Thursday, January 14, marked the monthly meeting of the Fairview Community Council. The primary item on the agenda was RuralCAP’s tentative proposal to convert the Red Roof Inn into housing and, unsurprisingly, it drew a large turnout.
The program began with RuralCAP representatives spending 25 minutes explaining the nature of the issue (finding some way to address the problems posed by homeless chronic inebriates), how Housing First works in other cities, other sorts of programs offered by RuralCAP throughout Anchorage and the proposal for “Karluk Manor” (their moniker for the Red Roof Inn). With that, the floor was opened to attendees to offer their thoughts and concerns but, with so many interested in testifying, they were limited to three minutes. RuralCAP staff took notes and pledged forthcoming written responses.
Without getting into details, what I heard was two-fold. First, while some did oppose the Housing First or “wet house” concept it was not an overriding sentiment. Second, neighbors in Fairview are largely opposed to locating a Housing First facility in their neighborhood. As the conclusion of the meeting neared a two-and-a-half page resolution was introduced and will be up for consideration at February’s meeting. It’s resolved section reads as follows:
Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Fairview Community Council formally opposes the use of public funds to acquire and renovate the Red Roof Inn for purposes of establishing a limited application of the Housing First concept in Anchorage, and
Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Fairview Community Council herewith opposes well-intentioned but poorly designed approaches that perpetuate a negative image of the Fairview community as a de facto social services ghetto, and
Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Fairview Community Council requests their elected representatives and public officials to oppose this use of public funds and to support a more holistic approach that recognizes the recommendations of other official Municipal planning documents, the need for funding adequate supportive services and the recommendations of the Fairview Community Council Chronic Public Inebriate report.
As mentioned previously a colleague and I introduced an ordinance which, if approved, would set up a conditional use process for Karluk Manor or any other Housing First facility proposed for Anchorage. That would at least ensure neighborhood input into such a project which is important because, as currently structured, no municipal funds (and the leverage attached thereto) are slated for this one.
With that, as always, your thoughts are welcome!
Regards,
Patrick
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Copyright - Patrick Flynn, All Rights Reserved
Thank you Patrick, for witnessing the testimony given the other night. I assure you that Fairview has grown weary of having the Public Inebriate as such a visible and disruptive part of our daily lives. We are not insensitive to their plight but the members of our council are obligated to concerning ourselves with how the proposed location of a wet house at 6th and Karluk will impact our local businesses, residents and their aspirations to transform our neighborhood for the better. For myself I am not yet convinced that the proposed location is without unacceptable risk.
Comment: Paul Benson – 17. January 2010 @ 3:08 pm
I have lived here for 11 years and have seen many changes. But the change most wanted in this area is the people who do not belong here to go away. They lay on their backs in the alley and the fire department and the ambulance must come and get them. If items of value are not chained, covered and locked, the items disappear. Even items that are inside fenced areas.
The people who don’t belong here have more rights than we do.
I had a friend who recently became a homeless person. He went into the Carrs beer store and where he went I do not know. Downhill is where he is headed.
There are legitment problems that need to be addressed and better the City of Anchorage and we are spending yet more time and money on the few hundred homeless instead of the hard working people of the city. Shipping people from all over the city to Fairview is just simply wrong. We are subject to their abuse of us. No recourse for us either.
Comment: Del Baldwin – 18. January 2010 @ 10:00 am
I guess Fairview has a history of being close enough to the downtown district that people migrate there when they need a place to go. But I don’t think it is the only part of Anchorage that has homeless people and high crime. Just a month or so ago the Mt View Community Center received bullet holes!
The problems of gangs and drugs and criminal activity must be addressed by Mayor Sullivan and the assembly. The Anchorage School District reports they graduate 64 percent of the students who start there in kindergarten so guess where the other 36 percent end up as adults? Most end up in jail, some get their GED and a few find a niche.
Building community requires pro-active measures!
