Community Corner
Houseless in Albany
The encampment of house-less people at the Albany Bulb has
perennially engendered mixed feelings in Albany residents. At the same time,
Albany has continued to fail in its obligation to provide low-income housing.
When the City-Council-appointed "Homeless Task Force"
(which included people who live on the Bulb) recently presented their findings to the City Council, Citizens for an East Shore State
Park and the Sierra Club were quick to remind the City that the people were there illegally and the City agreed to remove
the residents of the Bulb "humanely" by October 1, 2013.
Members of the task force, which was subsequently relieved
of duty by the City, have now created a community-based organization,
"Homeless Task Force 2", to monitor and guide future action around
this particular issue, as well as other issues related to homelessness and
poverty in Albany.
Find out what's happening in Albanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Questions to ponder:
- How
much is our discomfort with the "homeless problem" driven by
fear and lack of accurate information?
realistic is the October 1, 2013 eviction deadline for current Bulb
residents?
should
Albany address the challenges of homelessness and poverty in the city?
In this afternoon
forum, we will hear from members of "Homeless Task Force 2", watch at
least some of Bums' Paradise, a
documentary made by a Bulb resident before and during a previous eviction in the 1990's, listen to everyone's input, and begin an exploration of potential
solutions that could work for all parties.
Find out what's happening in Albanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Please
come and help the community put our best thinking into helping solve a problem
that has been brewing on our doorstep for years. This is a social justice issue
about which we can make a difference, but only if we come together and talk.
All are
welcome. The event is free and refreshments will be served.