In fact, I find it heartbreaking that in a city priding itself on the belief that we come together in times of trouble cannot come together enough to help establish affordable housing for the hundreds of individuals living on our streets, in our woods, and even in our doghouses.
It's certainly not from a lack of available potential donors or folks who care enough to pitch in to help. We are a city filled with people who understand that some are less fortunate than others, and that but for the Grace of God, there go I. I've never met so many people willing to jump in and help others overcome the very worst the world throws at them.
Interestingly, we are a city built upon the vagaries of music, with artists, established and aspiring, who can speak to the incredible impediments facing those living in hard times. Some of them have spent time themselves struggling on the streets here, and were lucky enough to be able to parlay their love of music into success. Many however continue to struggle just to get by. Surely there are musicians and performers who would come together to help, fund, support, encourage, advocate and construct housing for our city's most vulnerable and disenfranchised.
This is also a city that knows a thing or two about fighting for equality, recognition of basic human rights, and the dignity of an individual, regardless of where they came from, the color of their skin, or the current condition of their life. It's hard for me to believe that these folks are simply wringing their hands or have their heads stuck in the sand as they watch people experiencing homelessness be relegated to "unimportant" status.
The People of Nashville are honest, hardworking and compassionate to a fault. Their faith is unshakable, their determination to overcome challenges that would send lesser men and women screaming into the night unquestionable. They will fight for as long as it takes, if that is what it takes.
They are friendly, willing to endure hardship for the betterment of their community as a whole, and fiercely dedicated to ensuring that everyone in the community gets a fair shake. In no other place I've lived have I ever had so many friends who will drop whatever they are doing at a moment's notice to come help me, or anyone else, for that matter, with little regard for how this will impact their own daily schedules or existence.
So why can't we seem to get our act together enough to create some affordable housing in order to end homelessness in our city?
We even have the political will, which is usually a key barrier in many of these kinds of situations. While we need to understand that government cannot and should not have to do it alone, the Key Alliance is there to help access that political will and ready to go to work for anyone who can step forward to help them get started with a housing project. We've got nationally known and recognized experts in the areas of homelessness and poverty standing by to lend their input, leadership and vision. We're even connected to other national experts by association with individuals who live in Nashville and work with the folks around the country on a daily basis.
The faith-based community, long the primary reason many persons experiencing homelessness in Nashville haven't died of starvation and exposure long ago, are poised and able to pitch in biblical levels of support around ending homelessness. What they do individually on a daily basis for those experiencing homelessness is nothing short of miraculous. Imagine what could be accomplished if we could collectively focus all those resources, dedication and commitment to one united effort to help end homelessness by providing affordable housing and supportive services!
We've got literally dozens of housing models to pick through as well, from John Parvensky's incredible Denver-based spectacular 90+ unit complex that rents its first floor out to local businesses to help defray mortgage costs (and those businesses hire people to work directly from the complex itself. One, Pizza Fusion, actually trains folks to return to work), to Bill Hobson's Seattle DESC Housing First Projects, to Becky Kanis' 100,000 Homes Campaign, to the Los Angeles Project 50 Skid Row effort, and these are just the tip of the housing iceberg.
I simply do not understand the inability for Nashville to come together to accomplish this something like providing housing to its poorest community members.
Frankly, it is antithetical to what I know and love about Nashville.
We are Nashville, and we can do this. There are lives depending on us to make it happen and I cannot, will not, accept that we have failed.
I don't think Nashvillians will accept failure on this issue, either.
Facility creates 'ordinary' for the homeless
- Moore Place, an apartment complex to serve the chronically homeless, will house 85 people and have a full-time nurse and part-time physician. ROBERT LAHSER - rlahser@charlotteobserver.com
More Information
More than a year ago, William Pumphrey was part of a choir that celebrated the start of construction on an apartment building to serve the chronically homeless.
He didn't realize then that he was looking at his future home.
Early last week, Pumphrey learned he had earned a spot at the Moore Place apartments. Then he saw the second-floor apartment he'll move into early next month.
The news, the 53-year-old said, brought him to his knees.
On Sunday, Pumphrey and the Voices of Love choir were among hundreds of people marking the grand opening of Moore Place, an apartment building for 85 people off North Graham Street.
The $10 million facility was funded primarily with privately raised funds, including gifts from corporate and philanthropic foundations, the Charlotte Housing Authority, more than 50 local congregations and the John and Pat Moore family. The effort was led by Charlotte's Urban Ministry Center. The first eight residents will move in this week, and officials expect the complex to be full by the end of April.
