SWO 399: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Lingering

Creative Placemaking Readings

I just could not help myself from adding this music for this Blog entry -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTg1n95--KE

Home – Phillip Phillip’s

Hold on, to me as we go

As we roll down this unfamiliar road

And although this wave is stringing us along

Just know you're not alone

Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear

Don't pay no mind to the demons

They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down

If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone

Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear

Don't pay no mind to the demons

They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down

If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone

Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Chorus of Ooo’s and Aaa’s and Ohhhhh’s

Settle down, it'll all be clear

Don't pay no mind to the demons

They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down

If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone

Cause I'm going to make this place your home

Chorus

(The crowd goes wild!!!)

The ideas in the readings of having readily accessible public spaces for groups to meet for multiple purposes is something that I feel is incorporated into small communities all over Maine. Growing up in small towns and in rural areas, I claimed my space in different places and spaces. Many Grange buildings in Maine are being revitalized and restored for their communities to utilize. In East Vassalboro, we have a grange that holds many of its own events, always inviting others to come to find out what they are about. They have open events to help bring community members together to get to know one another, like open mic coffee house nights and yes, contra dances, as well as craft fairs and public suppers.

Our local town office opens a space for monthly senior luncheons that sometimes also provides topic speakers or other information for community members. Our fire station opens its doors to provide a space for a low cost rabies vaccine clinic annually for community members. We have a sports field for youth sports, a public boat landing and picnic area, and various annual events aimed at supporting local things. Our library is a cozy place with a woodstove, rocking chairs, children’s play area, computers, desks and tables. A local entrepreneur who purchased a large abandoned factory facility has opened it for events like a Haunted House and craft shows as well as indoor paintball. This generous man also cleaned up an area on the stream nearby, and created a public swimming area with a dock, float, picnic tables, boats and life preservers for anyone to use.

I knew all these things about my small community, but had not put them all together like this until now. Of course there is more I have left unsaid, but many of these things are events, not continually open indoor places and spaces. We have room for improvement and growth, for sure.

That said, I certainly can see and understand the need for readily accessible spaces for every citizen in every area. I can see how creating spaces for citizens to come in and linger can help to revitalize urban areas and bring citizenry together who might not otherwise cross paths.

Artistic expression is a way to do that. When families come together to watch some sort of children’s performance, community is built.

As I get to know the other families who are involved with my daughter’s Shakespearean theater group, I grow connections and gain a sense of belonging right along with my daughter. We help one another out with transportation to the group and if other needs arise, the group works together to the benefit of one another. Through pooling our meager recourses and creative skills, we help our children to be part of a pretty professional performance experience as well as provide quality entertainment for people of the community. Our kids get to expand their own ideas of who they are and who they can become. Everybody wins.

Our course focus on promoting affordable housing and influencing policy on the behalf of those who need sustainable housing seems too big alone, but through the group effort of the project of Marty’s, already in motion, and the arts and architecture students, what is evolving is bigger than we could accomplish alone. Although what we will be doing is an event, not a “Place”, the project seeks to involve the gamut of Portland community members.

Whenever stakeholders have input, the true needs of all get discovered. The roadblocks sometimes dissolve because of the common focus of the desired outcome. People look for ways to make things happen when they might not otherwise. I’ve seen it in projects that I’ve mentioned in previous blogs. I’ve seen it in the building of the home I am in at this very moment.

Property value and maintenance fees and associated operating costs seem to me to be common road blocks to creating places that are open and accessible to everyone in a community for an indoor “lingering” experience. We have outside spaces covered, I think. In order for it to happen, it needs to be valued. Maybe providing “events” can help make the need known and valued for more permanent “creative placemaking” in our communities

Since I started with a song, I think I’ll end with one. Because I can. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5HO-X_fR7o

