WELCOME TO THE ORIGINAL WALLA WALLA ALLIANCE FOR THE HOMELESS WEBSITE
In a
public meeting on July 6 attended by more than 100 people, both housed and
homeless, those present voted to form a new community nonprofit organization
called the Alliance for the Homeless. Many of those present agreed to join the
organization which has a membership fee of $25 or more for those who can
afford it, or whatever is practical for those who can’t.
A
steering committee along with a board of directors has been formed to work
on policies, procedures, and implementation. Retired pastor Chuck Hindman serves as chair.
The
purpose of the organization is to plan the operation of homeless day center services as well as a micro-housing facility, and to seek public support for their implementation. Those wishing to
join the Alliance are encouraged to send membership fees to the Alliance for the
Homeless, PO Box 3431, Walla Walla, Washington.
The organization has incorporated as a Washington non-profit organization and has been granted tax exempt status by the IRS, so contributions to it are tax-deductible.
As nearly everyone in our community is aware, there are many
unmet needs of homeless persons in the city of Walla Walla and Walla Walla
County. Too many individuals and some families
have no safe, legal place to sleep at night, to keep their belongings, to shower, do
laundry, prepare food, receive mail, and perform other everyday tasks. The lack of such facilities causes undue
suffering on the part of the homeless as well as a variety of problems for our community.
The Alliance is dedicated to working itself and along with others to relieve this suffering and to further the well-being of the community as a whole.
The Alliance is dedicated to working itself and along with others to relieve this suffering and to further the well-being of the community as a whole.
Contact Us
Contact the Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless at wwalliance@charter.net, write to PO Box 3431, Walla Walla, WA 99362, or call 509-522-0399.
Neighbor Concerns
The problem our community and others face regarding the homeless is that
neighborhoods are not generally welcoming to them, and very few sites are
properly zoned, affordable, and within walking distance of services.
The Pine Street location we have identified is is the only site in our community that we are aware of that appears to meet those criteria, and in addition enjoys the significant buffers provided by the highway and Pine Street as well as access to adjoining public lands. Those are among the reasons the site was acquired by its existing owners in 2010 as a potential NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) clubhouse, campground, and community garden. The NAMI group didn’t make use of it, and the owners now need to pass on ownership to others.
Since it presents an opportunity for our community to meet a pressing public need, unless another site is identified that is found to be as suitable or unless we are willing to ignore that need, our attention needs to be directed to how the site can best be operated for the mutual benefit of the neighborhood, our homeless residents, and the community. We hope we all can approach the issue on that basis, and have begun meeting with the neighbors to discuss how to accomplish this.
The Pine Street location we have identified is is the only site in our community that we are aware of that appears to meet those criteria, and in addition enjoys the significant buffers provided by the highway and Pine Street as well as access to adjoining public lands. Those are among the reasons the site was acquired by its existing owners in 2010 as a potential NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) clubhouse, campground, and community garden. The NAMI group didn’t make use of it, and the owners now need to pass on ownership to others.
Since it presents an opportunity for our community to meet a pressing public need, unless another site is identified that is found to be as suitable or unless we are willing to ignore that need, our attention needs to be directed to how the site can best be operated for the mutual benefit of the neighborhood, our homeless residents, and the community. We hope we all can approach the issue on that basis, and have begun meeting with the neighbors to discuss how to accomplish this.
July 14 Steering Committee Meeting
The July 14, 2015 meeting of the Alliance for the Homeless steering committee
was attended by approximately thirty people. Here’s a summary of the action
taken:
1. Articles of Incorporation for the Alliance were presented and
accepted.
2. Draft bylaws were presented, discussed, and adopted.
3. The following officer and other positions of responsibility were
filled:
a. President: Chuck Hindman
b. Vice-President: Kent Van Cleave
c. Secretary: Pam Elliott
d. Treasurer: Nancy Monacelli
e. Coordinator: Dan Clark
f. Operations Committee Chair: Lynda Swanson
g. Finance Committee Chair: Nancy Monacelli
h. Capital Improvements Committee Co-Chairs: Chuck Hindman & Kent
Van Cleave.
