How do we accomplish something like this down Malcolm X Boulevard to Grand Avenue and beyond?
Hard? Yes!
But I refuse to use the word "impossible."
There's got to be a way without a hurricane. . .but we'll need an investment partner like New Orleans found.
Showing posts with label inner city neighborhoods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inner city neighborhoods. Show all posts
Friday, October 26, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Unexpected guest!
I've said for years that if you live in Old East Dallas, you never know what to expect next!
Of course, this is not our first encounter with "this element" of the population. Last Halloween tricker-treaters spotted a group of this sort staring back at all of us from inside the window that lets light into our attic!
Hey, you just never know! But, at least everybody's welcome!
Of course, this is not our first encounter with "this element" of the population. Last Halloween tricker-treaters spotted a group of this sort staring back at all of us from inside the window that lets light into our attic!
Hey, you just never know! But, at least everybody's welcome!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
East Dallas bones and underbelly
Living in Old East Dallas provides lots of interesting sights, sounds and situations!
Since 1999, it's been home.
There are many old, interesting, turn-of-the last century homes that double as "money pits" to those who purchase them. At the same time, remodeling these homes has played a part in the renewal of this inner city neighborhood. Still, the area is populated by low-income working families, many homeless persons and lots of renters who make their homes in under-serviced, often substandard rental properties.
The community is extremely diverse in every respect--ethnically, racially, economically, educationally, religiously.
Interesting place.
I shot these photos some time ago, and ran across them while cleaning out other old photographs. Posted here with love, respect and continuing amazement, as well as a healthy sense of mystery and wonder.
Since 1999, it's been home.
There are many old, interesting, turn-of-the last century homes that double as "money pits" to those who purchase them. At the same time, remodeling these homes has played a part in the renewal of this inner city neighborhood. Still, the area is populated by low-income working families, many homeless persons and lots of renters who make their homes in under-serviced, often substandard rental properties.
The community is extremely diverse in every respect--ethnically, racially, economically, educationally, religiously.
Interesting place.
I shot these photos some time ago, and ran across them while cleaning out other old photographs. Posted here with love, respect and continuing amazement, as well as a healthy sense of mystery and wonder.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Heaven standing at the gate of Hell
I saw it again yesterday.
Across the years I've seen it time after time, appearing in different forms and shapes.
Heaven standing at the gate of hell.
The context for my latest experience was routine enough, at least for a sweltering hot July afternoon in Dallas. I dropped in on one of the delivery sites for our mobile summer lunch delivery program. The innovative effort teams CitySquare (through our AmeriCorps members and our Nurture, Knowledge and Nutrition initiative) with PepsiCo. Over the past two summers, thanks to this unique partnership, we've doubled the number of children served these important meals during the months when school is not in session. Those are the details, the set up, if you will.
As I watched our AmeriCorps leaders playing with a good sized group of precious children, I somehow stepped across a line. Somewhere between vision and overwhelming realization, I looked into hell itself from the edge of heaven.
The children were beautiful and playful, in spite of the terribly oppressive heat. By the time I left the site my clothing was soaked. They all seemed unaffected!
The meals were served as usual. Everyone sat down on the ground and ate picnic style under the only shade I could see in the aging, multi-family apartment complex. Living conditions were crowded here. The people felt packed into a very limited and limiting space. I met one mother who shared that two families lived in her rather small apartment, extended family members sharing a home.
In spite of all the negatives and the discomfort, the children smiled, expressed gratitude and genuinely enjoyed being together and interacting with those of us who showed up on their turf.
I stood in heaven with these sweet kids, but I also had a front row seat at the edge of an advancing hell.
I thought of what would happen with these children over the coming 5 to 10 years. I wondered about their education, their health, their employment options, their success or failure and what that would mean for the kind of future they would experience. I wondered how long the sweetness could endure the poverty and the obvious struggle I could see reflected in the eyes of their parents.
Among those wonderful little ones, children just like my grand kids, I realized as never before what a challenge we face in the cities of this nation. Dread rolled over me like a summer storm. So much work to do. So little national understanding of what's up among the urban poor and their children. So few leaders from any sector who really "get it."
Yesterday I experienced the horrible "thinness" hanging between heaven and hell.
In the heat with the children and our partners I had to wonder if we're up to the challenge of the present and coming battle.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Detroit Renewal: Good jobs linked to education
You can read it here.
Very encouraging stuff.
However, the poor will be left out and behind again unless access to training and motivation to engage such opportunties are found and found fast.
Not different from Dallas in that regard, but the landscape change in Detroit is amazing!
Now, back to public education in the inner city. . . .
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Reflections from CityWalk@Akard
Now that we're in the building with the 140 or so tenants who live in it, the experience has turned out to be better and more encouraging than I had imagined. It is the sort of place that forces one into reflection, almost on a constant basis.
Developing quality, affordable, supportive housing for the poorest people in Dallas is anything but easy. CityWalk required (to be more accurate, still requires) every ounce of creative energy all of us can drudge up. Whether you consider cost, funding for cost, design, marketing, politics, public-private realities, or lease-up challenges abound! One thing is for sure: almost nothing about the project has been routine, boring or expected!
Given the basic nature of the development deal, it might seem easy to overlook or to look past all of the human implications of the development. But, it's not.
The people who live here and who want to live here provide a constant stream of human stories--stories that move, shape, inspire and just "break you down."
One of our residents is a screen writer. He's shared his concept papers for two different shows, one about being homeless, another about a local high school football team torn apart by the involvement of some of the players in serious criminal activity. Brilliant guy. . .who has been homeless.
Another plays the saxophone like crazy! Carries it with him lots of the time, and stopped by my office last week to play for me, but I was out of the office and missed him.
Last week we hosted an orientation session for potential new members for our Board of Directors. Seven of those who attended were residents of the building. One young man asked us, "You mean that this meeting with us is to see if we want to be on your Board of Directors?" When I confirmed that we were doing just that, he seemed taken back, like he couldn't imagine our wanting low-income folks on our leadership board. He was energized by the idea and said he wanted to pursue the process.
Another woman told us that she had always wanted to do something like this, but added, "It's taken me all this time to just get to here. I grew up in Oak Cliff, was abused by my parents, abandoned, half-starved to death, all on my own." Tears flowed as her voice broke. I assured her that she was exactly the sort of person we needed on our board to inform our work at every turn.
Others of the tenants told us they had no idea that CDM did all the things that we do.
"My, my, the hand of the Lord is all over this place," one older woman almost shouted to me after the meeting broke up.
Then, there are the children, about 40 of them in the building. They bring laughter, smiles, energy and joy to the 15-story, vertical community/neighborhood!
As I toured the building with an interested supporter last week, I was overwhelmed by all of the good that is going on. For all of the difficulty and challenge, for all of the headaches, the deal was more than worth it!
Yes, indeed, much more than worth it.
[More reflections to come!]
Friday, June 25, 2010
Not everyone agrees
No surprise there.
