For what it's worth, I was one of few folks on this list who proposed actual solutions and/or ways to address this issue of supportive housing, including:
1. Site Dispute Resolution, modeled after the Portland project by that name; 2. Monkeying with NRP and/or city housing money that gives incentives to neighborhoods to build or create supportive housing, somewhat akin to the Met Council's regional carrot/stick approach to affordable housing (i.e, if you don't take your fair share, you get money taken away); 3. Having tradeable "credits" that neighborhoods can use to obtain more funds or other services that they think they need to assist with supportive housing issues. I shared these ideas on this list and, from what I recall now, only David Brauer responded in any way by believing the credit system would be too complicated, but otherwise looking into possible tax code issues as a partial solution. Most other folks simply restated the problem of "hyper-concentration," and how "bad" it is, but not noting how to deal more constructively with that problem other than to locate supportive housing elsewhere. I stand by what I do and say, and I don't offer criticism without an offer of constructive ways to deal with a problem, and I think my participation on this list and in life and work (including the oft-mentioned and maligned 1818 Park Avenue--if anyone has questions about that, please e-mail me off-list) has demonstrated that committment. I do, however, question heightened and alarmist language that overstates a problem and seeks rather destructive or counterproductive solutions to deal with it. Finally, I'll note that, like Cara Letofsky, Mr. Berthiaume's "daunting" qualification now pertains to disposable income levels, not to his original statement that the demographics are daunting primarily because "Plymouth Church and the City of Minneapolis intend to raise the disabled population to over 30% (and beyond) . . ," a figure I directly challenged with actual 2000 census figures. Gregory Luce Project 504/Minneapolis (North Phillips) Tom Berthiaume wrote: >Mr. Brown and Luce are very, very good at changing the subject, statistical >obfuscation, name calling, and narcissistic moral preening. I know I'm not >the first to receive their fine-tuned disdain and lofty disapproval, and >will likely not be the last. > >They have spent many words parading their personal purity but done little to >advance a discussion of the challenging public policy issues involved in >attracting desirable businesses to poor neighborhoods, or siting supportive >housing. Those challenging issues remain. > >My initial rather modest points are still worth some calm discussion, if >that's possible. > >1. Demographics will usually play a role in the siting of any business, >Kowalskis included. >2. The pre-existing demographics at 18th & Nicollet (near the proposed Lydia >House) are "daunting," i.e., very low disposable income. > _______________________________________ 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
