Architecture for Humanity - SF
Sunday, April 18, 2004
HOMELESS ACTION:
Supervisors Gonzalez and Dufty teamed up recently to push Jim Reid’s Little House into consideration by Alioto’ Homeless Council to be used in any capacity towards solving the crisis here. Alioto says she loves this house, but acknowledges that they would be primarily for people on a short term basis and who needed a helping hand getting back on their feet. Undoubtedly these super compact but accommodating houses would require a level of pre-existing self-sufficiency on the part of the beneificiary but certainly would address a percantage of the large and diverse homeless population that is not chronic or desperately in need of greater support mechanisms. While Dufty had this statement. "At one point, we were thinking of having vehicular housing parks for people who live in their cars," Dufty said. "This looks more humane and appropriate than that did. I think we should give it consideration.", Randy Shaw cried the consideration ridiculous, "It's not a model for anything," he said. "I couldn't believe (Gonzalez and Dufty) were going to ask the city to spend a minute of time investigating this."
A full Length Chron Interview with Angela Alioto about ‘her passion for the homeless’ and the Council’s Strategy.
The chron also printed this profile on Trent Rhorer, Newsom’s point man on homelessess in the DHS.
‘A young policy wonk on a quick rise through city government, Rhorer played an instrumental role in how this mayor and his predecessor, Willie Brown, began rethinking how to deliver homeless services. For at least two years, he's been plotting a shift away from cash welfare to spending that money instead on housing and treatment services.”
And while Las Vegas prepared another homeless count with hundreds of volunteers hitting the streets, they jockeyed for position in the competition for federal funds. These are the types of efforts happening all around the nation and which have no doubt spurred on the Mayor’s new approach to Outreach. But arch-activist Tommi Mecca had this to conclude.
“This time, instead of more punitive measures to punish the poor (such as Care Not Cash or Prop M) or more committees to study homelessness (such as the recent one he assigned the task of a 10-year plan), Newsom is pushing for something that might actually make a difference: the placement of additional outreach workers on the streets of San Francisco to help the homeless with mental-health and drug problems get into beds and services.” . . .
“What's not clear is how Newsom plans to pay for these additional workers at a time when cuts are expected to devastate the budgets of the two agencies responsible for homeless services: the Department of Human Services (DPH) and the Health Department. Just as importantly, how does Newsom expect these workers to make any difference if there are no beds and no services for people to go to? For a while now, DPH outreach workers have been offering the homeless blankets in lieu of referrals to unavailable services.”
Newsom's Bet, certainly the Mayor has brought people together at least in a start to push past the controversy of how to manage the homeless, and will be the first to admit his career is on the line.
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This article talks about the rise in Corporate Social Responsibility amongst new business student grads, which to seems like it would be inevitable in this current global climate. Nevertheless it is a confirming read that a shift is occurring even within its own chief perpetuator the business community. Partially by pure competitive need businesses are moving into the non-prof sector, and “social responsibility” seems all the more like just a hip trend.
Homeownership Through Education: a model
California Pioneering “Granny Flats”
Local Study on the Failures of Inclusionary Zoning
DESIGN:
The AIA AWARDS The Best of the Bay 2004's American Institute of Architects' San Francisco Design Awards /
Winners & Recap: Chron AIA
Special Achievement Award
Phil Angelides, California State Treasurer
California State Treasurer Phil Angelides has single-handedly improved the quality of the built environment in California through his commitment to affordable housing and innovative urban planning. During his tenure, he has rejuvenated California's schools and universities, transit systems, parks, and health care facilities. Laguna West, the pioneering town he developed in Sacramento County, sparked a national dialogue on how to build better livable communities in America. Modeled on the principles of New Urbanism, Laguna West exemplifies a community planned in relationship to an urban center, jobs and civic amenities. We honor Phil Angelides for his extraordinary vision and commitment to the people of California and to the architecture profession.
Krzysztof Wodiczko / Art Piece banned in St. Louis
Agglutinations Interview with KW
Leftover Space: A Profile
UN Habitats Books: How to Fund Low Income Housing.
