This is forwarded with the permission of Gail, the Coordinator of Peace House.
It was in response to list comments of Member Silus and Donaldson. Craig Miller Former Fultonite [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Dear Craig, > Peace House is still waiting for a response to our phone calls to > CCHT regarding the relocation of our program to make way for the > construction of the Franklin-Portland Avenue Gateway Project. > The South Side Pride newspaper quoted the executive director of > CCHT as being ready to give us a proposal the first of March. Nothing > has been forthcoming. > > As you know, we own our building completely debt-free. It was my > thought that we preserve and restore its exterior facade to match > the architectural renderings of the proposed plan. This was not > possible according to CCHT's director due to his plans to build > underground parking. > > After much deliberation, I voted in February, 2001 at Ventura Village > neighborhood meeting in favor of the project because although we have been > the only continuous presence at that site for seventeen years it > did seem reasonable to support an end to vacant corners and boarded up > buildings. > > Peace House was assured that the neighborhood would not elect to ask > the city for eminent domain against us and I approached the developers > with the idea that we would give up our building if they would use > their considerable resources to relocate us. > > We are open weekdays and some holidays from 10:00a.m to 3:00 p.m. > We are privately funded by individuals, churches and a small number > of foundations. We seek to offer a safe haven from the streets to > those who are willing to uphold non-violence and law-abiding behavior. > Rose Tillemans, our founder, has created a non-hierichal space to > reach people and help them begin the process of redirecting their > lives. I am enormously proud of my association with her and with > our program. I know we change lives. > > For the record, we became a non-profit four years ago when our landlord gave > Rose the building figuring she had more than paid it > off. His generosity required us to become a non-profit because > nuns in Rose's order can not own property. We exist on little and > do much with what we have. We'd like to continue. > > I wish to thank those of you out there who are willing to get to know > us before passing judgment as to who we are. > > Sincerely, > Gail Hayden > Outreach Coordinator and Peace House Community Member > > with CCHT and Hope Community to > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Rebecca Silus" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 12:46 PM > >Subject: [Mpls] Displacement on Franklin Avenue > > > > > > > 1. Housing Displacement: In reality, the Portland Gateway project > >creates > > > roughly 300 units of safe affordable housing while displacing about 40 > > > degraded slum units. The Many Rivers project displaces no housing. > > > > > > 2. Free Store: It is difficult to comprehend why anyone would object to > > > this, given the creation of multiple affordable units and the > >revitalization > > > of under-used, low-density land. > > > > > > 3. Peace House does awesome work, but that area is a blighted, bleak > >magnet > > > for drug and prostitution activity. Alan Arthur of CCHT is making good > > > faith efforts to include Peace House in Gateway plans. Developers have > >also > > > graciously said they would not resort to eminent domain to acquire the > > > property. > > > > > > Tom Donaldson > > > Ventura Village _______________________________________ 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
