Tom-- Regarding your call for affordable housing in all of Minneapolis' neighborhoods. . . Could you let us know what neighborhood you live in (as is the list protocol)? Thanks, Margaret Miles Whittier
----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2002 12:56 PM Subject: [Mpls] Heroes dead-beats, and 1/4 mile spacing of Supportive housing > I recently attended the Affordable Housing Summit and was very concerned > that the Mayor's office seems to be proposing regulatory reform that > includes weakening the 1/4 mile spacing provisions of the Zoning Code > (Chapter 536) regarding "supportive housing." Such a change would > undoubtedly further concentrate supportive housing into a very few > neighborhoods, and reinforces the fortress-like stance of the rest of the > City. We all know it is time for reform of many housing policies. I fear, > however, that weakening the 1/4 mile spacing law is not reform, but a > retreat to the City's most retrograde practices, i.e., segregating the poor > and disabled into pre-selected enclaves. > > It is far past time for a larger portion of the city to shoulder a fair > share of the civic responsibility to care for the needy. Arguments that urge > us to disregard matters of spacing, and that tout the value of "existing > infrastructure" are circular, if not cynical, and will certainly lead to > further segregation of the poor and disabled into already struggling, > overwhelmed, high-crime neighborhoods. They are a sad perpetuation of the > unworkable status quo. > > While the housing crisis is real and urgent, it is no excuse for continuing > to segregate the neediest citizens, whether by intention or not. Now is not > the time for us to shrink from the admittedly difficult task of convincing > greater areas of the City that they have a duty to contribute to housing > solutions, and not just with lofty talk or cash contributions. We should all > consider the impact of removing one of the only legal inducements to bring > about real integration of the poor and disabled into the larger fabric of > the City. It would be foolish remove or weaken the one tool that allows for > positive change to take place. > > As we begin anew to tackle the issues of the poor and needy we need to > remember that we don't all start at the same place. Some truly "heroic" > neighborhoods have long been leaders in the delivery of services and > supportive housing. For example, Whittier has 23 supportive housing > facilities, Phillips 23, Stevens Square 11, Central 10. These four > neighborhoods supply 43% of all supportive housing in City. > > By contrast, almost half of all Minneapolis neighborhoods (38) have NO > supportive housing. 18 neighborhoods have only one facility. Like dead-beat > dads, these dead-beat neighborhoods often talk big, yet never seem to make > the time or space to really share the civic duty of caring for the poor and > needy. > > > Tom Berthiaume > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