I will wait for you - Mumford and Sons

Well, I came home

Like a stone

And I fell heavy into your arms

These days of dust

Which we've known

Will blow away with this new sun

But I'll kneel down,

Wait for now

And I'll kneel down,

Know my ground

And I will wait, I will wait for you

So break my step

And relent

Well, you forgave and I won't forget

Know what we've seen

And him with less

Now in some way shake the excess

'Cause I will wait, I will wait for you

And I will wait, I will wait for you

Now I'll be bold

As well as strong

And use my head alongside my heart

So tame my flesh

And fix my eyes

A tethered mind freed from the lies

And I'll kneel down,

Wait for now

I'll kneel down,

Know my ground

Raise my hands

Paint my spirit gold

And bow my head

Keep my heart slow

'Cause I will wait, I will wait for you

And I will wait, I will wait for you

New Hope Women’s Shelter Solon Maine

On an earlier post, I shared about a men’s shelter that I had the opportunity to be part of building during a service venture with teens from a youth group where I am part of the volunteer staff. Although I didn’t physically participate in this project, I have played a part in spreading the word of its existence and sharing the needs of the shelter community women. Therefore, I wanted to make a blog about how marvelously the project came together and how beautiful this new facility is. Teens I work with have been forever impacted by being given the opportunity to serve on this building project.

The shelter opened its doors, providing shelter for homeless women and their children on January 28, 2010. In the first 4 1/2 years of operations the shelter provided a place for over 400 women and children. The shelter sets aside 4 days each week to help navigate the different goals women are working on, such as medical, social, education, and employment as well as housing.

The operational expenses of the shelter are provided by churches, businesses, and caring individuals

June 2011, the ground was broken for a new shelter facility. Funds came from supporters from surrounding community members, churches, businesses and from philanthropic fundraisers. Many businesses were very generous to the project and included large business like Plum Creek Foundation who made a donation for beds, as well as small business such as a group of hairstylists who did a fundraiser, donating the money raised to the shelter. It was projected that it will cost $200,000 to build, give or take; probably a little more than that, strictly from donations.

Many hands came together and brought the project through from the beginning to the end. People from other states came up on their vacations and did hands on work. Teens and adults from my church spent time on the project. Community members from the surrounding Solon area, known for their community spirit, rallied around the project and donated time, labor, and equipment. It can house up to 40 women and has provided shelter to mothers and their children as well as women from ages 15 to 70.

Here are some pictures of the new shelter as well as links that were from the Shelter’s website of other Christian philanthropic enterprises from around the state who are providing needed services to their communities.

Groundbreaking

Walls!!

Roofing

Siding

Flooring and Paint

Plum Creek Donates!

Assembling beds

Reception

Hairstylists fundraiser

Lockers

Laundry

Kitchen! WOW!

Bedrooms

Community room

More of community room

Links to other ministries:

Trinity Men's Shelter and Trinity Family Shelter located at a sister church in Skowhegan, Maine.

http://www.shelterbyjesus.org/

Franklin County Family Shelter located at Living Waters Church in Farmington, Maine.

http://lwagstrong.com/

The Mansion Ministry- A church specifically begun for formerly incarcerated people located near Bangor, Maine.

http://themansionministry.webs.com/

Shepherd's Godparent Home- A Christian home for pregnant women and their babies after birth. Their is a transitional home also provided for up to an additional year called "Nikki's Hope"

http://www.godparenthome.org/

The King's Daughters Home- A Christian home that provides a safe living environment for single young women who are in college or working.

http://www.allsoulsbangor.com/kdh/index.htm

First Choice Pregnancy Center- Christian pregnancy resource center for expectant moms or dads.

http://firstchoicepregnancycenter.org/

Manna Ministries- This Bangor ministry provides shelter, counseling, a Christian recovery program, and a food pantry.

http://www.mannamaine.org/

Welcome to Housing- This Bangor ministry provides furniture and various household goods to anyone leaving a shelter and moving into their own home or apartment and also to families who have lost their homes to fire.

http://welcometohousing.com/

Hope Revived Ministries Hope Revived Ministries is teaching disadvantaged young women who they are in Christ. It is a healing ministry that is equipping these young women through Christ and allowing them to fulfill the purpose that God has for their lives. It will take in ladies to live in a 6 month program and will minister Biblical truths to those that have a low self esteem and other various issues. Some of these issues are self-harm, depression, eating disorders and other types of abuse.

http://www.deeperlifeassembly.org/ministries/hope_revived.html

Thoughts on readings from Beginner’s Guide to Community-Based Arts

Contact – Cultivate trust, mutual understanding and commitment as a foundation for your

creative partnership.

Research – Gather information about the people, places and issues you are working with.

Action – Produce a new work of art that benefits the community.

