[Peace-discuss] update and apology on time mix-up
E. Wayne Johnson
ewj at pigs.ag
Wed Jul 8 16:58:42 CDT 2009
I agree, Jennifer.
Tents might work all year long in southern California but not here in
with these horrific Northern winters.
I have stayed in a couple of places that had water and running toilets...
There are significant public health concerns associated with shelters,
but we must face them and deal with them
not just amplify the problems and ignore the need.
On 7/8/2009 4:36 PM, Jenifer Cartwright wrote:
> With the tons of empty buildings -- and more to be emptied soon b/c of
> the recession/depression, I'd say go for permanent structures and have
> them zoned for shelters... or -- even better -- let the churches walk
> the walk and turn their empty spaces into homeless shelters. Nobody
> should have to erect and/or live in a tent city when there are plenty
> of perfectly acceptable empty buildings and unused spaces in partly
> occupied buildings (like churches) available w/ heat, AC, running
> water and toilets, electricity, etc.
> --Jenifer
>
> --- On *Wed, 7/8/09, E. Wayne Johnson /<ewj at pigs.ag>/* wrote:
>
>
> From: E. Wayne Johnson <ewj at pigs.ag>
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] update and apology on time mix-up
> To: "John W." <jbw292002 at gmail.com>
> Cc: "Peace-discuss" <peace-discuss at anti-war.net>, "CU Announce
> list" <announce at lists.communitycourtwatch.org>, "Abbilyn Harmon"
> <abbilyn at gmail.com>
> Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2009, 2:47 PM
>
> Several weeks ago there was a meeting in the Wahlfeldt room in the
> IMC basement to discuss
> various community needs that can arrive with the deepening of the
> economic depression.
>
> Belden Fields and I as well as others discussed that housing will
> become a significant need, and that
> local regulations that control housing and shelter would become an
> issue, and that current regulations
> would exacerbate the problem, and that those regulations would
> need to be modified or relaxed
> if people were to be housed. Even taking people into your home
> and making a place for them in
> your home to get them out of the cold and wet could become a
> serious violation of local codes. The time
> for modification of the codes to permit temporary and emergency
> housing has arrived.
>
> There is a perception that people living in tents tend to be dirty
> disorderly drunken unkempt unwashed, and those who are chronically
> homeless are often said to be in need of treatment for mental
> illness. Not all of those characterizations
> are always totally incorrect, but the lack of concern for others
> is a major problem that plagues the genteel and well-off,
> who hope that by "raising the standard" they will cause the
> "riff-raff" to "move on".
>
> This problem of regulations that are set up to protect the "haves"
> from the "have-nots" will be more and more of a
> problem as the depression deepens. It will require specific
> action by the local governing bodies to provide emergency
> aid for the economic refugees and refusees. Otherwise the dull
> and imperceptive gentry will continue to torment those
> who simply want to lend a helping hand, and they will impel the
> petty functionaries of the bureaucracy to follow the codes,
> and punish those who want to do right by their fellow man.
>
> The issue of temporary and "emergency" housing is already past the
> crisis point. Further, winter is coming.
>
> It is time for those who really care and who are truly are aware
> to take action. Government is absolutely terrified that
> someone is going to ask them for money. Actually is not the
> government's money that is needed but rather
> its mercy in helping to create a solution.
>
>
>
>
> On 7/8/2009 12:57 PM, John W. wrote:
>> Abby, you mention churches as an alternative to Catholic Worker
>> House for Safe Haven. Wouldn't the problem be the same? If the
>> church is within the city limits of the City of Champaign (or
>> Urbana), wouldn't local zoning regulations apply to ban a tent
>> city? If the church is outside city limits but within Champaign
>> County, do you happen to know what the county zoning regulations are?
>>
>> John Wason
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 8, 2009 at 10:10 AM, Abbilyn Harmon
>> <abbilyn at gmail.com
>> <http://us.mc449.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=abbilyn@gmail.com>>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> First, I apologize for the mix-up on the time of the People's
>> Potluck.
>> I really hope the corrective message got around in time!
>>
>> Safe Haven invites you to view the entire 3-part series on our
>> organization, currently running in Smile Politely, an online
>> Champaign
>> magazine (www.smilepolitely.com <http://www.smilepolitely.com/>).
>>
>> Safe Haven is faced with dire circumstances as I write this
>> email.
>> Just today, News Gazette reported that the city is "cracking
>> down" on
>> the code violations at St. Jude Catholic Worker House, who
>> currently
>> hosts us, and that Safe Haven must be off the property by
>> July 17 or
>> face $750 fines per day (see
>> http://www.news-gazette.com/news/living/2009/07/08/host_of_code_violations_found_at_catholic_worker_house).
>> These actions on the part of the city are overt attacks on both
>> organizations, and we, as an activist community, must respond
>> to these
>> attacks. We ask that you reach out to local news media through
>> letters to the editor, opinion pieces, blogging, etc. Also,
>> pick up a
>> copy of the Public I to see the IMC's take on our housing crisis.
>>
>> More to the physical problem, Safe Haven cannot endanger the
>> future of
>> St. Jude Catholic Worker House. We are actively seeking
>> churches who
>> see it as their mission to support our organization by
>> providing land
>> for us to move to. Please email any possibilities to
>> cu.tentcommunity at gmail.com
>> <http://us.mc449.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cu.tentcommunity@gmail.com>
>> or call 217.417.8589. We appreciate your
>> support and assistance!
>>
>> Take care,
>>
>> Safe Haven
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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>
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