Last week The Dallas Morning News published an Op-Ed essay of mine dealing with the Cliff Manor situation in North Oak Cliff and the benefits of Permanent Supportive Housing in eliminating chronic homelessness in a city like Dallas. You can read my opinion here.
Earlier this week, Jeff Herrington, co-founder of the Fort Worth Avenue Development Group, wrote a reply or, better, a rebuttal of sorts to my opinion. You can read his opinion here.
One of the truly great things about our society, culture and nation is the fact that we can hold to different opinions and freely argue our points of view. It's really nice when that can happen in a civil manner. As a nation, we've always been a little rough around the edges when it comes to civility, but the instincts remain with us even when we don't follow the values of our "better selves."
Last Monday evening I attended the public hearing to "discuss" the Cliff Manor project. About 500 people showed up for the meeting that turned into a rowdy, loud, at times disrespectful venting session. The targets of the anger and frustration included the Dallas Housing Authority and Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance. The plan to move 100 formerly homeless, disabled persons, many senior citizens, was opposed from start to finish. Those backing the plan were shouted down. Even Mayor Tom Leppert, who tried to help moderate the crowd, was interrupted and disrespected.
Despite pleas and claims to the contrary, the truly forgotten constituents in the entire evening were the homeless men and women who need and hope for decent places in which to live. As I said in my opinion piece, when the homeless find permanent homes, they no longer behave like homeless persons because they are not any longer!
There were several brave, homeless persons at the meeting. A group of the homeless greeted people as they entered the hall. As the very ugly meeting unfolded, I wondered what they were thinking and feeling. It felt to me that the meeting was a referendum on the humanity and the value of the homeless.
At one point the thought crossed my mind, "What would happen if the homeless poor in Dallas got organized to really be in a position to advocate for better lives and living conditions?"
Certainly, it was a night of free speech, even if much of the civility of the evening evaporated. I continue to be thankful for that gift. And, we'll continue the argument, the debate with our friends and for the sake of our friends. Hopefully, we'll hang on to a civil spirit and heart. The process is one of our rarest and most important gifts as a people.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Property values and redevelopment
Anyone who has attempted inner city housing development containing a mixed-income component understands how resistant existing neighborhoods can be when faced with such plans. The almost universal, knee-jerk reaction: opposition.
People worry about the affect of such changes on their property values. Working out of stereotypical understandings of "the poor," people also worry about public and personal safety.
While I've reached other conclusion and have other concerns, I think I understand the reaction. Or, at least I'm trying. For sure, complexity and anxiety attend the issues surrounding any urban development that adopts an inclusive housing strategy. This just always seems to be the case.
Developers, especially non-profit developers, face the formidable challenge of fully informing neighborhoods and community residents of their plans, while maintaining some level of privacy during the period of property assemblage so as not to drive prices higher than necessary. Even more essential, and at times more difficult, is the challenge of building real trust based on honesty and openness.
At best, the process and its challenges remain very difficult. And, the realities of real estate development complicate the entire process.
I confess that I am conflicted here.
I want to see these kinds of projects move forward. In my view, our city needs many more of them for our "under-housed" neighbors, especially among those who have no place to call "home."
At the same time as I say, I'm working personally to understand and to put myself in the shoes of those who resist mixed-income and affordable housing development. I'm thinking of my own street just here, the block on which I reside.
At one end of my street, just five dwellings away, sits a very ill-maintained, dilapidated apartment complex of about 20 units. Frankly, the building is an over-crowded wreck of a place. Several working families with lots of children occupy the facility. I am sure it is what they can afford. But, it needs serious modifications/improvements.
In my view the best solution would be to tear it down and start over. Problem is, thanks to the current zoning laws, anything built to replace it would have to be a single-family home or homes. Yes, the planned development rules at the end of my street cut against the interests of poor families. This is true in many areas of our city.
But, back to the property in question.
What about new development in the form of renovation? What would improve the situation short of simply eliminating it and the families who depend on the housing for their well-being? What would improve rather than erode area property values? What would make things more secure and livable for everyone?
Would a new facade be a plus or a minus? I'd say a real plus. A new look and fresh paint and entrance amenities often work wonders.
Would a new parking configuration with a plan for increased security be a plus or a minus? Next question.
Would a plan to reach out and include the residents in this building in the larger neighborhood be a positive or a negative?
Depends on who you talk to.
A few years back some of my neighbors wanted to close the street at the apartment house end to curtail the flow of thru traffic and to intentionally cut the unsightly building off from the rest of us. Still, I vote it would be a good move to reach out.
Would increased involvement by the owner/developer who'd put some new capital in the property be a plus or a minus? Certainly.
Clearly, whole the conversation hinges on how one regards real community and physical improvements when compared to staying with the status quo.
At times people choose the negative that they already know, rather than the proposed improvements about which they remain unconvinced or suspicious.
This brings us back to building trust among at least some of the stakeholders.
Some will never support such a redevelopment because it implies that low-income people would be encouraged to stay in the neighborhood. These folks support an agenda that removes the poor from their community.
But for others, I continue to believe there is an opportunity to convince them that housing development and re-development is a good move for everyone involved.
More to come. . .
People worry about the affect of such changes on their property values. Working out of stereotypical understandings of "the poor," people also worry about public and personal safety.
While I've reached other conclusion and have other concerns, I think I understand the reaction. Or, at least I'm trying. For sure, complexity and anxiety attend the issues surrounding any urban development that adopts an inclusive housing strategy. This just always seems to be the case.
Developers, especially non-profit developers, face the formidable challenge of fully informing neighborhoods and community residents of their plans, while maintaining some level of privacy during the period of property assemblage so as not to drive prices higher than necessary. Even more essential, and at times more difficult, is the challenge of building real trust based on honesty and openness.
At best, the process and its challenges remain very difficult. And, the realities of real estate development complicate the entire process.
I confess that I am conflicted here.
I want to see these kinds of projects move forward. In my view, our city needs many more of them for our "under-housed" neighbors, especially among those who have no place to call "home."
At the same time as I say, I'm working personally to understand and to put myself in the shoes of those who resist mixed-income and affordable housing development. I'm thinking of my own street just here, the block on which I reside.
At one end of my street, just five dwellings away, sits a very ill-maintained, dilapidated apartment complex of about 20 units. Frankly, the building is an over-crowded wreck of a place. Several working families with lots of children occupy the facility. I am sure it is what they can afford. But, it needs serious modifications/improvements.
In my view the best solution would be to tear it down and start over. Problem is, thanks to the current zoning laws, anything built to replace it would have to be a single-family home or homes. Yes, the planned development rules at the end of my street cut against the interests of poor families. This is true in many areas of our city.
But, back to the property in question.
What about new development in the form of renovation? What would improve the situation short of simply eliminating it and the families who depend on the housing for their well-being? What would improve rather than erode area property values? What would make things more secure and livable for everyone?
Would a new facade be a plus or a minus? I'd say a real plus. A new look and fresh paint and entrance amenities often work wonders.
Would a new parking configuration with a plan for increased security be a plus or a minus? Next question.
