Buckman Community Association

BCA Board mtg. minutes 09/04/03

Buckman C. A. Minutes: Sept. 4, 2003

In attendance were: M’Lou Christ, Ani Haines, Jarkko Cain, Ann Bowling,
Dianna Shaffer, Sarah Mahler, Colin McCormick, Don MacGillvray, Delores
Dee, Pam Dyer, Anne Hughes, Marcia Dennis, Amy Dudley, Dan Newth, Annie
Eldred and Lily Witham.

The meeting was chaired by Don MacGillvray, as both Susan Lindsay and Jack Maynard were out of town.

Liquor License Discussions- Currently under consideration are liquor
license applications for: Bella Nona, The Farm, and Morrison Street Bar
and Grill. There was some discussion about making it a rule that all
applicants sign a Good Neighbour Agreement. Jarkko Cain is working on the
new Good Neighbour Agreement for Nocturnal.

August 14th minutes. M’Lou Christ made a motion to accept the minutes from
the August 14th meeting. Anne Hughes seconded the motion, and the vote was
unanimous.

Nature Conservancy Letter- Anne Hughes brought in copies of a letter she
received from the owners of the Nature Conservancy and the green Victorians adjacent on Morrison Street. This letter addresses their concerns about the homeless people camping on the field on Morrison Ave at the Washington High School properties, and the problems they are causing to the neighbourhood.

Crime Prevention Specialists-Lily Witham spoke about the current situation
with ONI and the crime prevention specialists. Discussion of ways for
neighbourhood associations to defend Crime Prevention Specialists, and
Anne Hughes is drafting a letter from BCA to Commissioner Leonard and the
City Council. She will present the letter for approval at the September
11th meeting. The group expressed concern over the lack of public process.
Lily had also attended the Neighbourhood Agenda Committee and gave a report. This group will be working on strengthening ties between neighbourhood associations, and working on getting the City to recognize and grant power to neighbourhood associations vis a vis a Neighbourhood Needs Process, and to insist on a strong public process.

Homelessness Working Group- The second half of the meeting was taken up by
a presentation of the Homelessness Working Group. This committee consisted
of Colin McCormack, Pam Dyer, Marcia Dennis, Annie Eldred and Don
MacGillvray. The group gave out print-outs etc. and gave a presentation of facts about homelessness. The group was asked to approve a “Homelessness
Working Group” resolution. Ani Haines made the motion to accept the
resolution. Ann Bowling seconded the motion, and the vote was almost
unanimous.

Submitted by Lily Witham.

Notes from the

CONCERNS

… Homelessness is a growing problem
… Also increasing not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) attitudes
… Homelessness is too easy to fall into and too hard to get out of
… US is the wealthiest country in the world, but there are so many homeless, especially kids
… Government ignores homelessness
… Mayor is dodging the issue, pushing the homeless and the problem around
… Frustrated that taking a position against crime and violence is equated with being against the homeless
… A lot of the calls that crime prevention in SE receives are related to transients
… Other concerns mentioned in the course of conversations regarding St. Francis:
… Public defecation
… Public urination
… Loitering
… Drugs
… Safety

SOLUTIONS

… Where do people go to the bathroom? We need more public toilets, port-a-potties, the City ought to provide, NA could sponsor
… People need safe places to rest‹creates a lot of mental hardship
… City Dormitory idea/Warehouse
… Open Bologna Joe1s
… Meeting people1s basic rights is the City1s responsibility
… People need a day facility‹a place to be, get counseling, address the economic and other issues that bring on the condition of being homeless
… Medication that is carried around can take a lot of ware and can get confusing. People need a place to go, like Cal1s, to get different medications that are safe and in good storage conditions
… What about people who tear up a place and end up back on the street? What other options are there when getting people into housing isn1t enough?
… Cooperative households ex. Catholic Worker Program. People need housing and an environment that is supportive and self-reliant.
… What about other issues? Drugs? Crime? Violence?
… Housing can help stabilize, but need other programs and support
… Government needs to be held responsible for how it treats vets who are homeless. We can communicate this to our elected officials. Our whole government system doesn1t take responsibility.
… Legislation involving guarantees that vets have their needs met.
… Can1t just solve on a local level; this is also a national issue. We need to get involved in elections.
… Home versus a safe space to sleep. What about hostels? Is that a cheap enough solution?
… In Portland, there are roughly 16 available beds on average for about $15/night. You also often need a passport to stay.
… Public awareness‹there is a lack of positive attention in the media. We need to develop the political will for change.
… What about siting? No one will want services built in their community.
… This is a community issue that we all need to take responsibility for. There are empty buildings in Buckman. We can also encourage self-responsible models. Ex. Dignity Village
… Good network of community keeps you housed.
… This is a problem for all of us to solve.
… St. Paul, Minneapolis model re: NIMBY siting issues. A point system is used to distribute "undesirable" sites equitably.
… Housing first before clean and sober first is more effective in getting people housed and sober.
… Business community can provide jobs with living wages to afford housing and/or government should provide and subsidize housing

SHARED POINTS OF AGREEMENT?

(These were suggested by members of the Board, but the group did not have an opportunity to affirm that these were indeed shared points of agreement.)
… Everyone deserves a safe, legal space to sleep at night.
… There is no one answer; there are individual answers for individual people.
… People are trying hard, there is not enough to live on, believe in treating people with respect
… Need to provide good treatment for folks
… Meet basic needs in ways that respect others
… We need to talk to homeless people and ask: "What do you need?" and then meet those individual needs
… End the institution of homelessness, the self perpetuating social service and funding system
… There is a lot of fear in this country; many of us are 1 or 2 paychecks away from being homeless ourselves
… We all need to solve these problems together; it is our responsibility as a community

NEXT STEPS

… Adopted the Homelessness Working Group Resolution
… Will report back to the full Buckman Neighborhood Association at the General meeting 9/11/03.
… Get consensus on share points of agreement?