Video: Advisory committee hears fury, worry over DESC in Delridge

concerned parent February 22, 2012 (6:55 am)

I would seriously hope that with it being a 5 min walk from a soon to be elementary school that the city does not allow sex offenders in this house! one child victim is too many. If the school does not have sufficient door locks to not allow access from the outside, I shutter to think who might get into the large school building. Also, for parents in the neighborhood who have kids in general!
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what has been addressed about this issue?

East Coast Cynic February 22, 2012 (7:23 am)

Laurelhurst, Maple Leaf, and Magnolia would be more appropriate neighborhoods. They never get their fair share of such housing.

Last Speaker in Video February 22, 2012 (8:46 am)

I apologize that I forgot to mention something in my comments. Last year, after Nicole Macri of DESC refused 3x to answer how long ago DESC was considering the Delridge property and why she didn’t approach the
neighborhood sooner so they could get community feedback and work together, she blurted out:
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“Because we didn’t want to face ORGANIZED opposition!”
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The DESC has entered our community from an adversarial stance from the start, never truly wanting to collaborate–only conquer. Always intending to bulldoze us just as they have in every other neighborhood. This is their systematic way of treating a community.
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They seem to be making more efforts now only because “Community Outreach” is part of the requirement for sealing the deal on funding. If they didn’t have to do this, I believe they wouldn’t.
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It was great to hear everyone’s comments last night. Thanks to those who showed up, despite the feeling that these folks have already shown their dismissive attitude toward communities where they build their projects.
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I do hope that this opportunity for neighbors to finally speak their minds at a public meeting will do some good, both for North Delridge, for DESC’s clients, and for future communities where DESC decides to site their projects. It didn’t have to go this way.
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DESC set the tone at the first meeting when Bill Hobson said “This is going to happen whether you like it or not!” Those aren’t words of understanding, compassion or collaboration.

Neighbor February 22, 2012 (9:16 am)

DESC should be ashamed of itself. The City Council and the Mayor’s office needs to investigate the officers running it.

@Last speaker-Any community that has you as a part of it is very lucky. Respect to you!

WS Mom February 22, 2012 (9:25 am)

I am sorry that as a resident of n delridge, I did not make it to the meeting last night. Unfortunately, the timing of this meeting was really hard for us as parents of young children, even with the impressive outreach that the organizers attempted. As others have stated, i also feel like the project is being railroaded through in a community that has a hard time raising enough opposition. This is what happened when Cooper elementary was closed and it is happening with DESC. It is very frustrating to watch and feel like there is too much forward momentum to stop this from happening. I just feel sad and resigned about this project coming here. Thanks to all the folks who spoke up last night and have been working hard to fight this. As a mom of young children, wishing i had more time to help, i am grateful for your efforts.

M February 22, 2012 (9:51 am)

I would like to know a little more about the tax credit meeting; perhaps there is a way to kill this thing, or at least make it more expensive, if we can stop the tax credits. It’s at 1:00 on Thursday, but does anyone where, and is public opinion allowed at the meeting?

WSB February 22, 2012 (10:03 am)

Please follow the links in stories for additional info – we linked to our previous announcement of the meeting ( https://westseattleblog.com/2012/02/desc-delridge-project-2-hearings-this-week-1-here-1-downtown ), which includes the location, time, etc. It is a public hearing, which means public comment. The story also points to WSHFC information on how to comment in writing if you can’t be there – TR

DESC = Compassion February 22, 2012 (10:08 am)

First a fact that Karrie nor WSB chooses not to address, DESC has already agreed to screen for and not allow any sex offenders. All the neighborhood committee had to do was sent a letter requesting this.
Karrie and WSB, has this not happened?
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It is incredible to see the same few people speak at each and every meeting. More incredible to blame the lack of turnout in this heavily publicized meeting on DESC and not the community.
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Also of note, at this and other meetings, we never see the “fragile” people that are always trumped up. Where the is the diversity of Derlridge? We see the same faces at each of these meetings.
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Also has Karrie no shame in criticizing the make-up of the committee for not having anyone living near the DESC project when they have been unable to fill the committee positions, despite great coverage by WSB.
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These few busy activists have committeeized themselves to the point that no one interested is left to fill two remaining positions.
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I quite enjoyed the rant about too small a meeting place for the first overcapacity meeting…claims that DESC strategized that and how that “broke” the community, so that now people don’t attend such heralded meetings as last night. It is another can’t win for DESC, if they had moved the meeting to some place bigger, they would have been attacked for moving it out of the neighborhood.
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As a DESC supporter, currently out of town, I watched the video and heard no new or even valid concerns, just the same old rants about process.
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The fact is, this meeting had a pathetically poor turn-out with little representation of the actual makeup of the neighborhood.

