RE: Declining Neighborhood Response

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: joanchall@yahoo.com

A belated thanks to everyone who responded to my email plea on the mini-dorm issue. Excellent ideas, all, and if we haven't tried them already, we will!

Since I last wrote, we have:

Temporarily blocked demolition of two historic houses by doing civil disobedience, and held candlelight vigils after their destruction
Gotten lots of media coverage
Set up a facebook page: Save Jefferson Park
Created a flyer to post that will educate students about the mini-dorms and their impact on historic neighborhoods
Created links to other neighborhood groups in Tucson to improve solidarity
Expanded our googlegroups list serve
Started an inventory of mini-dorms in our neighborhood and nearby neighborhoods
Sent complaint letters to the company running the demolitions (a subcontractor of the predatory developers)

And created an online petition asking for a moratorium on demolitions of historic homes and enforcement of single family home regulations, which I hope all of you will sign. Please let our Mayor and Council know that Tucson is not alone in this problem, and that the whole country is watching to see what we do.

Here's the link:
http://www.change.org/petitions/view/stop_historic_home_demolition_in_residential-zoned_neighborhoods ('http://www.change.org/petitions/view/stop_historic_home_demolition_in_residential-zoned_neighborhoods')
or
http://tinyurl.com/2anxh74 ('http://tinyurl.com/2anxh74')

Thanks!
Joan Hall
Microfinance Specialist
Tucson


-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-7597892-4991029@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-7597892-4991029@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of intownpreservation@cox.net
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 3:13 PM
To: communitydevelopmentbanking-l@cornell.edu
Subject: Declining Neighborhood Response

Hello All,

Wow, the responses have been great with a number of new avenues for us to investigate. We will definitely follow up on those leads.

Just some clarification: (when I say we I mean the many city residents involved in our group)

1. We are most definitely NOT anti-student 2. We are actively engaged with the WM Student Assembly, WM administration, and city officials and council members.
3. We love living in an ecclectic neighborhood 4. We do want our area to be affordable for young families, city employees and the tourist workforce - 5. We do feel it is in the best interest of all to have safe neighborhoods that we can all be proud of 6. We have been working towards finding solutions for off campus housing for students 7. Many WM alumni return to live here upon retirement - if we are not proactive in preserving the in-town neighborhoods they will not have the opportunity to enjoy the many benefits we have over the years that are within walking distance of our homes. (some of our residents have lived here for 50 plus years) 8. When the balance tips to predominantly rental units the students themselves miss out on many benefits such as -
rides to class and airports; access to tools; home baked goods, help with auto repairs; help with lawn maitenance; spending money when they babysit for the young families; care packages when the athletes travel; the list goes on
9. Yes, many of us do take in student borders (my home included) and we are working with the city to allow resident homeowners to take in more than just one border. Amazing that there are far more restrictions on homeowners offering rooms than on absentee landlords.
10. We want safe housing for the students - case in point one house on our street has received the bare minimum of maintenance from the landlord over the past 20 years of ownership and more than one mother has cried on my shoulder when she has moved her child into the place. These same parents ask us, "Isn't there something you can do to get the city to crack down on these landlords." All I can say is we are trying.
11. President Reveley of WM said it best, "The nearby neighborhoods are too important to the university to let them go down the drain. And I think what we have to get across to the students who want to live there is that it can be a great place to live, but it’s not a great place to do things that you would never do at home at your parents’ houses. And if you want to do that, you’re not going to be able to do it in nearby neighborhoods because it drives the permanent people nuts. And I don’t think it’s that hard a message to get across. Because if that’s what you really want, if that’s the reason you’re living off campus, it’s not going to work in the nearby neighborhoods." http://dogstreetjournal.com/story/4671 ('http://dogstreetjournal.com/story/4671') He has also told us that we need to get the worst of the homes out of the hands of the absentee landlords. Exactly what we are trying to accomplish.

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: daniel.shaffer@gmail.com

Hello, Joan. It sounds like you off to a good start.

An important part of your action strategy should be consistently showing up
and being heard in substantial numbers at Planning Commission and City
Council meetings. Ask to be put on the agenda at meetings and take every
opportunity to speak during the public comment periods. Continue being
squeaky wheels.

Make appointments in groups of 3 or 4 to meet individually with City Council
members to educate them and make your case. Larger groups are intimidating
and less effective. Small groups of 3 or 4 are more personal and ensure
that each person has the opportunity to speak. Make sure that each small
group visiting council members includes constituents from that council
member's district, and be sure to have those constituents identify
themselves as such. Know what each council member's policy priorities and
concerns are, and, when you meet with them, recognize and compliment them
on those items you support. Make common cause.

