DESC Delridge project 3/4 complete, advisory committee told

(WSB photo, added Wednesday morning)
The DESC homeless-housing building at 5444 Delridge Way is three-fourths complete, DESC executive director Bill Hobson told its Advisory Committee tonight when they met at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Hobson says it’s expected to be complete in November, with residents starting to move in near year’s end, two and a half years after the $14 million plan was first disclosed to neighborhood advocates.

Asked by committee member Dorsol Plants how the residents will be chosen, Hobson said they will use DESC’s standard procedure (described in part in the project FAQ). He also announced that they’ve hired a building manager from within DESC, Levi Dineson. He and his to-be-hired staff will handle the process of choosing residents, who will be moved in groups of 15 to 20 until the 66-studio-apartment building is full. Hobson said the manager’s job also will include neighborhood outreach and participation in the North Delridge Neighborhood Council. One decision yet to be made – a permanent name for the building, currently dubbed Delridge Supportive Housing. The committee discussed the possibility of using a relevant local geographic term as part of the name – such as Longfellow, Findlay (the nearest east-west street), or Cottage Grove. The name will be chosen at the next DESC Board of Directors’ meeting.

Legitimate Questions September 25, 2013 (3:45 am)

Note to self, dare to ask legitimate questions about how and where $14 million of tax payer dollars is spent and and out of the box you will be labled a NIMBY by the supposed good people of the DESC and anyone else who doesn’t live remotely close to a chosen location.

This power point makes the rounds at state and local conferences on ‘Supportive Housing’. Produced and presented by the DESC’s own Nicole Macri. Ugly. Very.
–

http://static.squarespace.com/static/513e08bfe4b0b5df0ec24cda/t/5187dc76e4b0b930f1d18228/1367858294529/March_22_1115_Addressing%20community%20opposition%20to%20HF_Macri.pdf

mcbride September 25, 2013 (8:21 am)

I recall the first time I became aware of that presentation, during the height of the conflict down in Delridge. It certainly influenced my opinion on DESC’s sincerity about community.

DH September 25, 2013 (8:45 am)

I own and live in a house across the street from a housing program and they are much better neighbors than some others. It is certainly legitimate to ask questions about how funding is spent but I honestly don’t find that presentation the least bit ugly. Its seems like a good presentation on how to plan for and address NIMBY, because it does exist.

DW September 25, 2013 (10:20 am)

I work near the DESC Emergency Center downtown. if the residents of the Delridge building are anything like the people downtown we are all in a lot of trouble!

John September 25, 2013 (11:13 am)

Let’s see. We are spending $210,000 per person to give a nice apartment in a nice neighborhood to 65 so-called “homeless” people. I must be doing something wrong or maybe I’m just not wealthy enough to empathize with their plight.

a September 25, 2013 (1:29 pm)

nothing like spending $14,000,000 to drive down housing prices and make the neighborhood more undesirable

Jim P. September 25, 2013 (5:54 pm)

I’d like to see more commentary from the organizers of this place as to how the likely security issues in the neighborhood will be handled.

I will also be curious to see what this does to the already “entertaining” riders one sometimes finds on the 120 late in the evenings.

Legitimate Questions September 26, 2013 (4:33 am)

@ Jim P. – Very good legitimate question.
–
I have yet to hear a straight answer from the DESC or their mouthpieces as to how and where the known addicts are going to obtain their fix.
–
I am not interested in working with the DESC regarding ANY security or illegal behavior presented by their operation that they chose to bring to a troubled area. 911 and SPD are my proper channel for any and all issues of suspicious behavior. I encourage everyone to do the same.

Sorry, comment time is over.