Diane February 22, 2012 (10:43 am)

can someone please post the top-lines of comments from the meeting? some of us cannot access video and/or it’s not appropriate to listen to a video while at work, and I’m very curious to know details of the comments; same/different/anything new? did the public last night get a different sense of being heard, and their opinions valued this time? what was the public takeaway this time of the demeanor of Mr. Hobson?
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I do appreciate video, so that at some point when I can access a computer/time/place to listen, can hear it all; was planning to attend, but my earlier event went later than expected; sorry to have missed comments in person
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did residents of the neighborhood feel this was beneficial?
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and hoping that many wrote out their comments ahead of time, like they did at the design review, and would love to see those comments posted here; thanks

delridge neighbor February 22, 2012 (11:10 am)

Dear DESC supporter, I was a “new” person at the meeting last night, I did speak, and I could not get into the first meeting, so I am a new face, as you might term it, and I could also be viewed as a fragile member of the community. If this project was about incorporating 20+ units into the area, that would be more reasonable, but the amount of residents with the needs they have, with the currently existing services available, are going to overwhelm this already crime overwhelmed area. I know this because I do walk the area on a daily basis, and use the library. I have seen consistant drug dealing, use, public intoxication, handgun use and vandalism.
Also there has been no input from the local PD about what they think the impact will be. I have lived in my home for over 20 years and this is not about property values for me, because I do not plan on leaving. It is about community values, which the DESC is not invested in. The DESC is using typical CORPORATE PRACTICES. I have worked for non profits in healthcare before, and it is always about the money. The problems with this specific site are just too inumerable to mention, and to all other west seattleites who think this will be just a very localized issue, think again.

Jonnygoska February 22, 2012 (11:11 am)

Any reason they can’t put this place down by Nickelsville? It’s on a bus line and away from a residential community.

Neighbor February 22, 2012 (11:55 am)

@jonnygoska-what makes you think Nickelsville isn’t a residential community?
The residents of Nicklesville are working very hard at making a community that is safe, supportive and sane despite being in circumstances that would cause most of us to despair. Why kick a dog when it’s down?

Tanya Baer February 22, 2012 (12:26 pm)

Wait! I just got through to someone at the Washington State Housing Finance Commission who handles the Tax Credit Funding.
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DESC is not on the agenda until the March meeting (March 22 at 1 pm.) Eight other projects will be discussed tomorrow, but not DESC (they are delayed since they had to re-do their application after the siting policy waver was removed in January and their building was reduced from 75 units to 66 units – this significantly impacted their tax credit funding application.)
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Neighbors have time to write complete letters and plan to attend the meeting in March.
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Delridge Community Forum will offer more information as we can, including the Tax Credit application as soon as we have a copy. See: http://www.delridgeforum.blogspot.com
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Tracy, please help get the word out so that neighbors don’t attend tomorrow. I was told that they can still go but will likely just be asked to return in March since DESC is not on the agenda tomorrow. Thanks!

WSB February 22, 2012 (12:41 pm)

I actually have a note out to the media guy there seeking information on that discrepancy. The Notice of Public Hearing, as linked in our original report, points to “Exhibit A,” which is a list of a dozen or so projects including DESC, as the list of projects for which a public hearing will be held. But the agenda on the WSHFC website, not linked from the public-hearing notice, lists only two of those projects. If I can get direct confirmation from their media guy, I will publish an update. – TR

skeeter February 22, 2012 (12:43 pm)

The last lady who spoke is simply amazing. Bravo and keep the faith!!