Feedback – Spark community reflection, dialogue and organizing to spread the impact of the

new work.

Teaching – Pass on new community-building skills to others to sustain the impact.

This text is rich with experience and insight on building relationships within communities and ideas on helping the community to bond and grow. Being able to think outside the box and approach social issues within communities in ways that reaches the heart of the community and mobilizes them to come together for a particular purpose and agenda is not an easy task. Reading about how different communities were impacted by utilizing art in an outside the box way to do so makes me excited to be part of this course.

As I read the other collaborative course blogs I am getting excited to see what comes of it all. Because I live in a suburb area of Waterville, I am excited to see the architect students’ project in Waterville unfold for real. I was unable to get to the first art student collaborative piece and am still a little uncertain as to how it will unfold. I can see how our collaborative course projects are following the above outline from the book, more so at this point in the course that I could earlier.

Shared experience builds relationships. It’s what we’ve told our youth in the groups where I am part of the volunteer staff. Coming together to create something is an excellent way to build relationships. I can see how the busy community members who participate in interviews can consider themselves as part of the project and therefore have a vested interest in the outcome. I am excited to see the project come together. Prayers for good weather for the out of doors piece!

As a person who has been interested in homelessness in Maine, especially among our most vulnerable populations, developing ways to provide safe shelter for people as well as providing ways to help meet their other needs, I am very happy to be part of this course. It is much more than I anticipated upon reading the course description when signing up. I like things to HAPPEN, so this is probably the hard part for me. I think that sometimes planning boards get all wrapped up in themselves and their governing power, so much so that they make moving forward hard when there are pressing needs, harder than it has to be. I hope this is not the case and that there will be progress made soon. The needs are there and are not declining.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Downstairs bedroom!!! Yay!!

Tiny Homes

Just like conventional homes, tiny home designs can be as simple and sparse or elaborate as one’s budget allows. You can start out sparse and with foresight and planning, create a shell design that will allow for features to be added as your budget allows.

Finding designs that allow a downstairs bedroom or sleeping space can be what makes or breaks one’s ability to adapt to a tiny home. In the 70’s, my hippie cousin and her husband lived in a tiny cabin that had a bump-out for their bed. It was sort of like a greenhouse window without the window and an opening a bit smaller than the mattress. They had a light and some shelves in there. It worked for them.

I had another hippie cousin couple that converted a school bus and had it parked in her in-laws rural driveway for a few years until they saved enough to get their own property. This living arrangement was symbiotic as the couple utilized the family home kitchen and showering facilities and the couple helped the homeowner with whatever his needs were.

Back to the downstairs bed designs versus loft sleeping designs. I know from experiencing bunk sleeping at retreats, when camping and growing up that I did not enjoy the climb to your bed experience on a regular basis. Now that I’m older, I would rather sleep on the floor than climb a ladder. Drowsy nighttime trips to the bathroom would probably end badly, or at least, wake me up to such an extent that getting back to sleep would be a lengthy process.

I had a Chalet folding camper that I just loved that with a few more amenities, I felt I could live in it year round if I had to. I fell in love with the high ceiling and bright open space of them and searched until I found a used one that I could afford. I became an expert in backing the thing into driveways, by the way. What I liked best about sleeping in it is that it felt so secure and the cabinet potty was right there. No hike to the facilities in the night. I added a video link so that you can see how easy they are to set up and how bright the inside is. I want my next one to have the feature of a bed that lifts with storage underneath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2MqU4q3fx4

Folding camper website à http://www.chaletrv.com/folding-trailers/xl-1930

Now, let’s get back to the tiny home research. As I did more online research, I focused in on finding out more about downstairs sleeping designs and was please to find some very cozy spaces. I really liked the aesthetic appeal of the exterior of this one as well as the awesome interior design. This type on home would lend itself well to a permanent tiny home community. AND it’s so cute! The materials the pictured home uses most certainly could be changed for more economical building materials. It even has a washer dryer space!

http://www.fourlightshouses.com/collections/all-jay-shafers-house-plans/products/the-marie-colvin

Some of these designs have an upper sleeping area that I could be on board with. Although they are pretty posh tiny homes, again the structural designs could be comprised of more economical materials and features. The Murphy bed office is pretty cool, too. I’m not sure if it would work for me in an ongoing basis, though.

http://humble-homes.com/tiny-house-plans/the-turtle-tiny-house/

“The Turtle House “First floor bedroom that can transform into a study with a Murphy bed.

