for our community. You pick the angle, it's all win.
Community return on investment: Dallas spends over $50 million annually to maintain the status quo with our homeless population. Providing housing and welcoming supportive relationships and services can be done for a fraction of that cost. Public and private hospitals, especially in their Emergency Departments and mental health facilities; police, fire and EMS teams will be relieved. Win!
Private housing developers return on investment: Property owners with apartments to rent will now have tenants who will pay their bills, making the various developments more financially viable and successful. Last time I noticed, that's how our economy works and grows. Win!
Community environment, appearance and public health/safety return on investment: People who live on the streets of Dallas are forced into difficult situations, many of which continually get them in trouble. Where to eat? How to pay for where to eat? Where to go to the restroom? Where to bathe? Where to sleep? How to work? How to get started over again? Where to receive phone calls? How to get to a doctor? Where to secure possessions? Where to simply sit and rest? The daily challenges of being out there are enough to make a person drink or even lose one's mind--both happen every day because people have no place to call home. When people move into homes, our streets improve, as do the lives of the formerly homeless. Win!
Sadly, those who oppose our homeless neighbors moving into permanent housing operate out of a fear that is uninformed. They look at homeless persons who live on the street without the benefit of a home and assume that the same persons, once housed, will look and react to life in the same manner as before finding a place to live. Just isn't the way things work with almost 90% of the homeless across the nation who find real homes.
Housing provides a "level set" experience for the "out-of-control life" on the streets of a place like Dallas.
Our experience here certainly confirms the national research and lines up with the experience and reports of housing providers in other major urban areas.
Providing permanent, supportive housing for the homeless addresses a daunting community problem in the most efficient, economical and effective manner possible. Nothing to fear, except the temptation we all experience: closing our minds before examining the evidence.
Housing, permanent housing for the homeless. Nothing but a huge Win! For everyone.
[To read Kim Horner's latest in this morning's edition of The Dallas Morning News click here. Pay particular attention to the comments of Dallas City Council Member Jerry Allen. Nice to hear a leader speak in such a reasonable manner! Also, note the reaction from Frank Nuchereno, board chairman of the Vickery Meadow Improvement District. Good to see that not all neighborhood groups oppose such efforts. It seems that those who have experience with permanent supportive housing don't object to seeing more arrive in their neighborhoods.]
Carrying on the traditions and values of her predecessor, DHA President and CEO MaryAnn Russ recently publishes a request for proposals for several hundred special use housing vouchers. A number of groups responded. As a result, more homeless persons will leave our streets.
The story here is all win for our community. You pick the angle, it's all win.
Community return on investment: Dallas spends over $50 million annually to maintain the status quo with our homeless population. Providing housing and welcoming supportive relationships and services can be done for a fraction of that cost. Public and private hospitals, especially in their Emergency Departments and mental health facilities; police, fire and EMS teams will be relieved. Win!
Private housing developers return on investment: Property owners with apartments to rent will now have tenants who will pay their bills, making the various developments more financially viable and successful. Last time I noticed, that's how our economy works and grows. Win!
Community environment, appearance and public health/safety return on investment: People who live on the streets of Dallas are forced into difficult situations, many of which continually get them in trouble. Where to eat? How to pay for where to eat? Where to go to the restroom? Where to bathe? Where to sleep? How to work? How to get started over again? Where to receive phone calls? How to get to a doctor? Where to secure possessions? Where to simply sit and rest? The daily challenges of being out there are enough to make a person drink or even lose one's mind--both happen every day because people have no place to call home. When people move into homes, our streets improve, as do the lives of the formerly homeless. Win!
Sadly, those who oppose our homeless neighbors moving into permanent housing operate out of a fear that is uninformed. They look at homeless persons who live on the street without the benefit of a home and assume that the same persons, once housed, will look and react to life in the same manner as before finding a place to live. Just isn't the way things work with almost 90% of the homeless across the nation who find real homes.
Housing provides a "level set" experience for the "out-of-control life" on the streets of a place like Dallas.
