Priorities

One of the most important things we can do to address housing issues is to get rid of or restructure “fee in lieu.” We need to make it a more expensive option and either extend or get rid of the current 10-year limit. I understand there are a myriad of issues that are tied in with this, but I don’t see how placing another apartment complex that nobody can afford into every available sliver of land is helping anybody. We need affordable housing communities that give people the opportunity for home and land ownership.

I am a big proponent of “housing first,” and see the pallet shelters as a first step in providing this. Only when people have shelter, safety, and the ability to shower and seek employment can they begin to get back into society. Congregate shelters have their place, especially in times of inclement weather, but they are not the solution.

This is a very personal issue for me. I have a very close family member with a substance issue, and I would like to think if she ever decided to seek help, the resources would be available to help her. One small step we can take is to add Narcan to every city first aid kit. It should be as crucial as having an AED. The other thing I would like to see is an increase in support to the Alternative Response Unit. This unit not only responds to many of the drug related calls in the city, but has case workers assigned to it to provide much needed follow-up care, including providing medications such as Suboxone, which has been shown to greatly increase the odds of recovery and survival.