The woman Mike Denny refers to whom I had as an Activist Forum guest was Theresa Coleman, who founded a project residents empowerment group called Ujamaa. She would be just the person to work with on this if we did it and she's still around. Barbara Meskunas (now of the SF Taxpayers Union) also spoke at the AF with Theresa, and had been heavily involved with assisting Ujamaa. She may know how to get in touch with her; unfortunately I think I lost Theresa's contact info in my big computer crash a couple years ago. I don't suppose anyone else has it?
I also coincidentally met at a BART station just a couple days ago an older black gentleman (I forget his name, though I think I'd know it if I heard it) who I believe said he was with a local church, possibly even a pastor. We got to talking, and he came across as fiscally conservative and cynical about government -- he did say he thought we need *some* regulation, but I got the sense that he was arguing against outright anarchy by that point, not for anything like the status quo. He seemed quite knowledgeable about city politics too (he guessed who I was just from my mentioning the word libertarian!). I was also amused that when the topic of the Redevelopment Agency came up and I said how outrageous it is that we still have a plaza named for Justin Hermann, the head of Redevelopment who wrecked the Fillmore neighborhood, he said he knew Justin Hermann, and the guy was a real piece of work (not his exact words, but it was something uncomplimentary!)
Anyway, I told him that we were tossing around this initiative idea, and he seemed interested in following up. He didn't have a card, but took mine and promised to email me, so hopefully he will.
Yours in liberty,
<<< Starchild >>>
My pleasure
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From:lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com [mailto:lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf OfRon Getty
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 11:45 PM
To: lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: BRAVERY IN THE PROJECTS [lpsf-activists] Organizing the Projects to Demand OwnershipDear Mike;
Thank you for reaching out and asking are there some brave people in the projects willing to step forward.
I understand the use of the word "brave" and know it is not a casual use given the context of the societal dynamics existing in the projects and the surrounding local communities.
I know people who have made it out of such projects in Chicago and New York City and life in the projects ain't easy. The will and stamina and internal intestinal fortitude needed to literally claw your way up and out does not come easy.
When we proceed forward, the battle royal, which is what it will be won't be very pretty. The Overlords rice bowls will get broke and people whose rice bowls get broke are mean and nasty and sometimes real ornery.
Thanks for helping.
Ron Getty
SF Libertarian
Dear Mesha and Reverend Burch,
The SF Libertarians are considering legislation calling for the government to give residents of public housing projects title and ownership for the property they live in removing it from government control and financing. It’s unbelievable but that was supposed to happen until the political establishment discovered how much money could be made “administering” public housing that never became the property of the tenants. According to my buddies Bishop Ishmael Burch and Rev. James McCray, this perverse program of government “justice” is the new slavery.
To be successful, the measure would require aggressive leadership from the public housing community. Do you know brave people in public housing who might be interested in working with us to make this an issue for the November 2006 campaign? We have the potential for some pretty good support from those working to make it legal for renters in rent-controlled apartments to buy their units.
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Wishing you happy Holy Days,
Michael Denny
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From:lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com [mailto:lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf OfRon Getty
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 6:54 PM
To: lpsf-activists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: YES - ORGANIZE THE PROJECTS [lpsf-activists] Organizing the Projects to Demand OwnershipDear Sarosh and Everyone Else;
I like your train of thought and totally agree.
BIG QUESTION - do you know of or have any contacts with any persons or peoples who are what would be considered community leaders in the various projects or project who we could have a meeting with to talk over this kind of issue???
In an earlier SF Activists e-mail I laid out some of the data the biggest data was the $235 MIllion the SFHA gets to play with.
There were some hell hole projects torn done and replaced with decent housing those types of projects would be the ideal situation for private ownership.
Due to corruption in contracting too many projects were built sub-standard and the buildings just by themselves became hell holes not even getting into the residential problems.
Just last month the Bay Guardian had one of its expose articles on how un-inhabitable the projects have become with massive amounts of deferred maintenance and repairs. A subsequent follow up meeting was reported on and how the residents gave the Director hell for BS on why the problems with getting repairs done.
This issue in the projects of decent housing - decent neighborhoods - decent community standards - decent place to have your chioldren grow up in is a powder keg issue.
Can we get or if we get the right contacts this could be a civil liberties/civil rights issue from the property ownership point of view and the rights of the local communities to control their community and not have to BEG:
the SFHA for a decent place to live by having home ownership
the police dept for community policing assistance/training to protect their lives and families and force drug dealers and gang bangers to go somewheres else - like jail.
the school board for decent local community schools and teachers so the parents could get the teachers the students need for decent education where the parents could have control of how the teaching gets done and what gets taught
the board of supervisors to stop putting so many hurdles in the way of businesses small or Big Box in creating new jobs from willing needful employees who desire decent incomes so they can provide for their families in the local communities
the SFPD working with the local communities with Witness protection programs to crack down on the drug dealers and block gangs so they won't be taking their lives in their hands just by stepping outside their front doors.
Ron Getty
SF Libertarian
In a message dated 12/14/2005 2:24:32 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, m@idiom.com writes:
> I also like the idea of project ownership as a proposed initiative.
> My idea of a first step here would be to research the applicable city
> codes (as we did with the Payroll Tax Codes before witing the Payroll
> Tax Initiative), and try to pinpoint the specific codes we would be
> modifying.
>
> The second step perhaps should be to see if Starchild (civil
> liberties initiative main proponent) and Sarosh (our resident real
> property expert) are behind the proposal.letting Project residents become homeowners wd be enormously threatening to the SF housing authority and the City's political establishment, as it is a source of huge corruption. the expenses pd for by Fed govt,is a way to provide $ to local favorites at the expense of the US taxpayer.
i had some contact w/ residnts several years ago to promote the idea, distributed flyers etc.
the residents know they are pawns being exploited, but are also scared.
anyone who can keep up a sustained info campaign, come up w/ a proposal and ongoing support cd perhaps make headway. city hall tries to buy off leaders of such groups, usually successfully.
it wd certainly give them something more to think abt and deal with, and cd perhaps radicalise enough residents so that there is growing support for idea.
to succeed, this is a movement that needs actual project tenants in the forefront.
Sarosh D. Kumana
www.sfrent.net
Tel: 415-861-4554
Fax: 415-864-0730
Cell: 415-425-5184SPONSORED LINKS
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