4. An offer by anonymous supporters to purchase the proposed property on
Pine Street and to lease it to the Alliance at $1/yr for five years with an
option to purchase at the same price paid was accepted, and a commitment was
made to assume responsibility for capital improvements and operation of the
property as a homeless housing facility and day center to be called Madison Park in
honor of the previous owners.
5. A preliminary capital budget was reviewed, a provisional operations
budget was adopted, and an application to the IRS for tax exempt status was
approved.
6. The Madison Park Five Year Plan was adopted.
7. A petition to the Walla Walla City Council was approved for
circulation calling for the adoption of an ordinance providing a five-year
exemption from building code requirements for existing buildings to be used for
indigent housing when such use is consistent with the health and safety of all
occupants, as authorized by state law, RCW 19.27.042.
Please see our link for the Madison Park Five Year Plan, and the Petition to the Walla Walla City Council to Adopt an Exemption to the Building Code for Indigent Housing. You will also find on this website a national report on best practices for homeless facilities, as well as an informative video on Portland’s Right to Dream Too Campground.
We hope you will join us as we work toward assuring the availability of housing for every member of our community.
Madison Park Five Year Plan
MADISON PARK FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR
TEMPORARY HOUSING OF THE HOMELESS
At the Walla Walla City Council work session on homeless
housing on July 13, in response to a request by the newly founded Walla Walla
Alliance for the Homeless that the Council adopt a state-authorized indigent
housing exemption to the building code, the City Council deferred action on the
matter in the hope that the Alliance and others interested in the issue could
adopt a common approach, including the official Council on Homelessness which is
formulating a Five Year Plan to End Homelessness, business interests who are
concerned about the increasing homeless presence downtown, religious
congregations and others of good will who are concerned about the safety and
well-being of unhoused people in the community, and neighbors of the proposed
Madison Park site on Pine Street.
To seek to bring together the various interests, the following Five
Year Plan for Temporary Homeless Housing at Madison Park is adopted by the
Alliance:
1. The Walla Walla
Alliance for the Homeless will seek to become a member of the Walla Walla
County Council on Homelessness and will work with other members of the Council
to realize the Council’s plan to end homelessness in Walla Walla in the next
five years.
2. The Walla Walla
City Council will be asked to approve the proposed ordinance providing for a
five-year exemption from the building code for indigent housing in existing
buildings consistent with the health and safety of all occupants.
3. The Alliance will
accept the offer by a limited liability company to acquire the proposed Madison
Park property on Pine Street and to lease it to the Alliance for five years at
a rental of $1 per year with an option to buy at the same purchase price.
4. A five year
Madison Park capital and operations budget will be adopted by the Alliance, and
the community will be asked to contribute the necessary funds and labor to
operate Madison Park as a homeless village and day center for the five year
period.
5. An operations plan
will be developed by the board and steering committee of the Alliance in
consultation with representatives of the neighborhood, and at least one member
of the West End neighborhood will be appointed to the board of the Alliance.
6. The operation of
Madison Park will be reviewed annually during the five year period, with input
from the community on best practices.
7. At the end of the
five year period, a decision will be made in consultation with all sectors of
the community as to whether to continue operation of Madison Park.
7-14-15
HOMELESS MAILBOXES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE ALLIANCE
The Walla Walla Alliance for the
Homeless is offering free U.S. mail boxes to homeless people, accessible 24
hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Alliance has installed apartment-style mailboxes behind
the Christian Aid Center at 4th & Birch. Mail will be delivered to the
boxes by the U.S. Postal Service. Boxholders
will be able to make individual arrangements for mail forwarding and other
postal services just as any apartment dweller can do. Box assignments, maintenance, and keys for
the individual boxes will be provided by the Alliance.
Information on applying for a mailbox is available by
calling 541-203-0122, by email to mailboxes@wwallianceforthehomeless.com, on the Alliance’s website
at www.wwalliance.blogspot.com,
and at Walla Walla’s lunchtime soup kitchens.
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