DESC = Compassion February 22, 2012 (12:58 pm)

delridge neighbor, so you were the only new face. Thanks for contributing. As someone that has lived there 20 years (far longer than most of the antiDESC activists), I am surprised you did not round up some of your neighbors for more new faces.
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It appears that, other than a few highly vocal activists, the community has largely learned that this project will not make a big difference, they came in droves for that first over capacity meeting and have shown less interest since, probably because it is no big deal. Delridge will continue to have drug and crime problems as always. Why is it DESC’s problem to fix what these community groups have not fixed themselves?
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As for the SPD with it new precinct in Delridge, yet another piece of government largesse for this community, the reason they have not opposed it is that they know it will not make a significant difference.

carlton February 22, 2012 (1:06 pm)

Now how come DESC didn’t look into putting it on Mercer Island or Medina?

highlandpark February 22, 2012 (1:48 pm)

“Why kick a dog when it’s down?” Interesting because I think this is the same sentiment being expressed by opponents to the DESC project with respect to the Delridge location.

MyEye February 22, 2012 (1:59 pm)

DESC hasn’t put it in writing that they will screen for sex-offenders and have also said that they don’t feel they should have to screen for criminal background.
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Frankly, DESC “listening” doesn’t lend any encouragement because they don’t seem to understand the meaning of the word. They are so myopic that their goal that they refuse to hear the legitimate concerns of the neighborhood. They and their supports shout down any concerns with the cry of NIMBY. Their focus is singularly to build as many of these band-aid style facilities as possible, damn the surrounding neighborhoods.
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They didn’t listen when they were told their facility would be push beyond the poverty limits for the neighborhood, which it was. They aren’t listening to concerns about opening such a facility NEXT DOOR to a school. They aren’t listening to concerns about impact to the neighborhood.
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Their programs DO NOT WORK. They only measure retention rate and do nothing to track whether their constituents actually become capable of living on their own. By their own measure a good outcome is that after 2 years individuals are still taking advantage of their housing and has limited their drinking to 11 per day. Wooo…

Jonnygoska February 22, 2012 (2:20 pm)

@neighbor the city wouldn’t have to purchase any additional land on taxpayers money if they built on land they already own, not talking about moving Nickelsville. Although it sounds like you don’t want the “supportive housing” project as well.

DESC = Compassion February 22, 2012 (2:44 pm)

My Eye,

Anti DESC activists (including WSB’s activist and biased “reporting” and MyEye itself) all know about DESC’s offer to screen for and prohibit sex offenders hinged upon the community organization to write a letter requesting such. This was months ago and reported. Have they written the letter? Tanya or Tracy could clear this up if they choose to. They don’t, ergo their bias against the truth and facts.
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And the claim, of their programs not working, that simply flies in the face of national awards and recognition this innovative program has received. MyEye’s whole argument appears to be tied to some statistical figures (figures don’t lie, liars figure) he is churning over. He misses the point that the MOST AT RISK are the ones selected for these programs. MOST AT RISK means those who are most likely to be assulted, raped and murdered if they remain homeless on the streets…the primal intent being to SAVE LIVES. As such, DESC should be judged on that basis, not how many MacArthur Genius Grants their residents receive.

Neo-Realist February 22, 2012 (2:51 pm)

Exactly Carlton, they could use some “disadvantaged” housing.

Unfortunately, the city will pretty much build these DESC facilities in any neighborhood that lacks money and political clout–i.e.,south of the ship canal bridge.

Mickymse February 22, 2012 (2:59 pm)

*SIGH* This is why I didn’t support this meeting and didn’t attend. A meeting like this just encourages folks to stand up and complain about this project, and continue to spread their fear and misunderstanding about what the project actually is proposed to be and who will reside there.
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While DESC and the Seattle Office of Housing failed in multiple ways in how they announced this project to the neighborhood, it does not change the fact that ANYONE could have proposed a project like this. And opponents rarely comment on the actual impact of the building itself. The concern is primarily about the type of people who will live there.
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I have also noticed the tendency of the most vocal opponents to be relatively recent residents of Delridge, who apparently are unaware of the existing demographics of the neighborhood, which already contains service providers and many residents who are homeless, alcoholic, and/or mentally ill. Adding 66 new residents who are supervised 24 hours, and have providers on-site, seems like the least of our problems.

realist February 22, 2012 (3:13 pm)

“DESC = Compassion” clearly has monetary interest in this project.