Our experience here certainly confirms the national research and lines up with the experience and reports of housing providers in other major urban areas.
Providing permanent, supportive housing for the homeless addresses a daunting community problem in the most efficient, economical and effective manner possible. Nothing to fear, except the temptation we all experience: closing our minds before examining the evidence.
Housing, permanent housing for the homeless. Nothing but a huge Win! For everyone.
[To read Kim Horner's latest in this morning's edition of The Dallas Morning News click here. Pay particular attention to the comments of Dallas City Council Member Jerry Allen. Nice to hear a leader speak in such a reasonable manner! Also, note the reaction from Frank Nuchereno, board chairman of the Vickery Meadow Improvement District. Good to see that not all neighborhood groups oppose such efforts. It seems that those who have experience with permanent supportive housing don't object to seeing more arrive in their neighborhoods.]
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
"All my adult life in South Dallas"
Wow!
Janet Morrison is right. She has lived all of her adult life in South Dallas! I hired her in 1995 and she has been making things better for this city ever since, with no sign of letting up.
The comment about where she has lived since moving to Dallas to begin her "adult life" appeared in a great Op-Ed piece that The Dallas Morning News published on Friday, October 24, 2008.
Here's how Janet begins:
Ever wonder why people in our inner cities are angry?
Since the slated demolition of the Turner Courts housing development in South Dallas, my office and our After-School Academy have moved to Roseland Townhomes, a Dallas Housing Authority property in the City Place area.
As I left my new office at 7 one Friday night, 30 to 40 people rounded the corner of the recreation center, running toward a fight. My co-worker quickly called 911 and, before I could even leave the apartments, her call had produced an immediate police response.
Within five minutes, one police car had blocked off traffic while two others jumped the curb and sped across an open lot. As I drove off, yet two more police cars rapidly approached from another direction and a police helicopter hovered overhead.
I know I should be elated by the quick response of our very capable Police Department. Instead, I was extremely angry, and my blood pressure rose each time I heard another siren.
Wonder why she was angry?
Read the entire article here.
Janet understands.
Your reactions are welcome, as always.
.
Janet Morrison is right. She has lived all of her adult life in South Dallas! I hired her in 1995 and she has been making things better for this city ever since, with no sign of letting up.
The comment about where she has lived since moving to Dallas to begin her "adult life" appeared in a great Op-Ed piece that The Dallas Morning News published on Friday, October 24, 2008.
Here's how Janet begins:
Ever wonder why people in our inner cities are angry?
Since the slated demolition of the Turner Courts housing development in South Dallas, my office and our After-School Academy have moved to Roseland Townhomes, a Dallas Housing Authority property in the City Place area.
As I left my new office at 7 one Friday night, 30 to 40 people rounded the corner of the recreation center, running toward a fight. My co-worker quickly called 911 and, before I could even leave the apartments, her call had produced an immediate police response.
Within five minutes, one police car had blocked off traffic while two others jumped the curb and sped across an open lot. As I drove off, yet two more police cars rapidly approached from another direction and a police helicopter hovered overhead.
I know I should be elated by the quick response of our very capable Police Department. Instead, I was extremely angry, and my blood pressure rose each time I heard another siren.
Wonder why she was angry?
Read the entire article here.
Janet understands.
Your reactions are welcome, as always.
.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Success story from Turner Courts!
Needing some good news?
Check out Janet Morrison's recent post about a real victory for the Turner Courts housing development located in the Rochester Park neighborhood in South Dallas: http://janetmorrison.blogspot.com/2008/05/slow-down-breathe-deep-and-let-bus-come.html.
To get more of a sense for how the victory feels at the community level visit Ms. Sylvia's blog at: http://www.lovethyneighbors.blogspot.com/.
Community leader, Michael Davis also posted some good words at his blogspot: http://www.dallasprogress.com/.
Sweet, sweet progress!
Thanks to Dallas City Council Member Dwaine Carraway for his involvement and leadership and to the neighbors at Turner Courts who refused to give up about bus service into their community at night.
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)