Would a plan to reach out and include the residents in this building in the larger neighborhood be a positive or a negative?
Depends on who you talk to.
A few years back some of my neighbors wanted to close the street at the apartment house end to curtail the flow of thru traffic and to intentionally cut the unsightly building off from the rest of us. Still, I vote it would be a good move to reach out.
Would increased involvement by the owner/developer who'd put some new capital in the property be a plus or a minus? Certainly.
Clearly, whole the conversation hinges on how one regards real community and physical improvements when compared to staying with the status quo.
At times people choose the negative that they already know, rather than the proposed improvements about which they remain unconvinced or suspicious.
This brings us back to building trust among at least some of the stakeholders.
Some will never support such a redevelopment because it implies that low-income people would be encouraged to stay in the neighborhood. These folks support an agenda that removes the poor from their community.
But for others, I continue to believe there is an opportunity to convince them that housing development and re-development is a good move for everyone involved.
More to come. . .
Monday, June 22, 2009
Congo Street
The Congo Street Green Initiative is an amazing project.
Central Dallas Ministries has been fortunate to be involved by providing AmeriCorps members to support the effort. Brent Brown is a genius when it comes to architecture, education and community renewal. I'll let the story speak for itself!
Central Dallas Ministries has been fortunate to be involved by providing AmeriCorps members to support the effort. Brent Brown is a genius when it comes to architecture, education and community renewal. I'll let the story speak for itself!
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Irony, instructive irony. . .
Here's the latest on the Plaza Inn located at 1011 S. Akard, just across I-30 from Downtown.
You may remember that this is the property we placed under contract with plans to redevelop following a mixed-income, mixed-use plan. About 50 units of the almost 300 in our plan were to be reserved for homeless persons.
Frankly, the original plan was tremendous!
The preliminary score on our Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)application to the Department of Housing and Community Affairs was among the highest in the entire state.
As we talked to the community, we worked hard to adapt our original plans to accommodate concerns of the Cedars Neighborhood Association.
But, in the end, the neighbors voted us down.
We then backed away and worked hard with the building owners to engage them in a manner that would allow them to join in the LITHC process to re-do the property and produce much-needed affordable housing, but with no provision for permanent supportive housing for the formerly homeless.
Clearly, our plans to provide housing for homeless persons proved to be the "deal killer" with the neighborhood group. Even though they talked about unit sizes and mix, about our inexperience as developers (never mind that the CityWalk @ Akard project was about the most complex, difficult deal in Dallas history!), about lots of things, but the underlying fear was clearly the provision in our project for the homeless. "Too many SRO units!" is what we heard quietly, behind the scenes, especially after our public meetings were done.
Okay, so forgive me providing all that background.
Fast forward to last Saturday night at the Plaza Inn.
Two recent parolees from the Texas Department of Corrections break in to the Plaza Inn building. The vandals likely were looking to carry out whatever they could lay their hands on to sell.
Outside the building, on the street were three homeless neighbors trying to simply keep warm.
They witnessed the thieves enter the building.
What did these "homeless people" do?
They did exactly what I would have done. They called the police and reported the break-in.
The police arrived, arrested the criminals and protected the property.
I learned of this development from the property owner on Monday.
Ironic, huh?
The very people so many of us fear turn out to be good neighbors with the same concerns and basic values as most of us share.
Lots to learn here. Lots to give us pause.
.
You may remember that this is the property we placed under contract with plans to redevelop following a mixed-income, mixed-use plan. About 50 units of the almost 300 in our plan were to be reserved for homeless persons.
Frankly, the original plan was tremendous!
The preliminary score on our Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)application to the Department of Housing and Community Affairs was among the highest in the entire state.
As we talked to the community, we worked hard to adapt our original plans to accommodate concerns of the Cedars Neighborhood Association.
But, in the end, the neighbors voted us down.
We then backed away and worked hard with the building owners to engage them in a manner that would allow them to join in the LITHC process to re-do the property and produce much-needed affordable housing, but with no provision for permanent supportive housing for the formerly homeless.
Clearly, our plans to provide housing for homeless persons proved to be the "deal killer" with the neighborhood group. Even though they talked about unit sizes and mix, about our inexperience as developers (never mind that the CityWalk @ Akard project was about the most complex, difficult deal in Dallas history!), about lots of things, but the underlying fear was clearly the provision in our project for the homeless. "Too many SRO units!" is what we heard quietly, behind the scenes, especially after our public meetings were done.
Okay, so forgive me providing all that background.
Fast forward to last Saturday night at the Plaza Inn.
Two recent parolees from the Texas Department of Corrections break in to the Plaza Inn building. The vandals likely were looking to carry out whatever they could lay their hands on to sell.
Outside the building, on the street were three homeless neighbors trying to simply keep warm.
They witnessed the thieves enter the building.
What did these "homeless people" do?
They did exactly what I would have done. They called the police and reported the break-in.
The police arrived, arrested the criminals and protected the property.
I learned of this development from the property owner on Monday.
Ironic, huh?
The very people so many of us fear turn out to be good neighbors with the same concerns and basic values as most of us share.
Lots to learn here. Lots to give us pause.
.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Reiger and the CDC
Several years ago, a local business man and church member, John Grady gave a multi-family apartment to the Central Dallas Community Development Corporation. Frankly, the building needed a lot of work!Well, that work has been just about completed. Thanks to Johnice Woods' unbelievable tenacity in working with the City of Dallas the building has been transformed. Using City HOME funds, the project received a grant of $370,000. Each of the 16 units in the building has been completely renovated, much to the delight of the tenants, all of whom elected to remain in the building. In addition, an old structure behind the building has been demolished and the parking lot has been repaved. The side lot is being cleared and transformed into a playground for the building's and the neighborhood's children.
Take a moment to watch the video. I think you'll be encouraged!
Monday, February 23, 2009
home
I suppose all living things possess the instinct to "nest." Everyone wants a home--a place that provides rest, safety and renewal, a place for young to arrive and thrive.A family of Mockingbirds built this nest in a tree just outside our front door. Throughout the year I've watched and listened as the birds would come and go from the home they built for themselves and their young.
Home.
Powerful idea.
Nothing shapes a child more than the environment in and around a house. And, I am coming to understand that the physical environment plays an extremely important role in the development of children and communities.
Here are some sobbering facts of life about housing in the city of Dallas.
9,386 families (1.71%) in our city are classified as "extremely low income"--meaning they earn below 30% of the Median Family Income (MFI) of the area or less than $19,500.
72,406 families (13.19%) in Dallas are classified as "very low income"--meaning their earn between 30 and 50% MFI or between $19,500 and $32,500.
164,946 families (30.05%) in the city are classified as "low income"--meaning they earn between 50 and 80% MFI or between $32,500 and $52,000.
Of course, income levels tell only a small part of the story. Another key consideration involves the concentration of poverty in dense pockets across the inner city. Ironically, in many of the neighborhoods where poverty is the most dense, there are opportunities for more people to return, to live and to help renew such areas. People would enjoy higher quality lives for themselves and their children if we learned how to create mixed income neighborhoods all across the city.
