Monday, October 22, 2007
Thank you Mr. Governor…Advocates Needed ASAP!
On September 19th I wrote a blog suggesting that Governor Schwarzenegger sign SB2. Little did I think that it would actually be signed!
Why?- Because to do so would open the door to some logical and required planning and zoning for homeless needs on the part of every city in California. .
But, low and behold, it was signed! Now we as service providers need to be diligent to work with planning and zoning officials to assure that the shelter needs of the homeless are properly represented at the planning tables. This is advocacy with shoe leather. But, most of us working for nonprofit organizations simply do not have the time required to do this in every city. So…how about some volunteer advocates with experience in the process who can become familiar with the issues and then advocate on behalf of the homeless.
As a participant in several planning and zoning forays who lived to tell about it, this is not for the faint of heart. Endless wrangling, Environmental Impact Studies, staff reports all can go on and on and on until resolution comes when only one group is left standing. To do this law justice, there now need to be advocates in every city that speak for the shelter needs of the homeless. Those needs might well be quickly assigned to marginal land use locations that limit homeless access. Or land is suggested that comes with prohibitive construction costs such as toxic waste sites and swamp land!
Thank you Mr. Governor for taking the first step! We will do our part on the local level to assure compliance. It was great to see the Mayor Villaraigosa signed on in support. Does that mean we can expect leadership from the City of Los Angeles on this crucial issue? If so, count the Los Angeles Mission in for cooperation.
--Herb Smith, President
Why?- Because to do so would open the door to some logical and required planning and zoning for homeless needs on the part of every city in California. .
But, low and behold, it was signed! Now we as service providers need to be diligent to work with planning and zoning officials to assure that the shelter needs of the homeless are properly represented at the planning tables. This is advocacy with shoe leather. But, most of us working for nonprofit organizations simply do not have the time required to do this in every city. So…how about some volunteer advocates with experience in the process who can become familiar with the issues and then advocate on behalf of the homeless.
As a participant in several planning and zoning forays who lived to tell about it, this is not for the faint of heart. Endless wrangling, Environmental Impact Studies, staff reports all can go on and on and on until resolution comes when only one group is left standing. To do this law justice, there now need to be advocates in every city that speak for the shelter needs of the homeless. Those needs might well be quickly assigned to marginal land use locations that limit homeless access. Or land is suggested that comes with prohibitive construction costs such as toxic waste sites and swamp land!
Thank you Mr. Governor for taking the first step! We will do our part on the local level to assure compliance. It was great to see the Mayor Villaraigosa signed on in support. Does that mean we can expect leadership from the City of Los Angeles on this crucial issue? If so, count the Los Angeles Mission in for cooperation.
--Herb Smith, President