Comment: DonnListon – 20. January 2010 @ 9:22 pm
I beieve more information is coming out that this a really bad idea for clients as well as the community. This more of the same protacted assisted sucide in already dangerous area. This is just another horse on the merry go around of social services that don’t work and destroys a nerighborhood and community in the process. Pat do the right thing and oppose this in Fairview ,no controls you put on this will do any good for fairview
Comment: ron alleva – 21. January 2010 @ 1:41 pm
Mr. Flynn,
I applaud you for attempting to pass the ordinance, but I doubt it will do much good. A conditional use was used for the Brother Francis Shelter, which was vehemently opposed by residents and neighbors, yet still was placed at its current location.
You need to introduce stronger actions and get bolder in an attempt to ensure this does not come into our neighborhood. I realize it’s difficult in your position as a public figure to come out strongly opposed to a project that allegedly would help people, but the costs associated with this projected are much higher to our community than the benefits gained by the few. The few that had their chance and failed, and never tried again.
I grew up in Fairview and watched it change over the past 20 years from a “rough” neighborhood into one transitioning towards fulfilling its namesake. The proposed wet hotel would be a step backward 20 years in less than 5.
We’ve become a community that is encircled with nothing but social agencies enabling every issue in the state, and luring them into our front yards and store fronts. There are two incarceration facilities, numerous rescues and shelters, mental health housing, soup kitchens, welfare offices, and I’m just hitting the tip of the iceberg. We became synonymous with the institutions placed around us, and will continue to be a dumping ground for societal problems until we make a stand and retake our neighborhood.
I don’t know what part of town you live in to represent us, but your job is to protect every one of your constituents and I am asking on behalf of my community to do more than just introduce resolutions that won’t work. We need you to stand up and say ‘no more.’ Introduce legislation that will prohibit these kinds of things in Fairview. We have enough, and we’ve done more than our duty to Anchorage, Alaska, and society by accepting the many social programs that have been dumped on our door.
Comment: Jacques – 21. January 2010 @ 1:43 pm
Jacques,
Mr. Flynn lives on the same block as the Cuddy’s–who own First National Bank.
Comment: DonnListon – 23. January 2010 @ 9:04 pm
PATRICK AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE I WANT TO SEE ALL THOSE SERVICES MOVED TO THE CENTER OF TOWN. THAT WAY EVERYONE CAN EXPERIENCE THE DEPURATION OF THERE PROPERTY.
BUD ON 10TH AVE.
Comment: BUD KNOX – 28. January 2010 @ 4:04 am
There is now a sign on 3rd Avenue as it turns East at Post Road that says: No Red Nose Hotel!
Comment: donnliston – 28. January 2010 @ 4:20 pm
The Red Roof Inn – Karluk Manor now is required to get a conditional use. This is good news, but now we need to keep fighting to keep the “Red Nose Inn” out of Fairview.
Comment: Jacques – 30. January 2010 @ 11:57 am
Hi Patrick, and everyone else:
I’m sorry you missed the hearing on the issue the community council put together January 28th. I think it was good to hear from both sides of the issue. I was asked to present an argument against the project.
I have a real problem with the location they’re proposing for this, right in the middle of the chronic inebriate problem. The studies they’ve cited all involve projects that get their clients OUT of harm’s way, and I don’t think this project is anything like that.
I’ve posted the presentation I gave at the FVCC hearing at stopkarlukmanor.com. I hope you’ll take the time to look at the site, respond once I’ve got the blog up, and really think hard about this project in this location.
Comment: S J. Klein – 30. January 2010 @ 11:12 pm
I read about the hearing in the paper. I don’t know who theses “professionals” are trying to kid when they say having a place for drunks to stay drunk is a way to get them to choose sobriety.
This is enabling behavior, and since the recent ambush and shooting of a police officer while he was doing paperwork in Fairview, plenty of Anchorage residents are wondering how long this Theater of the Absurd will continue.
Perhaps Patrick knows.
Comment: donnliston – 01. February 2010 @ 3:49 pm