Kayleigh February 22, 2012 (3:23 pm)

I have weighed in on this topic ad nauseum, but I just have to say this…
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DESC is not victimizing the Delridge neighborhood. In their mind, they are advocating *for* the powerless who have no voice. Believe it or not, there are people more disadvantaged and powerless than the people who already live in Delridge. In fact, it’s hard to imagine someone *less* powerful than someone who is homeless and mentally ill. OK, maybe a child or an animal. But it’s kinda obvious, really.
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Also, DESC is not a multimillion dollar real estate development company who can afford to buy land in downtown Bellevue to subject the wealthy and clout-filled to their supposedly dastardly plans. Hello…they build where they can afford to build.

Jim Landau February 22, 2012 (4:34 pm)

I think the biggest issue I have with this project is the proximity to the elementary school. That alone should be enough to stop this project.

Tanya Baer February 22, 2012 (4:47 pm)

Regarding Sex Offenders:
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As I understand it, DESC needs a letter from the neighborhood stating that “we” don’t want Sex Offenders living in the proposed project. I don’t know how this requirement was relayed to the Neighborhood Council or what conversations have occurred between DESC and the Neighborhood Council on this subject . I am unaware of the status of this letter. You can direct your questions about this to the North Delridge Neighborhood Council (contact@ndnc.org) or to the Delridge Alliance (alliance@ndnc.org).
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It is my understanding that some neighbors feel strongly that sex offenders should not be allowed in the DESC building while other neighbors feel that this is discriminating and that even sex offenders need homes. I believe that the Neighborhood Council has had trouble reconciling this divide.
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I had intended to bring this point up at the meeting last night – just to highlight that it remains unresolved and to ask the newly formed Advisory Committee to address it – but I ran out of time (note: I had already gone over time with my testimony as it was.)
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I have learned in my research that the incidence of Sex Offenders among the severely mental ill is very low. Apparently the kind of mental capacity it requires to be a sexual predator is nearly impossible if your sole focus is simply getting through the day, as is the case with the population that DESC serves. Forgive me if I have not stated that correctly or thoughtfully enough. This is not my specialty and I am just learning here.
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I do not know about the rules to house sex offenders near schools and libraries, so I have to wonder if DESC would even be allowed to have them at this particular project site. Does anyone know about this?
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Personally, I have remained involved in this process to help provide opportunities for neighbors to express their comments and/or concerns. I think that bringing a project such as the DESC project to North Delridge is significant and that asking decision makers to be thorough with their review process is needed and warranted. I believe public involvement can strengthen the neighborhood and the project itself.

Perry February 22, 2012 (6:29 pm)

The unending hatred toward mentally ill people so richly demonstrated in this dialog (much like the hatred that occurred for African Americans until the civil rights movement ended it) will never end until the bigots are forced by reasonable members of the community to accept that we all live close to homeless mentally ill people, and that a supervised project like this is far better than what we all already live near to. Sadly, most people don’t recognize that all of the data that has been accumulated suggest that we should fear the sex offenders who are our family members, friends,neighbors, and teachers, rather than strangers who look and behave differently.

DESC = Compassion February 22, 2012 (6:49 pm)

Tanya was at the Mercer Island funding meeting where DESC agreed to accept a letter from the community group.
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As Tanya now re-iterates, the level of functionality of most residents of DESC facilities is not a threat to the community. Actually, it is the community of the streets that is the real threat to these unfortunate victims. When left on the streets homeless, they are assaulted, raped and killed.
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Add that to the fact that very few if any DESC residents are sex offenders.
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Ironically, the DESC apartments will be the only place in Delridge to screen for such people. Sex offenders are already amongst us, even in Delridge.
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The sex offender issue is just another red herring in this debate so filled with mis-information.
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I find it frustrating that DESC opponents so rarely acknowledge some of these facts.

