While it is obvious that concentrating housing services for the poor and vulnerable members of our society has certain logic, it is also becoming clear that the cost in neighborhood degradation and client reintegration into the community are important factors to consider.
Concentrating all of the housing in poorer communities keeps them poorer and makes it more difficult to scale up.
Concentrating all of the clients together in large housing complexes often tends to reinforce the behavior and life patterns that have resulted in their problems.
The programs need to look at the newer models, like Pathways to Housing in New York, which uses scattered sites of subsidized housing for one or two people throughout the community, which mitigates the neighborhood degradation issue.
Need vs. 'fair share'
Influx of low-income projects in Old Folsom protested
By Walter Yost - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Residents and business owners in Folsom's historic district fear that two proposed low- income projects will change the character of their neighborhood, turning it into a dumping ground for facilities no one else apparently wants.
If the projects go forward, a 19-unit apartment complex for people with mental illnesses and a transitional housing program for up to 20 homeless people will be within five blocks of each other on Bidwell Street.
It would be one of the highest concentrations of such housing in the area outside of downtown and midtown Sacramento.
Residents are asking "Why us?" The answer is rooted in the conflicting goals of peoples' desire to preserve their neighborhood vs. the need for low-income housing and social services throughout the region.
The conflict was no better illustrated than during an emotional meeting in November at the Folsom Community Center.
Architect Craig Stradley was barely two minutes into his talk on the design merits of the proposed psychiatric housing project, when the questions began raining on him.
His audience, anxious historic district residents, didn't care what the project looked like.
They wanted to know who would be living there, what type of supervision would be provided and why another low- income housing project was coming to their neighborhood.
"We're inundated. You're saturating us," one woman said.
After listening to the concerns, staff members with Transitional Living and Community Support Inc., operator of the psychiatric housing, acknowledged they weren't going to win any converts.