One thing is certain: we must face the challenges of inner city housing together if we are going to make progress as a community.
.
Friday, October 31, 2008
"Let's block off the street"
Common wisdom says that folks in this country can work hard, keep their noses clean and sooner or later they will "make it" through their sheer effort alone. While this assessment works out occasionally, it is not the prevailing reality for millions of poor people who understand generational poverty.
People who will protest my judgment here simply don't understand all of the forces that conspire against the urban poor. The factors that work counter to breakthroughs for low-income Americans are legion. Some relate to public policy, be it educational opportunities, enhanced skills training, health care, decent and affordable housing, access to higher education. . .the list goes on and on.
Most people who have no direct experience with America's poor just don't understand the enormous odds working against these individuals and families.
But, it goes far beyond public policy.
There is neighborhood reality that grows particularly painful as communities change.
Let me provide an example from my own personal experience. Actually, the entire matter was beyond disgusting.
I live in what has become a transitional neighborhood. When we moved here a decade ago, we purchased an 80-year-old frame house in a very challenged part of old east Dallas. Our particular block was a mess. All of the houses, save one, were built between 1910 and 1922. Adding to the diversity are three multi-family properties on our block. At the end of our block and just across the street you encounter neglected, run down multi-family properties and a row of bungalows built in the 1930s. In short, the neighborhood is a mixed up deal!
About six years ago, we were invited to a neighborhood meeting. More accurately the meeting was a block party with one basic agenda. A good number of my neighbors presented a plan to close one end of our street. Purportedly the reason was to provide traffic control against people who traveled up and down our block on their way to Fitzhugh, a major artery into Fair Park and toward Central Expressway.
The real reason: to separate our block from the low-income Hispanic families who live at one end of the street.
You got it: my neighbors wanted to build a barrier against the poor families who live at one end of our street.
Never mind that they caused no problems.
Never mind that they all worked.
Never mind that their children attended the public school in our neighborhood.
Never mind that they were an asset to our community, our city and our neighborhood.
Their crime?
They are poor.
They are immigrants.
They "aren't like us."
Thankfully, our meeting ended at about the time it began. The idea of segregating a part of our neighborhood didn't last past the opening statement for such a ridiculous proposal.
But, you know, I've thought about that meeting and its underlying bias and racism many times since it happened.
We just don't understand what poor people and their children face in this nation, what they have to put up with, what they have to battle and endure.
We just don't understand.
Until we are there, we never will.
.
People who will protest my judgment here simply don't understand all of the forces that conspire against the urban poor. The factors that work counter to breakthroughs for low-income Americans are legion. Some relate to public policy, be it educational opportunities, enhanced skills training, health care, decent and affordable housing, access to higher education. . .the list goes on and on.
Most people who have no direct experience with America's poor just don't understand the enormous odds working against these individuals and families.
But, it goes far beyond public policy.
There is neighborhood reality that grows particularly painful as communities change.
Let me provide an example from my own personal experience. Actually, the entire matter was beyond disgusting.
I live in what has become a transitional neighborhood. When we moved here a decade ago, we purchased an 80-year-old frame house in a very challenged part of old east Dallas. Our particular block was a mess. All of the houses, save one, were built between 1910 and 1922. Adding to the diversity are three multi-family properties on our block. At the end of our block and just across the street you encounter neglected, run down multi-family properties and a row of bungalows built in the 1930s. In short, the neighborhood is a mixed up deal!
About six years ago, we were invited to a neighborhood meeting. More accurately the meeting was a block party with one basic agenda. A good number of my neighbors presented a plan to close one end of our street. Purportedly the reason was to provide traffic control against people who traveled up and down our block on their way to Fitzhugh, a major artery into Fair Park and toward Central Expressway.
The real reason: to separate our block from the low-income Hispanic families who live at one end of the street.
You got it: my neighbors wanted to build a barrier against the poor families who live at one end of our street.
Never mind that they caused no problems.
Never mind that they all worked.
Never mind that their children attended the public school in our neighborhood.
Never mind that they were an asset to our community, our city and our neighborhood.
Their crime?
They are poor.
They are immigrants.
They "aren't like us."
Thankfully, our meeting ended at about the time it began. The idea of segregating a part of our neighborhood didn't last past the opening statement for such a ridiculous proposal.
But, you know, I've thought about that meeting and its underlying bias and racism many times since it happened.
We just don't understand what poor people and their children face in this nation, what they have to put up with, what they have to battle and endure.
We just don't understand.
Until we are there, we never will.
.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Courage, Man!
Young man, just a lad,
growin' up in a swamp of pain--
poverty so hard, so raw,
stumblin' just part of every day
you live.
Young boy, puttin' on
that smile--unforgettable glow
makin' me wonder what you got
to keep your feet in all this and not quite
fall today.
Just a kid, you keep walkin'
against all the stuff, all the
mess of this 'hood of yours,
and mine, no matter what
comes along.
Young man, true man,
such courage you put up
against it all, don't matter
what they throw at you,
you stay alive!
Young friend, so young,
you keep walkin' toward me,
includin' me in the game,
smiling all the while, teaching me
all about life.
Young fellow, bright-eyed,
eager to move on, grab it all
no matter what comes down,
you live strong and all around you
gets better. . .against such
unforgiving odds.
.
growin' up in a swamp of pain--
poverty so hard, so raw,
stumblin' just part of every day
you live.
Young boy, puttin' on
that smile--unforgettable glow
makin' me wonder what you got
to keep your feet in all this and not quite
fall today.
Just a kid, you keep walkin'
against all the stuff, all the
mess of this 'hood of yours,
and mine, no matter what
comes along.
Young man, true man,
such courage you put up
against it all, don't matter
what they throw at you,
you stay alive!
Young friend, so young,
you keep walkin' toward me,
includin' me in the game,
smiling all the while, teaching me
all about life.
Young fellow, bright-eyed,
eager to move on, grab it all
no matter what comes down,
you live strong and all around you
gets better. . .against such
unforgiving odds.
.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
"Deregulating" toward fear and darkness in neighborhoods
Yesterday, I was in Austin, Texas working with leaders of our project there.
We call it Urban Connection--Austin. Dean Smith, our Executive Director, spends his days weaving new connections in one very challenged neighborhood north of downtown. We are very fortunate to have found Dean to lead this effort.
Like our work in San Antonio, I know what is happening "on the ground" in Austin will pay a huge return on investment in the lives of thousands who live in the shadow our state capitol.
During my trip, I met Anthony Williams .
Anthony is the president of the local homeowners association and extremely involved in work to improve his community. He joined us for a presentation to the leaders of the University Avenue Church of Christ, the church that has done more to support our move into Austin than any other.
Anthony sketched a very graphic and helpful picture of the kind of havoc that "slum lords" often wreak upon a neighborhood.
