I saw this situation as a standoff. The burbs were adament that they did not
want affordable housing. The mayor was equally adament that Minneapolis would
not be the only one to have affordable housing. Ergo, Rebecca Yanish, then at
MCDA, was taking down affordable (and sometimes disreputable) housing. The
city's strategy seems to have been to marshall its forces to pressure the burbs
to take on affordable housing. While all this is going on, the homeless are
growing in numbers.
Unfortunately, homelessness is so terrible a thing (having been homeless I have
some experience with this bugger). People who are homeless develop coping
mechnaisms which are feral in that they have to protect themselves from harm
24-7-365 and the wear on the psyche is tremendous. After a long spate of
homelessness, it becomes very difficult to re-member how to live indoors. Ergo,
the long-term homeless are not necessarily good tenants, at least for the first
while.
Traditionally, Americans move to get themselves a better situation--move for a
job, move to get away from some influence or another, move in hopes of finding
'the good life.' All that moving works against making a community for oneself
that is caring and to which one can apply when things are rough. I don't mean
for economic assistance from the county, but for say, a recommendation from a
local person for a job or a line on secure housing. This doesn't necessarily
forward the argument, but these factors play a role in the situation.
Wizard Marks, Central
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> A convenient dodge for not addressing affordable housing in Minneapolis. Ms.
> Becker, of course, is correct that it is a regional issue. She is not correct
> in her prescription to stand and do nothing until a regional solution exists.
> I wonder how useful people who need affordable housing find the
> Becker/Cherryhomes approach.
>
> Ken Stewart
> Nokomis Village
> 12-9
