The Plan (or at least my plan)
1) point out that it continues to be a consistent pattern for
Mpls Mayors, and other politicos, to largely ignore the needs of our residents
experiencing homelessness.
2) Consistently refute the claims of there not being enough
money, resources, to address the above.
Plan of action: Point out the continued drain of money into
stadiums (welfare for the rich), ill-conceived development projects (more
welfare for the rich).
3) Point out (over and over it seems) that the lack of action on
homelessness is not due to lack of a plan.
It is due to lack of interest in working with the countless
experts who do have plans to address these issues, but are rarely listened to,
met with or provided the resources to put their plans into action.
4) Point out our screwed up priorities---- if the priority is
to serve all of our people (thus the term public servants)--- the lack of doing
so is not due to lack of resources. Unfortunately, stadiums, et al are the
priority.
5) Point out, it ain't about the budget--- back in the boom
times a few years ago--- we were still hearing from SSB that there just was not
the money to address homlessness. She kept telling us the city needed to invest
in ventures that gave back good value for our investments. We all know where
that got us. She was saying this to a room full of persons experiencing
homelessness and advocates--- I heard it from her first hand.
So, even in the boom times, homelessness was ignored.
6) Point out that, as public servants, it is the job of our
Mayor and other elected officials to take leadership on issues, even on
unpopular issues, in order to try to make change for the better for all of our
residents.
7) Point out that the civil rights of our residents are being
violated daily due to economic and housing status. and that all across the
nation Civil Rights Advocates are working to have this stopped.
8) Refuse to get side tracked into false issues i.e. -- "these
people yell and scream but they have no plan."
That is a false issue---- used often by politicians and
there supporters. Pretty much along the lines of the false issue that "We have
no money."
RT Rybak asked me for concrete examples and information on
what other cities have done to address the criminalization of homelessness. I
have sent him via registered mail the Law Center on Poverty and Homelessness
publication addressing this issue. I know he got it, but never a response.
Never acknowledgement that he and/or a staff person read it.
Just as those who want a stadium would expect the Mayor to go to
the experts on "stadium building"--- I would say to the Mayor--- go to
experts on addressing the end of homelessness.
So, I have a very simple plan--- to point out the above
over and over and over.
And to point out that I find it sad and a repetition of our
previoius mayors that RT Rybak will not answer a simple question: How does he feel
about the Bridge Rods?
Margaret Hastings-Mpls-Kingfield
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