Largely unregulated by the city, these outside, usually absent landlords continue to collect rents while putting little, if anything, back into their properties. Leaking roofs, sub-standard plumbing and electrical service, landscaping and general upkeep go begging. Meanwhile, tenants have few real rights. Those who complain or call for help from city officials end up being evicted.
"Our neighborhood is characterized by fear and darkness," Anthony informed the group.
Property rights are an essential element in the social contract of our nation. But, like everything else, when unattended and allowed to go unregulated, people suffer and grow hopeless.
Ironically, when this happens, the rest of us tend to "blame the victims" for the shoddy appearance and upkeep of inner city neighborhoods. The real culprits aren't anywhere to be found, which is a huge part of the problem.
Think about it. If I am renting from a totally unresponsive property owner, why should I invest my hard earned, but limited funds to address a problem that I didn't cause and that rightfully belongs to someone else?
Deregulation at the street level turns out to be the genesis of lots of very real, day-to-day problems among the urban poor.
Anthony Williams is working hard to organize his neighbors to do something constructive in response. I'm glad he's on our team in Austin.
.
We call it Urban Connection--Austin. Dean Smith, our Executive Director, spends his days weaving new connections in one very challenged neighborhood north of downtown. We are very fortunate to have found Dean to lead this effort.
Like our work in San Antonio, I know what is happening "on the ground" in Austin will pay a huge return on investment in the lives of thousands who live in the shadow our state capitol.
During my trip, I met Anthony Williams .
Anthony is the president of the local homeowners association and extremely involved in work to improve his community. He joined us for a presentation to the leaders of the University Avenue Church of Christ, the church that has done more to support our move into Austin than any other.
Anthony sketched a very graphic and helpful picture of the kind of havoc that "slum lords" often wreak upon a neighborhood.
Largely unregulated by the city, these outside, usually absent landlords continue to collect rents while putting little, if anything, back into their properties. Leaking roofs, sub-standard plumbing and electrical service, landscaping and general upkeep go begging. Meanwhile, tenants have few real rights. Those who complain or call for help from city officials end up being evicted.
"Our neighborhood is characterized by fear and darkness," Anthony informed the group.
Property rights are an essential element in the social contract of our nation. But, like everything else, when unattended and allowed to go unregulated, people suffer and grow hopeless.
Ironically, when this happens, the rest of us tend to "blame the victims" for the shoddy appearance and upkeep of inner city neighborhoods. The real culprits aren't anywhere to be found, which is a huge part of the problem.
Think about it. If I am renting from a totally unresponsive property owner, why should I invest my hard earned, but limited funds to address a problem that I didn't cause and that rightfully belongs to someone else?
Deregulation at the street level turns out to be the genesis of lots of very real, day-to-day problems among the urban poor.
Anthony Williams is working hard to organize his neighbors to do something constructive in response. I'm glad he's on our team in Austin.
.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Questions pressed on me by my experiences in urban Dallas or "questions my friends ask me". . .
1. Is the United States willing to elect an African American to be its leader?
2. Does anyone really understand poverty?
3. How many of our local, state and national leaders understand the challenges facing poor people when it comes to. . .
. . .finding and paying for child care?
. . .accessing health care?
. . .housing costs and quality?
. . .diet and nutrition?
. . .education?
. . .public safety?
. . .work and wages?
. . .transportation?
. . .hope?
4. How is it that when wealthy, upper class people bend rules, commit fraud, take short cuts to their advantage, set up systems that make them mega rich and break laws meant to protect all of us from financial disaster, they receive giant loans on extremely favorable terms, as well as awards that the rest of us eventually have to pay for to "bail them out"?
5. How is that when poor folks make mistakes in their lives they suffer alone, go to jail and/or never really recover?
6. Why do the biggest champions of charity seldom understand even the simplest principles of justice and equity?
7. Why is my very small, monthly food stamp allotment considered "welfare" and the bailout of a poorly run, failing corporation considered good public policy?
8. How can there be so many churches, so many small group Bible studies in a city like this and at the same time so little understanding of poverty or regard for those who live in it?
9. Why are city code rules "enforced" differently from neighborhood to neighborhood across the community?
10. Why do slum lords and absentee owners have more rights when it comes to the condition of their run down, ratty properties than the rest of the people who are forced to live in or around such eyesores?
11. What does it say about a city when over 90% of the students in the public school system are eligible for free and reduced cost lunches every day? How does poverty effect a child's ability to learn?
12. Why is the vast majority of growth and development still headed north in this area?
13. Why is the bulk of the land still open for development south of the city?
14. Why does US Highway 175 (an inner city freeway) take a 90 degree turn before the Hatcher Street exit? Where else in the city would such a safety hazard be tolerated?
15. What are the ongoing health consequences of the old lead smelter on West Dallas residents?
16. Why isn't there more discussion in Dallas about workforce training and skills development/improvement?
17. How many churches, synagogues mosques and other faith communities could justify their tax exempt status in terms of value added to the communities in which they are located?
.
2. Does anyone really understand poverty?
3. How many of our local, state and national leaders understand the challenges facing poor people when it comes to. . .
. . .finding and paying for child care?
. . .accessing health care?
. . .housing costs and quality?
. . .diet and nutrition?
. . .education?
. . .public safety?
. . .work and wages?
. . .transportation?
. . .hope?
4. How is it that when wealthy, upper class people bend rules, commit fraud, take short cuts to their advantage, set up systems that make them mega rich and break laws meant to protect all of us from financial disaster, they receive giant loans on extremely favorable terms, as well as awards that the rest of us eventually have to pay for to "bail them out"?
5. How is that when poor folks make mistakes in their lives they suffer alone, go to jail and/or never really recover?
6. Why do the biggest champions of charity seldom understand even the simplest principles of justice and equity?
7. Why is my very small, monthly food stamp allotment considered "welfare" and the bailout of a poorly run, failing corporation considered good public policy?
8. How can there be so many churches, so many small group Bible studies in a city like this and at the same time so little understanding of poverty or regard for those who live in it?
9. Why are city code rules "enforced" differently from neighborhood to neighborhood across the community?
10. Why do slum lords and absentee owners have more rights when it comes to the condition of their run down, ratty properties than the rest of the people who are forced to live in or around such eyesores?
11. What does it say about a city when over 90% of the students in the public school system are eligible for free and reduced cost lunches every day? How does poverty effect a child's ability to learn?
12. Why is the vast majority of growth and development still headed north in this area?
13. Why is the bulk of the land still open for development south of the city?
14. Why does US Highway 175 (an inner city freeway) take a 90 degree turn before the Hatcher Street exit? Where else in the city would such a safety hazard be tolerated?
15. What are the ongoing health consequences of the old lead smelter on West Dallas residents?
16. Why isn't there more discussion in Dallas about workforce training and skills development/improvement?
17. How many churches, synagogues mosques and other faith communities could justify their tax exempt status in terms of value added to the communities in which they are located?
.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Dark streets and no transportation
I don't know if you can relate to what follows. Again, it comes from Ms. Sylvia's Love Thy Neighbor blog that I posted here on Monday.