Kgdlg February 22, 2012 (7:08 pm)

@perry, well said. I can totally get behind the dialogue about a fragile population in a fragile business district, but do any of you people actually know any severely mentally ill people? The accusations here about them are so baseless, cruel and well, just mean. There is not a shred of evidence that demonstrates any corrolation between mental illness and sexually predatory behavior. If anything, these are the people most at risk for physical abuse in particular! This entire thread makes me ashamed to be a west seattlite.

Creekside February 22, 2012 (8:18 pm)

@Perry and Kgdlg – No one in the video spoke of or referenced hatred towards mentally ill people. I am really at a loss as to where are you coming from. Did you even watch the video? People in the video actually spoke of concern for this vulnerable population being put in an unstable neighborhood where they will be at risk to the many not so nice people, who are themselves addicts or have other major issues and who like to sell drugs and prey on the people like the ones you claim to be concerned about. Is it really that hard to comprehend that people can care deeply about fragile, mentally ill humans and at the same time have an understanding from their own life experience of actually living in the neighborhood where these people are to be housed that this is not good place for them to be placed? Why are you unable to hold two ideas and concepts in your head at once? The self righteousness is galling.

DelridgeV February 22, 2012 (8:30 pm)

To be clear, back at a meeting in November w/the city’s Office of Housing boss, there was widespread agreement that the level of public outreach about this mult-million dollar, taxpayer funded development was not considered sufficient by interested community members, some long-time residents and some newbies. In fact, that same Housing boss proposed the community advisory committee in the first place. His suggestion was supported not only by the developer, but by city and county funding decision-makers. Last night was not about the rightness or wrongness of this development, but about acknowledging that all the residents of Delridge have needs and interests that should not be ignored or dismissed. Rather, neighbor’s concerns deserve to be listened to, thoughtfully considered, and responded to in a timely and respectful manner.

Jiggers February 22, 2012 (9:14 pm)

DESC only cares about how much money they receive from the City or wherever it comes from. They get more money based on the cases of people that use their services. That’s all its about.

Kgdlg February 22, 2012 (9:20 pm)

@creekside I was speaking specifically about this thread and not the video. The comments have numerous references to protecting children from the residents of this proposed project. And in general, as I have been following this ongoing discussion there always seems to be an accepted belief that the people here will be dangerous and it is my opinion based on a fairly good amount of experience with the homeless and mentally ill that this is not true. I can actually hold various perspectives in my head :) thanks for asking. I said that I got why the dialogue is happening. I get the neighborhood even though I don’t live there I spend a good amount of time in it and near it. I get fragile business districts. All I want is for people to talk about the mentally ill as people not dangerous pedophile lepers.

DESC = Compassion February 22, 2012 (9:31 pm)

Creekside,
Maybe not in the video shown by WSB, but for you to wonder where we are coming from, indicates you have not read dozens of posts here at WSB and on the other Delridge sites that expose neighbors who openly express prejudice.
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Of course few people wish to paint themselves as prejudiced which results in the tortured logic and “explanations” of people like Creekside.
Creekside recently claimed how Delridge never receives government support. When someone replied with a long list of largesse received by Delridge, Creekside had no response.

Kgdlg February 22, 2012 (10:01 pm)

@jiggers
I am pretty sure DESC cares about the people they serve. You don’t get into the nonprofit biz of serving the most destitute to make money. It just doesn’t work that way.

MyEye February 22, 2012 (10:02 pm)

DESC != Compassion

It’s a fun change of course that you chance your alias and your argument from NIMBY to bias. There was a clear request for such a background check that you are saying they agreed to, and to which they haven’t. They won’t. That’s a fact.
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The claim that their programs don’t work is completely based on the available information. The statistical information that I have available to me is from their own website! Just housing someone is not a CURE for homelessness. Your reduction to the absurd is cute. But not based on any association to reality. Frankly, the information available indicates that DESC would be as successful building facilities on Kellog Island as they would on Delridge. Though, if you want holding facilities in depressed neighborhoods, go DESC!

visitor February 23, 2012 (2:40 am)

so much fear!

