|
Dear friends of AHHA,
There are many things coming up that are in large part due to the efforts of AHHA. One of the most important things is the Tiny House Villages and Emergency Housing Villages draft Ordinance coming before the Planning Commission for a vote on June 27th at the regular monthly meeting. The draft ordinance is on the county’s webpage for Tiny House Village and Emergency Housing Villages:
Tiny House Villages & Emergency Housing Villages Ordinance It's very important that we as a community help the Planning Commission understand these tiny house villages and any transitional opportunities, referred to as dependent unit villages or alternative lodge parks, must actually be made possible on a wider, more affordable scale by the County ordinance. We need to make sure they will support it at the level of local communities so each can facilitate these villages in every community that needs them in Humboldt. We know most people who are homeless in Humboldt have gone homeless while living here and that they would really prefer to be closer to their home communities. Many believe that people have to be near existing services, only in the major population areas for example, to be able to get what they want through the established institutionalized services. There is also the need to help people understand that communities want to help their own and have resources available through resource centers and other supportive services and services can be brought to people where they are. Local communities also want to foster support for their community-based organizations, like local civic and social groups, nonprofits, and churches. Mutual aid is extremely important in these kinds of developments. There has to be a way to create these in every community from the bottom up centered on those in need of transitional housing opportunities. Unfortunately, relying on the government to do it or relying on our sinstitutional social services to drive it, often leaves us with an institutional model that actually doesn't get to the people most in need or becomes out of reach for the locals. Please, send a comment, whatever you can, before the Planning Commission meets on 6/27 (macevedo@co.humboldt.ca.us.co) or attend the meeting at 6pm in the Supervisors Chambers and speak up to let them know what you see as important. It would be great if you would read the ordinance. We hope make it easier for all to understand the main points in a discussion of the ordinance at our next General Assembly on June 1st that will go from 11:30 to 1pm at the Labor Temple, 840 E Street in Eureka. For those who would like to join in the demonstration at the courthouse at 825 5th Street on protecting the Right to Rest and decriminalization of those with no place to go, we can walk over together. (See flyer attached) We are in need of people who want to serve on the Board or the Events Committee, helping to organize the volunteer and donor events to honor our volunteers and donors. We are hoping to expand the Media and PR committee to help us really keep AHHA in the forefront during this celebration of our 10th anniversary. And that can't happen anytime too soon. We truly need support with grant writing. If you know a potential grant writer who could help us secure funding for any of our endeavors please let us know. Grant writing is needed to create and build the organization through the development of board, and staff acquisition and training and the continuation of our outreach and other programs. Maybe you are the grant writing person we need! With the Care-A-Van, for example, our direct services mean that the out-going is constant, so our incoming needs to be constant. We always need behind the scenes support for restocking and soliciting donations and transporting them. We also need behind the scenes folks to help prepare for activities and events like the General Assembly, volunteer and tabling activities at Arts Alive, and some of the other upcoming summer and fall events we usually participate in like the North Country Fair. These events are great opportunities to interest new volunteers while sharing our mission and models with the wider community. AHHA really does need volunteers who are willing to transport materials to and from shower operations, as well as picking up and delivering items that might be needed by the administration/office. Much of this connective tissue was previously managed me, and I am limited in what I can do now. If you can help by volunteering in the office, the storage facility with donations, and helping to coordinate volunteer activity or processing volunteer applications, that too would be very, very helpful. We wish you all the best for the wonderful month of June. It's been a beautiful few days. I think we can look forward to more of that. We just want to say thank you very much for your commitment to AHAA and our guests, the people we serve in the community at large. None of what we do could be done without you.
Thanks very much for all you do. And for your ongoing support.
Hope to see you on Saturday. Nezzie
|