Our own Dr. Janet Morrison provides this entry. Reading this really puts me in touch with what some of my friends face every day here in inner city Dallas, Texas. Most of us take basic city services for granted. In many neighborhoods the basics just aren't being covered. I'd love your reaction. You can visit the blog that features community writers at http://www.lovethyneighbors.blogspot.com/.
Have you noticed how dark it is as you drive down Bexar Street by Turner Courts?
I didn't really notice it before, but now that we've had Daylight Savings time, it seems much more apparent. Probably because it's dark when the kids leave the After-School Academy...and it's darkest right there.
As I drove down Bexar, I noticed the street lights right along Bexar and the one on the corner of Bexar and Parsons are both really dim. I wonder how many more are like that. If anyone else is interested in doing anything about that, let me know. Maybe if we get several people together, we can get Dwaine Carroway, our city council member, down here and we can talk to him about it.
The other thing that bothered me is when I found out the DART buses don't run down there after dark anymore. That is something like 6:00! What about people going to or getting off of work?? That's not right. I heard it's because people have been throwing bricks or eggs and such at the buses (maybe some of that would decrease if our street lights worked). If that's true and people are doing that, I wouldn't want to drive in that either.
BUT...we don't need to just accept it! We need to do something! What can we do? Could we form some sort of watch group and communication with the police for kids/people who do that? Can we talk to DART? Maybe this is another issue for Dwaine Carroway. After all...he is OUR city representative!
We can't expect him to do it all by himself. We have to work together. But at least we could start the conversation. Who is interested?? Let me know or let Sylvia know and she can get in contact with me.
Our own Dr. Janet Morrison provides this entry. Reading this really puts me in touch with what some of my friends face every day here in inner city Dallas, Texas. Most of us take basic city services for granted. In many neighborhoods the basics just aren't being covered. I'd love your reaction. You can visit the blog that features community writers at http://www.lovethyneighbors.blogspot.com/.
__________________
Have you noticed how dark it is as you drive down Bexar Street by Turner Courts?
I didn't really notice it before, but now that we've had Daylight Savings time, it seems much more apparent. Probably because it's dark when the kids leave the After-School Academy...and it's darkest right there.
As I drove down Bexar, I noticed the street lights right along Bexar and the one on the corner of Bexar and Parsons are both really dim. I wonder how many more are like that. If anyone else is interested in doing anything about that, let me know. Maybe if we get several people together, we can get Dwaine Carroway, our city council member, down here and we can talk to him about it.
The other thing that bothered me is when I found out the DART buses don't run down there after dark anymore. That is something like 6:00! What about people going to or getting off of work?? That's not right. I heard it's because people have been throwing bricks or eggs and such at the buses (maybe some of that would decrease if our street lights worked). If that's true and people are doing that, I wouldn't want to drive in that either.
BUT...we don't need to just accept it! We need to do something! What can we do? Could we form some sort of watch group and communication with the police for kids/people who do that? Can we talk to DART? Maybe this is another issue for Dwaine Carroway. After all...he is OUR city representative!
We can't expect him to do it all by himself. We have to work together. But at least we could start the conversation. Who is interested?? Let me know or let Sylvia know and she can get in contact with me.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
History: Housing Visions
Back in 1998, I wrote a little "white paper" mainly for my own benefit. My purpose at the time was to organize my thoughts about how Central Dallas Ministries might actually become involved in serious, on-the-ground neighborhood and community redevelopment. Once I'd completed the first draft, I kept working on it over the next year or so. I filed a copy and I circulated several copies among a few board members and staff.
At some point after 1999, when he joined us to found CDM's public interest law firm, John Greenan read the paper. Over the following two years or so, John began trying to figure out how to begin to bring some reality to the ideas I had sketched out and refined over the months.
Thanks to John's persistence and leadership, we organized the Central Dallas Community Development Corporation.
John doesn't practice much courtroom law these days--I think he still has one open case. As the Executive Director of our growing CDC, John is using is skills to create new and high-quality places for inner city folks to live and shop. At present the Central Dallas CDC has four major projects about ready for construction.
I came across a copy of my little vision paper not long ago. So, I thought I would post it here just for fun. Its title is "Hope Street."
As I read over it again, it is clear that much has changed and much has been accomplished. We speak a slightly different language these days, as we've learned how best to work with the larger community. We still hold to the neighborhood nature of our beginning vision. We've just tucked it away for the time being as we have begun with multi-family developments and permanent, supportive housing for the poorest among us. The values remain the same.
_______________________
Case Statement: A Vision for the Development of a Comprehensive, Neighborhood-Based Christian Community
The Vision
Central Dallas Ministries proposes to develop a comprehensive, neighborhood-based Christian community that will deliver a stable, on-going continuum of care, opportunity and growth for each resident. The development of decent, affordable housing within a targeted, multi-block area in south Dallas will be the central focus of the initiative.
The housing stock will include:
1) highly-programmed “safe” housing for members of the community who recognize their need for a special, life-stabilizing environment in order to overcome unique and difficult personal problems, such as addiction,
2) clean, safe and affordable multi-family housing for lease,
3) clean, safe, affordable multi-family housing for lease, lease-to-purchase or sale
4) clean, safe, affordable single-family housing for lease or lease-to-purchase and
5) clean, safe, affordable single-family housing for sale.
The on-going spiritual growth and health of the community will be achieved through the development of a network of house-based cell groups. These small groups, interlaced throughout the neighborhood, will meet weekly for Bible study, prayer, and intentional training in leadership development, Christian community building and preparation for home ownership.
Residents will be instrumental in expanding the work and influence of the Central Dallas Church.
The Desire Observed
Since 1994, Central Dallas Ministries has encountered over 100,000 men, women and children in outreach and emergency relief efforts associated with its Food Pantry. In addition, close friendships have been developed with hundreds of volunteers who live in the community targeted for service.
The growing life of the Central Dallas Church provides an even more intimate context for becoming acquainted and for developing in-depth relationships. After listening to thousands of stories both in interviews and in the normal day-to-day conversations with friends, these almost universally expressed desires have surfaced:
1) Neighbors who come seeking assistance and many volunteers who join our team to help in restoring a sense of community to our inner city neighborhood express a desire to escape the clutches of various addictions and compulsive behaviors. Many volunteers spend most of the day working in the Food Pantry because the environment provides the safety they need to maintain sobriety. The challenges always come at night and on weekends when they are forced to return to apartments, rooming houses, the borrowed couches of “friends,” housing projects, or in some cases the streets. Cut off from the supportive, therapeutic environment of the Food Pantry, these persons often lapse and return to the addictive behavior they desperately seek to leave behind. Isolation from the supportive community and the loneliness of nights and weekends often proves more than many recovering addicts can manage.
2) Many of our neighbors encountered first in the Food Pantry and/or in the Church also express the desire for obtaining better housing for themselves and their families. By “better” most mean affordable, clean, well-maintained, drug free and safe. Most of the people we meet are forced to use too large a percentage of their monthly income for housing. Most pay exorbitant rental fees for substandard housing. Most express fears about personal safety and the availability of drugs in close proximity to where they live. Many report the need for repairs that go unattended. Further, when asked about their dreams and personal goals, most include an opportunity to own a home of their own.