Functional kitchen with a cook top, mid-size fridge & a counter top oven and additional sleeping space in the loft with an integrated ladder . At 230 square feet, the Turtle House is great for those that need a little more space. It contains a ground floor bedroom that doubles as an office.”

My favorite feature of this one is the drawer-type pull-out bed that is in the living room area. Again, it has a downstairs bed, making it much more appealing to me.

http://humble-homes.com/tiny-house-plans/the-athru-tiny-house/

“The Athrú, our most flexible tiny house. The Athrú adjusts to suit your needs with it’s transformable living area and a large kitchen with a breakfast bar. The Athrú is one of the most versatile tiny houses on the market. By incorporating a multifunctional living space that can act as a bedroom or living room, we were able to create a very efficient home.

Transform the living space to a bedroom with a concealed pull-out bed

Large kitchen with a breakfast bar, and apartment-size appliances

Lofted ceiling & a sliding bathroom door that doubles as a closet”

This design appeals to me, although it does have a loft sleeping area. It has actual stairs going to the loft that double as storage shelves.

http://humble-homes.com/tiny-house-plans/the-mcg-loft-v2-tiny-house/

“The McG Loft V2 Tiny House - This tiny house is a 24 foot version of the McG Loft. The additional space allows for a more functional kitchen, and a larger bathroom, living area and loft. This home is designed for full-time living with its mid-size appliances.

Functional kitchen with mid-size appliances, including a washer/dryer

Large living room naturally lit and ventilated by 10 windows

Sleeping loft accessed by a staircase with plenty of storage spaces”

This design has a double bed downstairs bedroom that incorporated storage as well. It isn’t clear to me if there is any sort of build in storage area under the bed, but I can visualize something like I showed above in the camper design. The camper design lift-up bed easily lifts and stays there until you push it back down. I thought this feature was ingenious. It allows one easy access to what is below without having to have the strength of Sampson to get to it or an extra arm to hold it up while you search for your stuff.

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/blogs/tumbleweed/12844117-downstairs-sleeping-for-two-real-people

Minim House - I think this one is a great design and has lots of eco friendly features. I really like all the windows incorporated into this design. It has a roll out bed that can serve as seating if pulled out to the depth of a couch or bench seat. The way the table utilizes marine fixtures so that it can easily be moved around for different purposes and heights was well thought out.

(Minim House built with structurally insulated panels (SIPS)

The video below is an interior tour of the above home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLSxcLww2V4

I think that unless you are providing housing for very agile healthy people, a downstairs sleeping space is what would work best in a tiny house design for a tiny house community. The first exposure that I had to a working tiny house community for homeless individuals was when I happened onto a video of “Dignity Village” located in Portland Oregon. I include two links, one from early on and one that more recently speaks to this self-governed “tiny house” community.

I like that there are created spaced for gardens and communal enterprises that benefit those living there by supporting the costs of utilities and insurance. My desire is to do more research and inquiry regarding this community because they have lasted for a number of years and I feel they have something to offer any project that may be in the planning stages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8SusMPw3qs

The tenants in this video clip go on record about how they feel about their place. “Home” is frequently mentioned by numerous people.

http://www.tentcityurbanism.com/2014/08/dignity-village-thirteen-years-later.html

This is a short video of a shelter made in part from political signs and other materials. I love it!! I think it really makes a statement artistically and politically. If we were to use this idea somehow in our “art” piece, I feel that there should be no specific political bias. Neither party has addressed the issues so far in a sustainable way as to make a positive impact, so we should not be into party bashing if we use the idea somehow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-aZaNoZCsg

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Ponderings on the recent readings/articles

I have been interested in tiny houses for a while. Having participated in the building my own home, I realized, through the ingenuity of my husband, that there were many ways to save financial resources while building. Due to having an extremely limited budget, with help of many friends, family, and interested community members, we put up the foundation, framed, sheathed, and roofed our home in time for cool weather. Granted, we had one light bulb, a sink, toilet, and a couple of windows, with no sheet rock, limited insulation, and a few windows in place. We had a friend guiding the chimney-making that had to go up a few feet at a time in order to allow for the mortar to dry along the way. The weather had turned to freezing when the chimney was set enough to attach a scavenged wood stove for heat.

