Live blog: Ability Housing Springfield meeting

[Bill Hoff]

Hi Stephen.

Various board members of SPAR have been in touch with Council on this issue for weeks.

The feedback we've recieved from Council reps is that revisions will be made to exclude the historic districts, and possibly other neighborhoods. It's our expectation that by working with Council, that will happen.

Great to see passionate people at the public comment period as well.

[iloveionia]

Hi Stephen.

Various board members of SPAR have been in touch with Council on this issue for weeks.

The feedback we've recieved from Council reps is that revisions will be made to exclude the historic districts, and possibly other neighborhoods. It's our expectation that by working with Council, that will happen.

Great to see passionate people at the public comment period as well.

It would have been even better if they had spoken on the record during public comments, Bill.  That way we wouldn't just have to take your word for it.

Besides, the only time you can talk to "The Council" is at these meetings.  They aren't allowed to have little group phone calls on public business without notification.  And it takes 10 votes.  If you are talking to only one at a time, its not as effective as speaking to 19 simultaneously.

+1 Stephen. Thank you.

[sheclown]

now it's just getting weird



I guess with the minor problems of failing schools and such, the school board has free time on its hands.

[JayBird]

^thats just foolish. Interesting that within a 1/2 mile radius of Kirby Smith there are seven houses operated by three agencies that house men just released from state prison. But by all means, please protect our kids from those who have managed to stay on the right side of the law but do not have a roof of their own.

[Bill Hoff]

^thats just foolish. Interesting that within a 1/2 mile radius of Kirby Smith there are seven houses operated by three agencies that house men just released from state prison. But by all means, please protect our kids from those who have managed to stay on the right side of the law but do not have a roof of their own.

Unfortunately, being on the right side of the law is not a requirement for the proposed project. Quite the opposite

In addition to DCPS, Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP) also submitted a letter of support for the Springfield Zoning Overlay issue, among others. It's good to see the greater Jacksonville community coming together to support a community.

Fyi: http://myspringfield.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=17779#p17779

[TheCat]

They are opposed to "housing homeless personnel"?

Do they think homelessness is a profession?

I'm working through my thoughts trying to figure out why DCPS would make an official statement on Ability Housing. What would cause the superintendent to stake a position in such an innocuous matter, especially concerning DCPS?

So, first thought is...money. Where is it going and where did it come from?

Then, i suppose getting involved in city planning is not new for school districts. There are rules on bars and strip club locations.  There are rules for sex offenders and how close they can live to a school.

But DCPS is saying that the activity of a place/person is just as relevant as the assumed quality of a person, based on a prior life circumstance.

They are indirectly saying that a formerly homeless person should live further away than a convicted sex offender. I believe state law provides a minimum 1k foot buffer between a sex offender and a school. Kirby Middle is over 2k feet away from 139 Cottage Ave (let's hope I did my math right). 

Plus, there is a particular irony to referring to people living in homes as homeless. I think it would be incorrect use of language to call someone living in a home "homeless".

I'm not sure what the debate is about, anymore. If certain people don't want the homeless living near them they won't be. Everyone will be in a home.

The only thing I hear and read is some people in Springfield and DCPS are opposed to the formerly homeless living near them. Is this a correct assessment?

[sheclown]

posting on behalf on someone else:

[sheclown]

[sheclown]

[JayBird]

Sheclown, great points and I really wish they put their name to it because unfortunately without a name it's useless fodder. Perhaps you could encourage them to actually engage the community with their ideas.  I know this is just a community forum, but many influential people do read these boards regularly, even though they don't participate/comment actively they do make note of them in their talks and on social media. When you cannot assign some sort of identity to comments, it may be great ideas but it is tinged with suspicion from the outset. Thereby rendering any actual discussion about it moot because it all stems from an "unknown". I hate seeing good ideas and go intentions get pushed aside.

Stephen, well that certainly makes clear why the issue was being addressed.

Bill, I may be wrong on this but wasn't the original intent of Ability in line with the overlay? I was under the impression it was the community that was demanding changes that would make it illegal with the current overlay.

[JayBird]

Anonymous thoughts contribute much to general discussion. Unfortunately in rooms where the decisions are mode, it is useless. There is always someone who will say it was a staged comment, and this the entire discussion stemming from it is biased. But I'll agree that it does stoke the conversation and make people think for themselves and maybe form their own opinions on the topic.

It could very well be that it's a pet peeve of mine, actually the only thing I dislike about MJ. I had commented before about how over the last few months I've gotten to meet many regular posters in person and they're amazing people, however one was completely not as they represent themselves to be here and that left a bad taste, and those who use multiple screen names here to fake community support, some that you have even outed. You're right, I shouldn't let that effect the many good ideas and posters here.

[sheclown]

So a school board member and superintendent can't grasp simple communication, are living examples of discrimination in the worst form,  appear to have acted on school board business without going thru proper channels and have questionable ties to the principals in this drama -- and you want to focus on the annonymity of posters  ?

[jax904lover]

Perhaps they have gotten involved due to the fact they may reside in Springfield. I've got friends in that neighborhood who have mentioned that possibility. This is really weird that out of all the possible people to endorse or even write such a letter it was these two. The candidate running against her had no opinion? I'm assuming because he lives nowhere near this and wouldn't care much about that situation. May be wrong but something to perhaps look at.

[strider]

Just got verification that this letter was not passed or even discussed with the actual school board.

So the question becomes does Mr Vitti have the authority to act for the entire school board on his own without a vote on issues like this or did this just become an ethics issue for both of them? 

[AuditoreEnterprise]

What is Meeks angle on it? What is he benefiting from blocking something that will have minimal impact on a school. I mean unless they are going to house pedos, sex offenders, or violent criminals I don't see the issue.