Bigots for Neighbors. Catholic Charities proposed a 40 or so unit apartment complex

[jtuck004]

next to them in a neighborhood near us in Spokane Valley, WA. Bought a house next door, let the fire department use it for training, and were going to build a complex for low-income seniors, next to the school they operate in the area behind the church.

The neighbors flew into a rage, screaming about how it would lower values in the neighborhood, etc. Frankly, this isn't a really high-income neighborhood, and I don't see it, but that was one of the things they were screaming about.

There are small green yard signs lining the street - "No Means No", "This isn't God's love", "Treat Your Neighbors Well", yada, yada. (Which, frankly, probably do more to detract from the area than a few more older folks would have).

What really typified the reaction was an article in the Valley Voice section of the Spokesman Review today, (need subscription for online access, as far as I can tell) noting that the city council has denied the permit because of the bigoted uproar. Here is the real reason...

"If my children went to St. John Vianney School, I wouldn't want them playing with a low-income renter," one woman said at a public meeting. "I don't want them interacting with my children".

It's not about property values. It's about the lack of decent values.

[monmouth]

1. I doubt low-income seniors have any children....It's the "Catholic" thing...n/t

[jtuck004]

2. They have low-income grandchildren that might show up - that was voiced in

one of the meetings.

Though I am sure you are correct about the anti-catholic bias as well.

[PA Democrat]

3. We saw a similar reaction by neighbors when a non-profit

for which I served on the board of directors was buying a home to be used as a group home for adults with disabilities. The homes we operated were always kept immaculately, usually the nicest in the entire neighborhood, but that didn't stop people from protesting and being hateful.

One of the people who made the most outrageous comments and was quoted in the local newspaper and on TV news is one of the most sanctimonious bible-thumpers I know. I heard that her parish priest was so appalled by her very public behavior that he asked her to sit down with him and discuss her attitude toward people with disabilities.

[patrice]

4. Shame. Where is their pride? and I don't mean vanity. nt

[madrchsod]

5. gang banger seniors?

those people should be ashamed of themselves.

[baldguy]

6. "Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me."

[The empressof all]

7. Funny thing is that the income cap for these kinds of comunities is sometimes quite high

Here in Seattle a couple with an income under 40,000 per year can qualifiy for some Senior Housing programs with reduced rents. The apartments are still quite pricey but below market rates.

http://www.housing4seniors.com/home.php

It only takes a few ignorant asses to fly off the handle and ruin things for everybody....:crazy:

[jtuck004]

8. These are their neighbors - the ex-teacher, policeman, person who swept the floors at their fast

food place - everyone. Do they expect them to just go throw themselves in a ditch? Live downtown with the younger crowd?
Die Quickly?

Who in the hell taught people like this that it was ok to talk about or treat their neighbors like that? Or for that matter not stand up and object. I want to pick up a rock and bean them at the podium, but I am not sure that's the best answer. Not sure it isn't, either.

If I had a bit of money and time I would buy a house on that street. Then open up a pig rescue. Big, honkin', stinky lumbering porkers running around the back yard. Put up barb wire and tell them to keep the kids hands out so they don't get eaten. A lawyer could keep the city busy for at least a year or so. Then I could close it and open up a junk business, starting with the old cars I bought and parked in the yard. Talk a lot about how my cousins are comin' to buy a place too - but they are from the poor side of the family, so we all want to live together on the same street. Have lots of friends with bad mufflers stop by for iced tea. Or whatever.

:)

There could be such fun ways of running them screaming back to the church who was only trying to provide homes for older folks in poverty.

[butterfly77]

9. No matter what they do..

they will have to interact with low income people somewhere down the road..

[Cleita]

11. The gardener comes to mind. n/t

[southernyankeebelle]

13. You bet. If this economy keeps going down they will be poor. Crazy.

[butterfly77]

15. They think they are..

different and somehow better,they don't even see it coming. I see people who now are in that situation and can't believe all of the difficulties,they are dealing with when they find out how hard it is now,to get work,food clothing and shelter. These are some of the same people who use to say "they are lazy" "they need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

I remember seeing a story on night on the news of this guy who had his big house,cars,and ballet lessons etc.for his kids he was sitting in the welfare office trying to get some help and when he saw what they had to offer he was stunned and started rattling off all of his expenses as though they gave a damn. This guy was upper middle class.

[Cleita]

10. I'm surprised. I found Spokaners to be relatively

un-bigoted, compared to other places in the USA, when I was hanging around there in the summer about twelve years ago. Have you gotten a bunch of newcomers from the lower states?

[jtuck004]

14. That street hasn't changed hands much in the past few years

based on public records, what it looks like is mostly people with families that have been there for a while.

Then again, it's a pretty white town, so maybe poverty becomes the target. Maybe people gotta find something to pick on, especially if life is scaring them. Too bad they don't default to working together. It would give them a lot more security.

So would accurately identifiying their enemies instead of hiding them behind low-income seniors.

[Luminous Animal]

12. A similar thing happened here when Catholic Charities wanted to build at the corner of 16th & Church

in San Francisco. The condo owners on Church St. tried to stop the complex - I went to many hearings in support of the building and the convoluted language employed to NOT sound racist would have been hilarious if it weren't for the circumstances.

In the end, Catholic Charities prevailed but they offered up many concessions. I don't remember any of them except one - the people who live in the Catholic Charities building are not allowed to use their beautiful courtyard without prior approval from the condo owners homeowners association. Talk about a plantation mentality.