Help!!

[Omarvelous09]

So...i live on Boulevard between 5th & 6th, a quiet block isolated by parks on either side. Ive lived here since i was 12yo..and I've seen the neighborhood grow immensely. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly...but I've always loved my neighborhood, especially with the current demographic.

My former Neighbor Ju'Coby Pittman of the Clara White Mission, moved out of her house a year ago (i think). Maybe a month ago..she had some work done to the house, and mentioned renting it to a client. A few days later.. i see this giant black piping clearly visible from the moon, in front of her house. After that, a re-zoning sign went up!! RED FLAG! after picking the brains of her contractors...i found out that she intended to use the house as an extention of the Clara White Mission, a special place for battered women & children.

After a while i got over it...i welcomed the idea, helping women and children is something I'm familiar with. The only thing that peeved me off, was that she didn't have the decency to let her ex-neighbors know what was going on with the house. SO....a few weeks later my neighbor Colatra Guyton and my mom were talking outside, and i knew it was something bad just from the little bit i heard. My mother comes back in the house, and tells me that she intends to turn her house into a shelter for Homeless Veterans!! My first thought was my mothers safety..then my own. I lived in springfield through the Schizo houses..and i was not about to let this happen next to my own home. My mother and neighbors attended the Jacksonville Historic preservation commission meeting last night....and she had the nerve to defend her decision. To add to insult...her friend "Mr. macho" stood there condemning us for not "supporting our vets, they fought for out freedom!"
The thing i don't understand is that this all seems like one giant conflict of interest...how can she head the mission, and then benefit from a government grant in a home she owns. After speaking with others at the meeting, we were told to rally the troops...because that's the only way to guarantee action from the city.

[Sportmotor]

So your mom is wanting to turn your house into a house for vets??

[macbeth25]

I don't understand what would be wrong with having a place for homeless veterans. 

[Sportmotor]

Well sounds like she is just being swept up in the moment and idea of helping others and not really putting alot of thought into it.
Hopefully its a passing phase and urge but I would definatly be worryed about both of your safty. Alot of vets that are homeless have some serious phychological problems from some of the thigns they have seen and done.

[Omarvelous09]

I don't understand what would be wrong with having a place for homeless veterans. 

I have no problem helping Homeless Vets...but not in the middle of a residential block.

[macbeth25]

I really don't understand why.  Do you believe they will harm any one in any way?  If you really have a problem with that situation, you might take it up with your zoning commission.

[fatcat]

omg this is crazy. it is one thing to help homeless vets another thing to have a shelter next to you. i love our homeless vets but do not love them enough to have them live next to me.

[macbeth25]

This is one conversation which is not worth having.  No further comments are needed.

[Shwaz]

This is one conversation which is not worth having.  No further comments are needed.

Mac Beth you're obviously partial to vets from being in the military most of your life... but Omar has a valid concern. Imagine trying to sell your house with a shelter next door. We have plenty of old un used buildings in commercial areas that would be better suited for housing homeless.

[NotNow]

I am a veteran.  I try to help where I can.  But I would also be concerned if this were planned for my neighbor's home.  The homeless are homeless for a reason.  Most often because of substance abuse.  Mental health is also often an issue.  The man has legitimate concerns, and Ialso see his point about how the government grant gets distributed.  While this is a worthwhile and noble cause, safety and comfort of our citizen's must also be a concern to us. 

[downtownparks]

Omni, you are stuck in the same conundrum many of us feel. Like you, when it comes to women and children, and veterans, I have a big soft spot. However, the place for that is NOT in the middle of a residential area.

Aside from that, you are correct, using your influence on a board to funnel money into your own property is a big conflict. I think perhaps the media would be interested to hear this, especially since Pitman was a former political candidate.

McBeth, when you get 5 or 10 treatment/homeless facilities within 10 blocks of your house, you will understand a bit more.

[urbanlibertarian]

I have lived at Parks @ Cathedral on the block between Liberty, Market, Church and Ashley for 6 years.  The homeless are out walking from shelters to services to meals all day and night and the Vet Center is 2 blocks away on Market.  I've only had one argument with a homeless person and never any trouble beyond that.  I'd prefer they weren't out on the streets so much but it's really not a big deal.

[fsu813]

SPAR is aware & concerned about Ms. Pittman's plans. The LAST thing Springfield needs is more hpmesless/halfway houses, there are already plenty. The neigjhorhood already carries MORE than it's fair share of the homeless/halfway houses while other "urban core" neighborhoods are given a break because......well, because those communities just wouldn't have it. Springfield, as a community, doesn't have the socioeconomic ratio or numbers to have such power yet.


rest assured this would NOT be allowed to take place in San Marco, Riverside, Avondale, etc. Hell no. There would be chaos. In Springfield, however, it's much easier.

I wonder how much money Ms. Pittman will be making in this deal? I know she's not going to be donating her house, that's for sure.

Perhaps you should send your comments to Council Member Gaffney & let him know exactly how you feel about this.

Council Member, District 7
Johnny Gaffney
117 West Duval Street, Suite 425
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: 904-630-1384
Email: Gaffney@coj.net


Anyone else we should contact to let our feelings be known?

[heights unknown]

Well, I guess we should have a 20 block section within the City Limits fenced and barbwired off, and just put all the social services in that area, homeless shelters, veterans homeless shelters, domestic battery shelters, food and clothing services, just put them all in there together like a military base (NAS Jax, Naval Station Mayport, NAS Oceana, etc.).

If they don't bother you don't worry about it.  When crime increases or you can't live peaceably in your home, that's when you and your neighbors intervene and/or go to the Directors of these services and inform them of the problems you are having.

Just because a homeless shelter or some other social service opens near your home doesn't mean it's a bad thing.  Sometimes I really believe that people are so squeemish about homelessness or neediness that they're afraid it might rub off on them and they'll become that way.  Chill out everyone.

Heights Unknown

[macbeth25]

The thing i don't understand is that this all seems like one giant conflict of interest...how can she head the mission, and then benefit from a government grant in a home she owns. After speaking with others at the meeting, we were told to rally the troops...because that's the only way to guarantee action from the city.

I've included only a part of this post because I owe the group an apology.  I was so busy being annoyed because it appeared several posters were against helping veterans that I failed to realize a major reason for the post concerned a conflict of interest.

Being homeless does not necessarily mean that someone is dangerous, but the poster certainly has the right to express concern.

fsu813’s comment sounds like a good suggestion and, as I mentioned earlier, zoning might be involved as well.