DelridgeSkeptic February 23, 2012 (9:15 am)

The idea that you can argue against judgment with more judgment is just intellectually bankrupt.

Jiggers February 23, 2012 (1:21 pm)

So, how much more dangerous is DESC going to make Delridge as it already is? Not much, if any at all. Let’s not sugarcoat the truth what Delridge already has become. There are thousands of druggies,sex offenders and mental people living in normal apartments, but are subsidized in Delridge. What makes this any different to Delridge? They are homeless and don’t have their own place to do drugs and be mental? And do you really know who your neighbor actually is? They could be sex offenders and such….

RealityBites February 23, 2012 (1:40 pm)

DESC=Compassion, your comments have a common thread that insinuates that people asking questions and raising concerns=opposing the project. That’s just simply not true. In reality, what’s important to some people to point out is that what DESC does is not more important than how they do it.

The reality is that this is a government funded project and therefore the bar for a developer’s conduct is higher than if it were a private project. But even if it was a private project, most multi-million dollar developers figure out that working with communities is the best way to avoid pissing people off (lots of mad people file lawsuits and make lots of phone calls to public officials).

DESC is now just having to take their medicine and deal with the consequences of the mistakes they made in the way they came into this community. I could name quite a few of their blunders, but I’ll stick to the first–they couldn’t keep their cool when a room full of people started asking some pretty typical questions. Basically, DESC needs to learn how to stand the heat, or else they should to stay out of the kitchen!

Creekside February 23, 2012 (7:05 pm)

@ “DESC=Compassion”, “John” or “Double Diamond” or whatever you are going by today. Where or when did I, Creekside, write, or claim that “Delridge never receives any government support”. Operators are standing by.
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As for your reading of comments on the WSB and equating those comments with the true public opinion on the matter of Delridge residents awareness of mental health and addiction issues is nuts. Have some mano-a-mano, down home direct yap fests with people around Delridge before you do the blanket passing of judgement. To do otherwise, is the classic Seattle Subtle version of classism, racism and smugness that runs rampant.

Creekside February 23, 2012 (7:34 pm)

Anyone who has been around Delridge for any length of time knows of the legendary gentleman speaking from 19:20 > 21:45. His closing couple of sentences sums up the situation better than anyone else ever could. For all of the poop on Delridge commenters out there who cast us all as a bunch of uncaring, heartless souls, take note, a few neighbors of this man prevented him from being financially cleaned out much like those slime bag salesmen at Huling Brothers ripped off a man a few years back. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003533229_huling20m.html

DESC = Compassion February 23, 2012 (9:24 pm)

Creekside, operators standing by. Let’s refresh your memory.
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“What is with your comment ‘Delridge receiving far more than its share of government largesse in the last decade’ supposed to mean? If you are implying that a historically ignored and disenfranchised, poor and racially diverse neighborhood being brought up to standards with some parks and a couple of sidewalks that most neighborhoods in Seattle take as a given than wow, that is Classism and Racism at its finest.
Comment by Creekside — February 17, 12 9:28 am #”
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DelridgeV February 24, 2012 (8:57 am)

Creekside, I can hear the frustration you have with the dismissal of neighbor concerns by way of blanket accusations of bigotry/NIMBY/prejudice/etc, etc, etc. It’s clear that you care deeply about your community. I think it’s unfortunate that some are pushing the discussion towards negativity, but unfortunately I’m not sure there’s much anyone can do to change their minds.
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I want to encourage you to be actively involved with the positive happenings on the neighborhood advisory committee. Neighbors and DESC have already been working together to seek out community input, are committed to doing more of that and having genuine dialogue about issues of concern.
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If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, anything really, please email alliance@ndnc.org and your neighborhood representatives on the advisory committee will be more than happy to figure out how we can work together to improve Delridge.

RealityBites February 24, 2012 (4:49 pm)

Kgdlg wrote above, “The accusations here about them are so baseless, cruel and well, just mean.”

I am baffled by the harsh, judgmental and argumentative tactics of those who call themselves standing up for those who are unjustly accused and discriminated against.