3) Many of our neighbors, volunteers and fellow church members tell us of their desire to grow as persons who contribute to the betterment of our community. Other more specific desires that are often expressed include
a) improved overall health and well-being,
b) continuing education for the development of new more marketable skill sets,
c) finding opportunities for business ownership,
d) personal emotional growth and enhanced interpersonal skills and
e) personal spiritual development.
Strategy for Further Development and Pursuit of the Plan
Central Dallas Ministries/Central Dallas Church seeks to identify and move to capture a five-block area in a south Dallas neighborhood to be determined on the basis of cost, availability, existence of and condition/type of present housing stock, need for community renewal and in answer to prayer.
In order to develop and pursue our plan we continue to take or will begin taking the following steps together:
1) We will continue to commit our vision, expressed desires and overall plan to God in prayer.
2) We will identify a “task force” from our community to begin work on the next steps necessary to complete our plan.
3) We will present the outline of the plan to the Central Dallas Church in public messages and to the Central Dallas Ministries Board of Directors in scheduled and called meetings.
4) We will develop a plan for identifying and preparing participants for involvement in the planned community.
5) We will continue to identify and consult with partners inside and outside the community including business and corporate leaders, financial institutions, government officials and agencies (city, state and federal), other non-profit organizations and churches.
6) We will develop a strategy for dividing the work ahead of us into manageable “bites” for assignment to those persons/groups possessing the necessary expertise to accomplish their part of realizing our vision, including:
a) a financial plan for the project,
b) a land procurement process,
c) building construction/rehab,
d) financing for condo/home ownership,
e) project management,
f) “safe” house program and management development,
g) new staff development,
h) home owners training/preparation services,
i) cell group development from Central Dallas Church,
j) others to be identified as we move forward.
7) We will develop a clear plan for “entry” into the target neighborhood.
A Call to Commitment and Renewal
We believe in the God-given capacities of people.
We know by faith and by experience that the people of the community God has been gathering around the Central Dallas Church and Central Dallas Ministries represent our most important asset in the realization of our vision.
We know God has called us join him in his work of restoring hope in the heart of our city.
We know that given opportunity and freedom to act upon opportunity, the people of our community can achieve great things together.
As God called Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, so we hear the clear call of God upon our lives to begin to live and act as those who rebuild the ruined places of Dallas.
Through the words of one of God’s ancient prophets we hear the call to be known as “restorers of streets with dwellings” (Isaiah 58:12).
At some point after 1999, when he joined us to found CDM's public interest law firm, John Greenan read the paper. Over the following two years or so, John began trying to figure out how to begin to bring some reality to the ideas I had sketched out and refined over the months.
Thanks to John's persistence and leadership, we organized the Central Dallas Community Development Corporation.
John doesn't practice much courtroom law these days--I think he still has one open case. As the Executive Director of our growing CDC, John is using is skills to create new and high-quality places for inner city folks to live and shop. At present the Central Dallas CDC has four major projects about ready for construction.
I came across a copy of my little vision paper not long ago. So, I thought I would post it here just for fun. Its title is "Hope Street."
As I read over it again, it is clear that much has changed and much has been accomplished. We speak a slightly different language these days, as we've learned how best to work with the larger community. We still hold to the neighborhood nature of our beginning vision. We've just tucked it away for the time being as we have begun with multi-family developments and permanent, supportive housing for the poorest among us. The values remain the same.
_______________________
Case Statement: A Vision for the Development of a Comprehensive, Neighborhood-Based Christian Community
The Vision
Central Dallas Ministries proposes to develop a comprehensive, neighborhood-based Christian community that will deliver a stable, on-going continuum of care, opportunity and growth for each resident. The development of decent, affordable housing within a targeted, multi-block area in south Dallas will be the central focus of the initiative.
The housing stock will include:
1) highly-programmed “safe” housing for members of the community who recognize their need for a special, life-stabilizing environment in order to overcome unique and difficult personal problems, such as addiction,
2) clean, safe and affordable multi-family housing for lease,
3) clean, safe, affordable multi-family housing for lease, lease-to-purchase or sale
4) clean, safe, affordable single-family housing for lease or lease-to-purchase and
5) clean, safe, affordable single-family housing for sale.
The on-going spiritual growth and health of the community will be achieved through the development of a network of house-based cell groups. These small groups, interlaced throughout the neighborhood, will meet weekly for Bible study, prayer, and intentional training in leadership development, Christian community building and preparation for home ownership.
Residents will be instrumental in expanding the work and influence of the Central Dallas Church.
The Desire Observed
Since 1994, Central Dallas Ministries has encountered over 100,000 men, women and children in outreach and emergency relief efforts associated with its Food Pantry. In addition, close friendships have been developed with hundreds of volunteers who live in the community targeted for service.
The growing life of the Central Dallas Church provides an even more intimate context for becoming acquainted and for developing in-depth relationships. After listening to thousands of stories both in interviews and in the normal day-to-day conversations with friends, these almost universally expressed desires have surfaced:
1) Neighbors who come seeking assistance and many volunteers who join our team to help in restoring a sense of community to our inner city neighborhood express a desire to escape the clutches of various addictions and compulsive behaviors. Many volunteers spend most of the day working in the Food Pantry because the environment provides the safety they need to maintain sobriety. The challenges always come at night and on weekends when they are forced to return to apartments, rooming houses, the borrowed couches of “friends,” housing projects, or in some cases the streets. Cut off from the supportive, therapeutic environment of the Food Pantry, these persons often lapse and return to the addictive behavior they desperately seek to leave behind. Isolation from the supportive community and the loneliness of nights and weekends often proves more than many recovering addicts can manage.
2) Many of our neighbors encountered first in the Food Pantry and/or in the Church also express the desire for obtaining better housing for themselves and their families. By “better” most mean affordable, clean, well-maintained, drug free and safe. Most of the people we meet are forced to use too large a percentage of their monthly income for housing. Most pay exorbitant rental fees for substandard housing. Most express fears about personal safety and the availability of drugs in close proximity to where they live. Many report the need for repairs that go unattended. Further, when asked about their dreams and personal goals, most include an opportunity to own a home of their own.
3) Many of our neighbors, volunteers and fellow church members tell us of their desire to grow as persons who contribute to the betterment of our community. Other more specific desires that are often expressed include
a) improved overall health and well-being,
b) continuing education for the development of new more marketable skill sets,
c) finding opportunities for business ownership,
d) personal emotional growth and enhanced interpersonal skills and
e) personal spiritual development.
Strategy for Further Development and Pursuit of the Plan
Central Dallas Ministries/Central Dallas Church seeks to identify and move to capture a five-block area in a south Dallas neighborhood to be determined on the basis of cost, availability, existence of and condition/type of present housing stock, need for community renewal and in answer to prayer.
