Constance,
Your point is well taken, and I am glad to hear that neighborhood groups are
actively involved in planning for their communities.
But there is a need for affordable units now. Are neighborhood groups
exploring all available options, or are they accepting only those options
presented as a solution? Are there oppurtunities to address more issues than
the housing crunch alone through neighborhood groups? There are.
Planning should feature the long term approach, even when immediate goals
and needs exist. I've read some extremely well thought out post on this
list, from persons skilled in Urban planning, economics, and so on.
I would love to see neighborhoods organize these skills, drawing upon the
same resources available to "other" planners, with an eye to building solid
communities.
It is not the utopian ideal that it seems.
Robert Anderson
8th ward, Field-Regina-Northrop
www.andersonforhouse.com
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 8:31 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: AIHCDC Many Rivers Project
Bob Anderson wrote:
> Has any one asked the opinion of the community to be affected? Does
> the
> process allow for meaningful participation in the planning process?
As I stated in the original message, I learned about this setback through
my neighborhood organization. Ventura Village (and indeed all of
Phillips) is packed with concerned citizens. We have know about the Many
Rivers project for several months, and we approved it.
This issue of "density" is really trivial, in my opinion. I'm neither
referring to the "pro-density" people, (like my neighborhood group) nor
the "anti-density" camp. (read: suburbanites) It doesn't matter. What
matters is whether families have somewhere to sleep... preferably
together.
Ventura Village (& Phillips) has quite a few low income families with
several children. We hear a lot of singing about "affordable housing"
from bureaucrats, activists, et al, but what good is a handful of $450
one-bedrooms to a Somali couple with one income and four children? We
NEED some inexepensive, larger apartments. Many Rivers would provide
that.
As for the proximity to Franklin Avenue, most who get over to our neck of
the woods know that we are about to cut the ribbon on a streetscape
project - which reduced the lanes from 4 to 3, widen the sidewalks, and
put in some "pretty stuff" to boot. Those who have used Franklin as a
thoroughfare in the past are about to get a rude awakening... it's going
to be slow.
Even without the new streetscape, Many Rivers would still be a good
project. As one of my fellow V.V.-ites put it: "better an apartment on
Franklin Avenue than a sleeping bag under the bridge."
Respectfully Submitted,
Connie Sheppard
Ward 6 - Ventura Village
P.S. While the streetscape project has been underway, traffic is detoured
up 16th Avenue... right in front of my house. There are at least three
school busses which pick up zillions of kids. (Enough to play a fairly
decent game of football in my yard while they're waiting.) It's just
more evidence that a child-safety argument doesn't fly for denying
housing.
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