I have noticed that this neighborhood has a tendency to take specific issues and turn them general and abstract. In an attempt to take this week’s arguments out of the abstract and into reality, I will try to explain what has inspired a lot of the in fighting online this week. This is very long and I am sorry but if you intend to comment, please read this in its entirety. At last weeks WCC meeting, Dan Bryant who is the executive director of opportunity village, presented a plan for what he is calling Emerald Village. The plan (as condensed as I can make it) is for Emerald Village to build about 15 250sq’ micro homes (with plumbing) and one central communal gathering place and commercial kitchen. THESE MICRO HOMES WOULD BE OWNED BY THEIR TENTANTS. The tenants would pay roughly $250/month. $100/month would go towards equity. Should the tenant ever want to leave, they could cash out their equity and potentially have enough cash to go on to either rent or buy another property. The tenants would be vetted by a board of directors that may or may not include members of the WCC board and/or neighbors who’s homes are directly adjacent to the property. The location they are currently vying for is at the corner of N. Polk and Railroad BLVD. This was the same lot that the WCC used for over flow parking for Whiteaker Block party as DFO to help you place it. Now a little back story on the conflict that arose at the meeting: Quite a few neighbors from the Riverfront area showed up to last weeks meeting to both express concerns and in some cases, outright disapproval of the project. Most of these residents are very sympathetic to the issue of homelessness but live in a neighborhood that has always had high homeless traffic, which has increased significantly with addition of Opportunity Village and the rest stops in the last few years. Then, about 6 months ago, a group/project called The Nightngale Health Sanctuary (NHS) proposed a rest stop type program with an emphasis on personal health at the same location. This project had a lot of holes and their process in getting the lot approved was underhanded and rubbed a lot of those neighbors the wrong way. Also, NHS put the word out to potential inhabitants of the NHS before its approval which resulted in a large surge of homeless in the area who, when the project didn’t work out, have taken up residence along the river. Many of the residents in close proximity to the suggested site are having a hard time distinguishing this project from NHS which is sad and hopefully, they will engage with Dan Bryant in way that will help see the difference. At the time however, many of these neighbors were speaking very passionately about their opposition and this angered many. Myself included at certain times though I thought it important then as I do now to listen and try to remain neutral as long as possible so that we could sort through the craziness and extract the legit concerns that these residents have so that the project could be vetted appropriately. Then, during the meeting, a WCC board member said something along the lines of “If you don’t like it, then you should move.”….and here we are today THE FOLLOWING IS MY OPINION…NOT THE POSITION OF THE WCCC All of us who have lived in the Whiteaker have had run ins with homeless folks, tweekers or just generally undesirable people. I am sure it’s not our favorite part of each day but we are generally a progressive minded area and we deal and even help if we can. We bought our tickets. We knew what we were getting into. I have to say however, that the daily issues that this particular area in question has to deal with are WAY more significant than any other area in the neighborhood. And while some of the issues existed long before they moved in, a lot of these social services have come in after the they bought their homes. It is not as if these folks bought a house next to railroad tracks and then started complaining about the noise. Many of them in fact go to great lengths to help the folks along the river. I am only saying this so that the conversation can take a different tone and that this group of folks who oppose are not antagonized or unfairly judged by those who don’t know the whole story. These are not NIMBY folks. They are a part of our neighborhood and their voices deserve to be heard. In many ways I believe their voices should even be louder than those of us who do not live in direct proximity and at the very least, I do not feel they should be told to move if they don’t like a certain project. I believe they should stand up for what they want to see from their community just as I would hope all of you would do if someone tried to open a Starbucks in Red Barn. And I would hope that if you did stand up to fight something, that you wouldn’t be told to leave if you don’t like it. We are better than that. Things are never black and white and lines drawn in the sand serves nobody. All that being said, I think this is a GREAT PROJECT. I would be proud to have it in our neighborhood. Dan was able to show us some drawings of the potential plans and I think that they are beautiful. I think the program will be the first of many like it in Eugene and one day nationwide. This Project aims to fill a very vacant hole in the many social services currently in place in our city. I would be hesitant to support the project if A) I thought it would increase the livability issues in that area or B) it would devalue their properties. I believe quite the opposite. I think having ACTUAL HOMEOWNERS living in the neighborhood who aren’t economically that far removed from those camping on the river will serve as inspiration for some to pick themselves up by their boot straps and get themselves their own micro home. Also, Dan Bryant and I have discussed that the village may even take on some sort of permanent role in keeping the riverfront clean and safe. And as for property value, I think this project would increase it. Obviously there is no way to know for sure but besides the fact that the structures are beautiful, this project will likely garner some national attention and I don’t know about you, but I would love to be known for something other than just breweries and bars…even arcades;-) and I believe that would serve to potentially INCREASE property values. Moving forward, there is a WCC board meeting tomorrow night. Anyone is welcome to attend but please bare in mind the format is different from a general meeting. We have a 10 minute public comment period at the beginning and a one minute limit on comments. The board will be discussing weather or not to write a letter of endorsement for this project. MY HOPE is that it gets put to a general vote. But we shall see. In the meantime, as this gets discussed online, KEEP IT COOL!!! Don’t draw lines in the sand, try to see where people are coming from, voice opinions in a way that doesn’t alienate people from the conversation. The PROCCESS is the most important thing here. This is a chance for all of us to be the awesome neighborhood we are. Lets not be like everyone else. Lets be nice….
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 18:42:33 +0000
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