Dr. King wrote, “Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.”

Also, “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

Finally, “Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.”

In closing, to those of you who want to be considered fighters against injustice, you might want to step back and re-evaluate your methodology and practices.

DESC = Compassion February 24, 2012 (5:13 pm)

DelridgeV,
When you wrote, “I think it’s unfortunate that some are pushing the discussion towards negativity, but unfortunately I’m not sure there’s much anyone can do to change their minds,” were you aware of Creekside’ comments?
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His charges of “Classism and Racism at its finest”
are the way he expresses his deep care for the community by pushing the discussion towards negativity.
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Apparently, people such as Perry, Kgdlg and myself
who voice support for the DESC project do not deeply care for the community and are therefor not encouraged to participate.

DelridgeV February 24, 2012 (5:36 pm)

DESC=Compassion. You and any other interested individuals are more than welcome to participate in the work of the advisory committee. My efforts as a member of the group are towards encouraging dialogue, especially amongst those who are in disagreement.

And, to clarify, I reached out to Creekside neither to condone nor decry his statements. Rather, he is expressing concerns about his neighborhood, which I have volunteered to present to the advisory committee.

If his statements hurt your feelings, then that is truly unfortunate.

DelridgeV February 24, 2012 (5:57 pm)

DESC=Compassion. You and any other interested individuals are more than welcome to participate in the work of the advisory committee. My efforts as a member of the group are towards encouraging dialogue, especially amongst those who are in disagreement.

And, to clarify, I reached out to Creekside neither to condone nor decry his statements. Rather, he is expressing concerns about his neighborhood, which I have volunteered to present to the advisory committee.

If his statements hurt your feelings, then that is truly unfortunate.

DelridgeV February 25, 2012 (9:16 am)

DESC=Compassion, like Creekside you betray your feelings of concern and care, in this case for DESC’s client population, by your defensiveness. Your motivations are certainly admirable, but I can’t help but suggest that if your goal is to gain support for this project/change the way people talk about said population, then you might want to try a different tact. For example, rather than picking apart people’s comments with a scalpel (you do his well I’ll admit), you might instead try a gentler, more persuasive, approach. I encourage you not to underestimate the power of empathy, because if you want people to avoid judgment, then you need to take the first step of modeling that behavior.

Creekside February 27, 2012 (4:00 pm)

@DelridgeV – Thank you for your efforts at serving on the advisory committee. I do hope you are someone who actually lives in the affected area and not one of the many on the committee who it seems are coming from all over the map. Including someone from Redmond. How or why that happened is beyond me and frankly, is outrageous. Redmond, that bastion of diversity and poverty. Good grief.
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@ DESC=Compassion – Pardon my tardy reply, I was out of town for a few days at one of my many other homes. Jetted off to Kauai for the weekend. Private jet and all. My secretary, errr operator just passed me your message. Let’s take off where we left off.
You write this; “Delridge never receives any government support”. And equate it with what I, Creekside, wrote; “What is with your comment ‘Delridge receiving far more than its share of government largesse in the last decade’ supposed to mean? If you are implying that a historically ignored and disenfranchised, poor and racially diverse neighborhood being brought up to standards with some parks and a couple of sidewalks that most neighborhoods in Seattle take as a given then wow, that is Classism and Racism at its finest.
Comment by Creekside — February 17, 12 9:28 am #”
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Dude, or Dudette, don’t ever try to be a stenographer, as you are operating in a completely different universe if you think that what I wrote is equal to what you say I did. ‘Nuff said.
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A life coach suggestion for you. Have you thought about utilizing your time more effectively? Instead of railing on legitimately concerned Delridge folks, how about you taking all that energy of yours and volunteering to raise more money for the DESC so they can build their facilities in neighborhoods that will actually prove to be beneficial to the people they serve instead of plopping them in a known nasty hot spot for all kinds of crud.
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The last thing I want is for one of the DESC clients to be harmed by one of our local Delridge nasty persons or drug dealers. And I have never been one to use the phrase I told you so. However, if or when it happens that DESC person is either assaulted, raped, run over or God forbid worse, I will be breaking my lifelong rule, loud and often.