Quietly find allies within the City bureaucracy and respect their
anonymity. They may help you frame your arguments and may suggest
additional effective steps you can take. Express your appreciation to
sympathetic people in the media. Thank them and compliment them on their
stories. Ask them informally what they are hearing and thinking. They may
also have some suggestions.

Remember, in making an impression on elected politicians, a couple of dozen
voters physically present at a public meeting has much more impact than
hundreds of names on a petition.

Good luck!

Dan Shaffer

On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 12:13 PM, Joan Hall <joanchall@yahoo.com> wrote:

A belated thanks to everyone who responded to my email plea on the
mini-dorm issue. Excellent ideas, all, and if we haven't tried them already,
we will!

Since I last wrote, we have:

Temporarily blocked demolition of two historic houses by doing civil
disobedience, and held candlelight vigils after their destruction
Gotten lots of media coverage
Set up a facebook page: Save Jefferson Park
Created a flyer to post that will educate students about the mini-dorms and
their impact on historic neighborhoods
Created links to other neighborhood groups in Tucson to improve solidarity
Expanded our googlegroups list serve
Started an inventory of mini-dorms in our neighborhood and nearby
neighborhoods
Sent complaint letters to the company running the demolitions (a
subcontractor of the predatory developers)

And created an online petition asking for a moratorium on demolitions of
historic homes and enforcement of single family home regulations, which I
hope all of you will sign. Please let our Mayor and Council know that Tucson
is not alone in this problem, and that the whole country is watching to see
what we do.

Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/view/stop_historic_home_demolition_in_residential-zoned_neighborhoods ('http://www.change.org/petitions/view/stop_historic_home_demolition_in_residential-zoned_neighborhoods')
or
http://tinyurl.com/2anxh74 ('http://tinyurl.com/2anxh74')

Thanks!
Joan Hall
Microfinance Specialist
Tucson


-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-7597892-4991029@list.cornell.edu [mailto:
bounce-7597892-4991029@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of
intownpreservation@cox.net
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 3:13 PM
To: communitydevelopmentbanking-l@cornell.edu
Subject: Declining Neighborhood Response

Hello All,

Wow, the responses have been great with a number of new avenues for us to
investigate. We will definitely follow up on those leads.

Just some clarification: (when I say we I mean the many city residents
involved in our group)

1. We are most definitely NOT anti-student 2. We are actively engaged
with the WM Student Assembly, WM administration, and city officials and
council members.
3. We love living in an ecclectic neighborhood 4. We do want our area to
be affordable for young families, city employees and the tourist workforce -
5. We do feel it is in the best interest of all to have safe neighborhoods
that we can all be proud of 6. We have been working towards finding
solutions for off campus housing for students 7. Many WM alumni return to
live here upon retirement - if we are not proactive in preserving the
in-town neighborhoods they will not have the opportunity to enjoy the many
benefits we have over the years that are within walking distance of our
homes. (some of our residents have lived here for 50 plus years) 8. When
the balance tips to predominantly rental units the students themselves miss
out on many benefits such as -
rides to class and airports; access to tools; home baked goods, help
with auto repairs; help with lawn maitenance; spending money when they
babysit for the young families; care packages when the athletes travel; the
list goes on
9. Yes, many of us do take in student borders (my home included) and we
are working with the city to allow resident homeowners to take in more than
just one border. Amazing that there are far more restrictions on homeowners
offering rooms than on absentee landlords.
10. We want safe housing for the students - case in point one house on our
street has received the bare minimum of maintenance from the landlord over
the past 20 years of ownership and more than one mother has cried on my
shoulder when she has moved her child into the place. These same parents
ask us, "Isn't there something you can do to get the city to crack down on
these landlords." All I can say is we are trying.
11. President Reveley of WM said it best, "The nearby neighborhoods are
too important to the university to let them go down the drain. And I think
what we have to get across to the students who want to live there is that it
can be a great place to live, but it’s not a great place to do things that
you would never do at home at your parents’ houses. And if you want to do
that, you’re not going to be able to do it in nearby neighborhoods because
it drives the permanent people nuts. And I don’t think it’s that hard a
message to get across. Because if that’s what you really want, if that’s the
reason you’re living off campus, it’s not going to work in the nearby
neighborhoods." http://dogstreetjournal.com/story/4671 ('http://dogstreetjournal.com/story/4671') He has also told
us that we need to get the worst of the homes out of the hands of the
absentee landlords. Exactly what we are trying to accomplish.