These are the concerns and a talking point position paper written by Debra Carr, Cheatom Assoc. President, about the relocation of the Churches United Homeless Shelter in the north downtown urban family homes area near Cheatom Park, Oakridge, Sherman Hill, River Bend, River Hills apartments and retirement area.
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HUD has always worked to reduce and actually avoid concentrations of inner city or core city poverty. Placing this facility in contrary to HUD philosophy for siting of facilities and services designed for this population.
Fact: Concentrated poverty is almost exclusively an urban phenomenon
Fact: All neighborhoods should share/absorb the responsibility for ?“hosting?” facilities
Fact: Site selection process should insure equitable distribution of facilities
Fact: This is an issue of concentration of services in least desirable areas of central city
Question: Zoning issues - is shelter meant for residential or mixed-use neighborhoods?
Question: What is the highest and best use of vacant and or undeveloped and underdeveloped city property
Question: Who resides in shelters ?– what is screening process ?– how are residents monitored ?– what services are provided to support them and address their issues
Conclusion: Site selection process should protect neighborhoods from erosion and also mitigate controversy among neighbors (my problem ?– your problems ?– our problems - with concentrations there will be a placing of blame for issues-problems that arise)
We are empathetic and certainly support the efforts of CUS given our role is housing and the critical nature of the housing continuum as a way to address the housing needs of our constituents.
We are concerned about the proposed site for the following reasons:
The over-concentration of residential programs that provide services to the homeless, poor, and working poor has the potential to create problems that impact on the respective mission, activities and image of all of the agencies involved
The 17-acre Oakridge site serves as home to over 1,000 residents and is the largest residential block in downtown Des Moines. Given this the Oakridge neighborhood has worked hard to overcome the problems the existed on its campus in the 90?’s.
That delicate balance that has currently been achieved could be easily disrupted when you further complicate the matter with individuals who
Need to find a place to ?“land?” during the day when hey are not allowed to be in the shelter ?– the close proximity to Oakridge would make this a likely place for that to take place
Over 600 children ages 0-18 reside on our campus ?– concern about their safety
Creation of a ghetto in the core city
School times ?– early morning ?– late day
Crime
Drug traffic
ETC
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HUD has always worked to reduce and actually avoid concentrations of inner city or core city poverty. Placing this facility in contrary to HUD philosophy for siting of facilities and services designed for this population.
Fact: Concentrated poverty is almost exclusively an urban phenomenon
Fact: All neighborhoods should share/absorb the responsibility for ?“hosting?” facilities
Fact: Site selection process should insure equitable distribution of facilities
Fact: This is an issue of concentration of services in least desirable areas of central city
Question: Zoning issues - is shelter meant for residential or mixed-use neighborhoods?
Question: What is the highest and best use of vacant and or undeveloped and underdeveloped city property
Question: Who resides in shelters ?– what is screening process ?– how are residents monitored ?– what services are provided to support them and address their issues
Conclusion: Site selection process should protect neighborhoods from erosion and also mitigate controversy among neighbors (my problem ?– your problems ?– our problems - with concentrations there will be a placing of blame for issues-problems that arise)
We are empathetic and certainly support the efforts of CUS given our role is housing and the critical nature of the housing continuum as a way to address the housing needs of our constituents.
We are concerned about the proposed site for the following reasons:
The over-concentration of residential programs that provide services to the homeless, poor, and working poor has the potential to create problems that impact on the respective mission, activities and image of all of the agencies involved
The 17-acre Oakridge site serves as home to over 1,000 residents and is the largest residential block in downtown Des Moines. Given this the Oakridge neighborhood has worked hard to overcome the problems the existed on its campus in the 90?’s.
That delicate balance that has currently been achieved could be easily disrupted when you further complicate the matter with individuals who
Need to find a place to ?“land?” during the day when hey are not allowed to be in the shelter ?– the close proximity to Oakridge would make this a likely place for that to take place
Over 600 children ages 0-18 reside on our campus ?– concern about their safety
Creation of a ghetto in the core city
School times ?– early morning ?– late day
Crime
Drug traffic
ETC
