Comments on: Response to the Eastside Neighborhood Association letter regarding The People’s House shelter project

By: Beth Naccarato

Beth Naccarato — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 06:42:21 +0000

I misunderstood I thought the message was going to Inter Faith and Peoples House. I will be at every forum, every City Council meeting needed. I encourage other neighbors to attend and share your feelings on the subject regarding the low barrier shelter location on 1011 10th ave no matter what side you are on. There is a City Council meeting every Tuesday @ 7p. And another public forum proposed by Peoples House will be determined in the future.

By: Beth Naccarato

Beth Naccarato — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 06:35:43 +0000

I feel violated that the community was not informed or given any information from The Peoples House or Interfaith. Your organizations said there was information out there, I would like to know where. Considering most of the eastside neighbors had no idea this was in the works. I with many of my neighbors found out about the proposed location for a low barrier shelter from the Olympian. Many of us went to the City Council meeting August 13th where 21 neighbors all but one opposed the shelter being located at 1011 10th Ave. At that time the City Council said they had no information. In response the Peoples House had an public open forum at St Michaels church. Well not so public Komo 4 news was not allowed in the church. So again I get the feeling the Peoples House and Interfaith do not want the public to get the information we deserve. If the Peoples House and Interfaith say they want a public forum which means to inform the public then I REQUEST TO HAVE THE NEXT PUBLIC FORUM AT A PUBLIC PLACE WHERE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ATTEND CAN. THAT INCLUDES ANY TV NEWS STATION WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND AND CAN SPEND MORE THAN 1 1/2 HRS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE. There are many concerns that came out of the forum August 19th and we still have to wait for answers because we could only stay at St. Michaels for 1 1/2 hrs. No where near the time needed to get the answers the 300 people who where asking for it. Heather from Peoples House says it could take up to 3 weeks to answer all concerns which will be the middle or end of September. Here’s the thing if this information was available to the public to begin with maybe a better solution could be reached. Anyways that leaves 2 month to open a shelter which is not a realistic time line considering it has never been done before. I have worked with mentally disabled individuals and I want to see a copy of the procedures, rules, how many workers will be needed to support a 40 bed shelter that will have issues.

By: JWB0721

JWB0721 — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 06:31:42 +0000

We already support this population with facilities and shelters. Our support is disproportionate to other ‘non-participating’ neighborhoods. Let the westside or downtown area’s step and take some responsibility instead of pushing it on the eastside again!
We are not saying “not in my back yard” as we have welcomed many—we are saying its time for others to share their backyard as well!

By: Laurian Weisser

Laurian Weisser — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 04:50:51 +0000

The People’s House emergency shelter is an ill-conceived project to warehouse our homeless using expensive and discredited methodologies while threatening established agencies and their proven, programmatic approaches to end homelessness.

This is not a matter of ‘not in my back yard’. The People’s House will not work in anyone’s back yard.

By: Also on the Eastside

Also on the Eastside — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 23:02:32 +0000

Hi – I’m so glad to see that there is already a response from interfaith works up on the website in response the letter from the president of the ENA.

I live just up the street from the proposed site and want to express my full support for the project. While I understand the concerns for potential problems, I also realize that the clients that will be served ALREADY live in the neighborhood (although they are invisible for the most part). A managed, conscientious approach to homelessness in our community will make everyone safer by allowing people a safe supportive place to get help. Further marginalizing and criminalizing people for their lack of housing creates more problems. Diversity and compassion is what I want in my neighborhood and in my community – Not fear and a “not in my back yard” attitude. The reality is that the shelter should be sited closer to downtown to be most effective – But if not there then YES bring it here. Let’s pitch in and volunteer to help the site get up and running. Let’s work with them to make it work for everyone!