Jerry Droz Was Right?
Reading the Times- Standard account of the Eureka Mayor's Race candidate forum, has me wondering if Jerry Droz was right in his accusation that Peter LeVallee contributed to the deterioration of the 101 corridor and the increase in the transient population?
It sounds like Levallee thinks the conversion of local motels into housing for the homeless as happened at the Serenity Inn and Broadway Motel is a good thing and he's suggesting more of the same.
I'll have to say I do get that yucko feeling when I drive by those places. I'm glad people have a place to sleep and stay out of the weather, but do we really need even more places like that around town?
Labels: 2010 Eureka City Council Race
posted by Fred Mangels @ 9:13 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
What's more powerful, your "yucko feeling" or being "glad" people have a place to sleep and stay out of the weather?
If your gladness carries more weight, then the answer to "do we really need even more places like that around town?" can be answered with data.
You simply assess whether there are homeless people in Eureka who would use this housing option.
If your yucko feeling carries more weight, is doesn't matter how many homeless people might use such a service because evidence is not a factor in the decision-making process.
When you drive by some of the small motels on Broadway, look to see who is outside. They seem to have enough money to buy cigarettes as they are all outside smoking and at times drinking beer. Several of the motels have had nothing but problems with the drugs and drug dealing and that includes Serenity Inn. Various agencies are paying the rent for these people to live in the motels but a lot of them through dealing drugs could afford to live somewhere else although it would create another drug problem in another neighborhood.
On the i$$ue of homele$$ness, LaVallee $aid he'd like to $ee adequate hou$ing provided, and that the reality wa$ many homele$$ individual$ $ $uffer from mental illne$$e$. He $ugge$ted potentially turning motel units into efficiency units to hou$e homele$$ so the city can coordinate with the county to provide ca$e management .
Egads!
Two related pieces of surprising research recently in the Times-Standard news that shoud be interesting to everyone living in Humboldt and relates to that yucko feeling you have, Fred. Will the mayoral candidates address this issue?:
~This quote is from the DA candidate debate article of 10/08/10:
"In June, the California Department of Justice reported that violent crime across the state in 2009 had dropped from the previous year by 6 percent. Humboldt County, however, reported an increase of 17 percent in violent crimes, with assaults rising more than 20 percent and homicides more than doubling, going from three in 2008 to eight in 2009.
Gallegos countered by saying that crime has actually been reduced during his time as district attorney, except last year, and attributed the recent increase to a faltering national economy.
”Since I've taken office, Humboldt County has become safer,” he said."
**********
~And this by Leo Sears (thank you) in his recent opinion article of 10/06/10:
"Eureka is the county's retail and social services center, and our already reduced police department must contend with 169 known sex offenders, 553 parolees, 496 supervised probationers and hundreds of unsupervised probationers living in the city, many of whom are drawn to drugs and contributed to the 166 violent and 2,267 property crimes last year, totaling 10 for every 100 Eureka residents."
**********
~Whatever you make of this, Fred, it's an eye-opener for sure about Crime and Crooks in Humboldt and Eureka. The numbers are astounding. I'd like to think the City Council are working on it?
Now ;
“You need to make people feel welcomed. You don’t have to agree with them. That’s not the role. The role is to provide an open forum for the community to get its issues before its public servants,” LaVallee said.
Then ;
He cut off , Jerry at the Council meeting when he mentioned ,
” homelessness dominating out Streets “.
” one that hides and cuts off the very people that elected him off at Council meetings far short of their 3 minute allotment time ”
Taken from , So Hum Parlance , Nov.5 , 2006 ………..” Peter LaVallee lost my vote a long time ago “
Lets hope if the Town Downer becomes 'transitional housing' those people are transitioned into permanent homes and on their way to productive lives.
One thing about social services not talked about that much but Ive noticed ..they get bigger and bigger but the homeless population is not shrinking. IF they were doing their jobs wouldn't both those populations shrink??
Just saying...
Maybe we should repeal property taxes in California so when you fall on hard times you will have somewhere to live and not have your property auctioned off by the county in a tax auction. Along with it you would have to severally limit Environmental Health departments powers to keep you from living on your property.
Why can't people see the connection between homelessness and the ever increasing burden to own your own place to live?
Anonymous 8:00am if you are tryna net bang you should do "anonymou$" too.
People of Eureka
Frank Jaeger needs to bring up a subject , Peter LaValle seems to be hiding from .
Peter’s connection to the , Redwood Community Action Agency & his duties working for this 17 million dollar Company . LaValle earns 52,000 dollars+ a year with them . RCAA claims it is non profit . Why does , Mr. LaValle not address his connection with the R.C.A.A. ? If he’s working 50 hours for them then he does not have enough time to fairly represent this Town as Mayor . Is the Serenity Inn run by him or the RCAA ? How many ” shelters ” has , LaValle brought into , Eureka . Why was his plans scrapped when he apparently wanted to turn the ” Best western Motel ” into another shelter ? Why did he cut off , Jerry at the Council meeting when he mentioned homelessness dominating out Streets ? Is Peter LaVallee part of the problem ? There are many questions Mr. Lavallee refuses to answer & many questions need to be answered and accounted for if he is to represent this City and its
people .
Eric Kirk
Is there something wrong with the RCAA? You have the make the case for relevance POE. Is it his place to discuss the business of an organization he works with during the campaign? If I ran for office I certainly wouldn’t be discussing my clients’ cases .
People of Eureka
What he does directly effects the City of Eureka and if it effects the City either negatively or positively he should address these issues rather than hide from them . You want an honest Mayor , don’t you ?……..or one that hides and cuts the very people that elected him off at Council meetings far short of their 3 minute allotment time ?
Is this someone who should be Mayor ?
Eric Kirk
So is the RCAA a criminal organization?
People of Eureka
I never ever said they were , but if someone is accountable , in this case , Peter LaVallee or even Bonnie Neely for anything that either directly or indirectly effects this City , its people & quality of life then they should be held accountable for what they have done . No one should elect a Mayor or Council person if their quality of life / employment is adversely effected by their actions .
To , Mr. Nice ,
No i shoudn't because I'm not making money off the homeless and that's the difference .
He was right but some thought he brought the wrong approach by interrupting, Peter LaVallee's speech . Nevertheless, Jerry....we thank you for letting us know . Too bad we were'nt able figure this out sooner .You saved our City from another 4 years with, LaValle .
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