Mark says:

Can anyone share ideas or experiences on how to
overcome this far more treacherous obstacle?

I say: The federal fair housing act prohibits
discrimination in this area which is why the city has
been able to continually concentrate it in Whittier
and Phillips against huge resistance including law
suits. 

If the City Council follows the law, the NIMBY cries
from some people in neighborhoods that have none of
this type of housing in their neighborhoods should not
be a barrier. Where there is a will, there is a way so
to speak. But, it there truly the will?

IMHO, I think part of the problem here is that there
are "well-meaning" people out there who truly believe
that the people who need this type of housing need it
in a neighborhood like mine and not in a neighborhood
like theirs (i.e. the ones that don't have any
affordable, transitional, supportive or shelter care
housing). I have met them at Planning Commission
meetings. I believe they must think that the city
charter established some neighborhoods as the ones
that should shoulder all the people with problems. 

The churches in my neighborhood that provide shelter
care services receive stipends from the county for
doing so. I am sure they aren't getting rich from them
but they seem to cover the expenses like insurance,
building mtc. etc. I am sure that the parishioners
also share some of the cost. So, instead of dropping
money into the offering plate for someone to do
missionary work in Africa they do the missionary work
right here in their own church. 

Barb Lickness
Whittier

=====
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world.  Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead
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