In order to develop and pursue our plan we continue to take or will begin taking the following steps together:
1) We will continue to commit our vision, expressed desires and overall plan to God in prayer.
2) We will identify a “task force” from our community to begin work on the next steps necessary to complete our plan.
3) We will present the outline of the plan to the Central Dallas Church in public messages and to the Central Dallas Ministries Board of Directors in scheduled and called meetings.
4) We will develop a plan for identifying and preparing participants for involvement in the planned community.
5) We will continue to identify and consult with partners inside and outside the community including business and corporate leaders, financial institutions, government officials and agencies (city, state and federal), other non-profit organizations and churches.
6) We will develop a strategy for dividing the work ahead of us into manageable “bites” for assignment to those persons/groups possessing the necessary expertise to accomplish their part of realizing our vision, including:
a) a financial plan for the project,
b) a land procurement process,
c) building construction/rehab,
d) financing for condo/home ownership,
e) project management,
f) “safe” house program and management development,
g) new staff development,
h) home owners training/preparation services,
i) cell group development from Central Dallas Church,
j) others to be identified as we move forward.
7) We will develop a clear plan for “entry” into the target neighborhood.
A Call to Commitment and Renewal
We believe in the God-given capacities of people.
We know by faith and by experience that the people of the community God has been gathering around the Central Dallas Church and Central Dallas Ministries represent our most important asset in the realization of our vision.
We know God has called us join him in his work of restoring hope in the heart of our city.
We know that given opportunity and freedom to act upon opportunity, the people of our community can achieve great things together.
As God called Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, so we hear the clear call of God upon our lives to begin to live and act as those who rebuild the ruined places of Dallas.
Through the words of one of God’s ancient prophets we hear the call to be known as “restorers of streets with dwellings” (Isaiah 58:12).
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Cuttin' across the lines: Party time in the community. . .
There is no way I can describe it to you.
But, I'll give it a shot just the same!
Dr. Jim Walton, our partner in the delivery of community health, wellness and medical services to inner city Dallas, takes care of over 20 severely injured patients. All have experienced terrible brain and/or neurological injuries. As a result, all are unable to walk and, in some cases unable to move much at all.
Dr. Jim makes house calls. You heard me.
Jim is a modern day Marcus Welby.
He practices medicine in this manner for at least two reasons.
First, he loves his patients and he gives them what he knows they need most, himself on their terms. So, he visits their homes, usually accompanied by one of our Community Health Workers and/or Charles Senteio, Director of Central Dallas Ministries' Institute for Faith Health Research-Dallas.
Second, he wants to keep these special patients out of the hospital for their own benefit and for the sake of the hospital systems in Dallas.
None of them are insured.
None of them can pay for their care.
None are eligible for public health benefits. Most, if not all, are undocumented immigrants who have been involved in serious accidents since coming to Dallas.
Jim's special work saves our local hospital systems hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars by caring for these special folks in their homes. Even more important, his patients do very, very well under his watchful and committed care.
Stick with me. The story gets even better.
On last Friday, Dr. Jim and his patients had a party.
More accurately, they were invited to a party.
The party was thrown for them by the "Homemakers Club" at Roseland Homes, a public housing development where we manage the community center for the Dallas Housing Authority.
Now, get the picture.
Latino patients, who almost never get out of their homes, make it over to the community center with some of their family members for a party. The cooks are the matriarchs of our community, assisted by a number of younger helpers and by members of our medical and community development staff.
You should have seen it!
Black folks, brown folks, white folks. . . young, old, in-between. . . all having a fine party. . . just because! Some meeting for the very first time. Others, old friends.
It was an absolute delight for us all!
Dr. Jim was loving every moment, for his patients; for his partner in the endeavor, Ms. Charlie Mae Ransom; and for the improving health and the maturing connectedness of the community.
I learned during the event that the Roseland homemakers have invited these special patients, now their new friends, to come to lunch every month for a party.
What an amazing place this is turning out to be!
Hope and healing are everywhere. Thanks to so many community builders.
You ought to drop in some time soon. I promise the experience will lift your soul!
But, I'll give it a shot just the same!
Dr. Jim Walton, our partner in the delivery of community health, wellness and medical services to inner city Dallas, takes care of over 20 severely injured patients. All have experienced terrible brain and/or neurological injuries. As a result, all are unable to walk and, in some cases unable to move much at all.
Dr. Jim makes house calls. You heard me.
Jim is a modern day Marcus Welby.
He practices medicine in this manner for at least two reasons.
First, he loves his patients and he gives them what he knows they need most, himself on their terms. So, he visits their homes, usually accompanied by one of our Community Health Workers and/or Charles Senteio, Director of Central Dallas Ministries' Institute for Faith Health Research-Dallas.
Second, he wants to keep these special patients out of the hospital for their own benefit and for the sake of the hospital systems in Dallas.
None of them are insured.
None of them can pay for their care.
None are eligible for public health benefits. Most, if not all, are undocumented immigrants who have been involved in serious accidents since coming to Dallas.
Jim's special work saves our local hospital systems hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars by caring for these special folks in their homes. Even more important, his patients do very, very well under his watchful and committed care.
Stick with me. The story gets even better.
On last Friday, Dr. Jim and his patients had a party.
More accurately, they were invited to a party.
The party was thrown for them by the "Homemakers Club" at Roseland Homes, a public housing development where we manage the community center for the Dallas Housing Authority.
Now, get the picture.
Latino patients, who almost never get out of their homes, make it over to the community center with some of their family members for a party. The cooks are the matriarchs of our community, assisted by a number of younger helpers and by members of our medical and community development staff.
You should have seen it!
Black folks, brown folks, white folks. . . young, old, in-between. . . all having a fine party. . . just because! Some meeting for the very first time. Others, old friends.
It was an absolute delight for us all!
Dr. Jim was loving every moment, for his patients; for his partner in the endeavor, Ms. Charlie Mae Ransom; and for the improving health and the maturing connectedness of the community.
I learned during the event that the Roseland homemakers have invited these special patients, now their new friends, to come to lunch every month for a party.
What an amazing place this is turning out to be!
Hope and healing are everywhere. Thanks to so many community builders.
You ought to drop in some time soon. I promise the experience will lift your soul!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Want some "feel good" inspiration?
If you do, then you should visit the blog produced by the students involved in Central Dallas Ministries' After School Academy.
These children are beyond amazing!
Never mind that they live in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Dallas, from a material standpoint. Certainly nothing "poor" about these children when it comes to who they are and what they are doing!
These children are beyond amazing!
Never mind that they live in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Dallas, from a material standpoint. Certainly nothing "poor" about these children when it comes to who they are and what they are doing!
From photography (this photo is an example of their work!), to chess, to golf, to ballet, to homework, and more, these students are doing great work and expanding the capacity of their learning beyond belief!
Do me a favor. Check out their own weblog: http://www.ourasafamily.blogspot.com/.
Do me a favor. Check out their own weblog: http://www.ourasafamily.blogspot.com/.
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