Plans already are under way to add 35 more apartment units on the property, said Caroline Chambre, director of Urban Ministry Center's HousingWorks program.
In recent years, the Urban Ministry has piloted another housing program that offers people who have been homeless a permanent place to stay in sites scattered across Charlotte.
But Moore Place is considered a bigger shift in how the city has addressed the issue of people who are chronically homeless.
Residents will pay 30 percent of their income toward rent. The apartment facility will have on-site case management and 24-hour security.
Moore Place also will offer residents services such as job training, instruction on how to manage their money and counseling. A full-time nurse and part-time physician also will offer health care at the site.
Chambre said the goal is to help residents "go from a life of chaos to a life of normalcy." She described the effort as not being extraordinary; rather, a way to "create the ordinary" in residents' lives.
Pumphrey, who has been homeless on and off for the past 12 years, said Sunday he's not sure he'll ever be able to overcome all of the issues he's faced in recent years.
But he thinks the services provided by Moore Place will be immensely important for him and others.
"I feel taken care of, and I haven't even moved in yet," he said.
Charlotte has an estimated 6,500 people who are homeless. About 10 percent are considered chronic cases, meaning mental illness or addiction prevents them from finding housing through traditional programs such as shelters.
Advocates have said providing housing and other services for the homeless can save millions because it could cut down on those individuals going to "de-facto shelters" in jails or emergency rooms.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg leaders approved a "10-year Plan to End Homelessness" six years ago to create more permanent housing such as Moore Place.
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx on Sunday praised efforts to complete Moore Place, noting challenges such as a fight over where to put the apartments. But he said even more housing facilities are needed.
He urged attendees at the grand opening event to pay attention to upcoming discussions among the City Council about housing bonds and a locational policy on where to put affordable housing.
Foxx said the community needs to find a way to create additional housing.
"We don't just need Moore Place," he said. "We need more places."
He didn't realize then that he was looking at his future home.
Early last week, Pumphrey learned he had earned a spot at the Moore Place apartments. Then he saw the second-floor apartment he'll move into early next month.
The news, the 53-year-old said, brought him to his knees.
On Sunday, Pumphrey and the Voices of Love choir were among hundreds of people marking the grand opening of Moore Place, an apartment building for 85 people off North Graham Street.
The $10 million facility was funded primarily with privately raised funds, including gifts from corporate and philanthropic foundations, the Charlotte Housing Authority, more than 50 local congregations and the John and Pat Moore family. The effort was led by Charlotte's Urban Ministry Center. The first eight residents will move in this week, and officials expect the complex to be full by the end of April.
Plans already are under way to add 35 more apartment units on the property, said Caroline Chambre, director of Urban Ministry Center's HousingWorks program.
In recent years, the Urban Ministry has piloted another housing program that offers people who have been homeless a permanent place to stay in sites scattered across Charlotte.
But Moore Place is considered a bigger shift in how the city has addressed the issue of people who are chronically homeless.
Residents will pay 30 percent of their income toward rent. The apartment facility will have on-site case management and 24-hour security.
Moore Place also will offer residents services such as job training, instruction on how to manage their money and counseling. A full-time nurse and part-time physician also will offer health care at the site.
Chambre said the goal is to help residents "go from a life of chaos to a life of normalcy." She described the effort as not being extraordinary; rather, a way to "create the ordinary" in residents' lives.
Pumphrey, who has been homeless on and off for the past 12 years, said Sunday he's not sure he'll ever be able to overcome all of the issues he's faced in recent years.
But he thinks the services provided by Moore Place will be immensely important for him and others.
"I feel taken care of, and I haven't even moved in yet," he said.
Charlotte has an estimated 6,500 people who are homeless. About 10 percent are considered chronic cases, meaning mental illness or addiction prevents them from finding housing through traditional programs such as shelters.
Advocates have said providing housing and other services for the homeless can save millions because it could cut down on those individuals going to "de-facto shelters" in jails or emergency rooms.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg leaders approved a "10-year Plan to End Homelessness" six years ago to create more permanent housing such as Moore Place.
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx on Sunday praised efforts to complete Moore Place, noting challenges such as a fight over where to put the apartments. But he said even more housing facilities are needed.
He urged attendees at the grand opening event to pay attention to upcoming discussions among the City Council about housing bonds and a locational policy on where to put affordable housing.
Foxx said the community needs to find a way to create additional housing.
"We don't just need Moore Place," he said. "We need more places."
Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/01/30/2970430/facility-creates-ordinary-for.html#storylink=cpy