Why did we build this way? Many friends and family asked that question. We didn't want to sign up for decades of debt in order to have a home. Forced by a fire, we built before we were ready to begin. We both understood that by deferring a finished home, we could afford to live indoors and eat and not have to live out our next years of life working to pay a mortgage.

The long version of this story is that there were also multiple extenuating circumstances that lent to us going this route – I’ll save that for another time – we had quite a few family hardships that had we not done things the way we did, someone else would own our home now. By keeping our operating costs to the bare minimum, we were able to remain in our home when hard times hit. Because of this, the tiny home thing has been a thought of mine for some time. I’m not sure I would sign up for one, but I have many ideas of how I would build another home to be more self-sustaining if I were afforded the opportunity in the future.

Tiny homes allow a person or persons with little resources to have their own independent space on a small income. I have mentioned to builder friends over the last few years how a project that would consist of a community of little homes is something that I thought would be appealing to young people as well as older people. Having a larger community space available for gatherings, having a place for laundry; possibly providing transportation for community members and watching out for one another are all ideas that always seem to meld together when I think of this.

The idea of building these types of communities for people who are experiencing homelessness seems to be a good idea that also keeps affordability in mind. The article “Tiny Homes for the Homeless an Occupy Madison Project” mentions that they have “goals of a Tiny Village complete with 9 tiny homes”. That seems like a drop in the bucket, but I guess a small start is better than none at all.

Quote - “When you are homeless, “the system” is rife with obstacles designed to prevent creative innovation or adaptation–“

Planning boards and building codes prohibiting these small structures seems pretty bizarre when one knows of the circumstances that the homeless population are trying to negotiate on a daily basis. I cannot understand the mentality of cities and communities not wanting to provide a safe space for people in a way that they can afford it and that actually helps them to stabilize their lives, instead of using every ounce of strength they have to manage life every day.

QUOTE - “It’s stunning how a flowerbed on a windowsill can be so much better for PR than the window itself, or the house it’s attached to.”

Knowing that cities are developing “homeless spikes” in somewhat the same way that they do things to keep pigeons from nesting in places astounded me. We may not be able to individually solve the problems of homelessness or the conditions that render people homeless, but how can this idea be openly talked about as a way to help with “the problem”??!!!

QUOTE - “Homeless Spikes. One OM Build organizer in Madison stated that Homeless pikes

are “disgusting” and a “weak attempt to make even society’s most uninviting spaces– doorways, parks, etc– uninhabitable as well””

http://revolution-news.com/tiny-homes-for-the-homeless-an-occupy-madison-project/

By Jennifer Baker 11/13/2014 (in the State of Wisconsin)

Quote - “How can I use art as a tool for civic engagement and social change?

…expanded model of creative placemaking is needed to address the complexities of today’s urban neighborhoods, a new model that develops places of belonging for the collective good”

Placemaking and Social Equity: Expanding the Framework of Creative Placemaking

20 Monday Jan 2014 Posted by admin in Entrepreneurship, Vol. 3 No. 1 (Winter 2014)

http://www.artivate.org/?p=661

Having community spaces in apartment buildings and dispersed in areas in towns and cities that are accessible in all seasons would be ideal. Living in a small community, we have parks, schoolyards, public accesses to lakes, and a community library that is open regularly multiple days of the week. They are not all easy walks from where I live, but I have access.

Having spent time in service learning at Logan House in Portland for another course for which I’m enrolled, I saw firsthand the value of having community space. They have a community kitchen where groups can cook and serve a meal, dining tables, comfortable chairs, a television, computer and game system and board game cabinets. Tenants can hang out with one another and congregate for activities in a common space. I saw that it benefited tenants who had mental health issues in that they could come and go and socialize within their own building. I think that this is such a valuable asset to the recently homeless population. The support staff at Logan House also help tenants to negotiate everything that comes with being a tenant while they learn everything that is required to keep their dwelling and learn to live life again, not just to survive. I can see how this model of supported housing can benefit many of societies’ vulnerable population. For many, there are dominating reasons that put them into the vulnerable category. These supported housing facilities are a much a need as are retirement communities that provide affordable housing to retired persons.

I am interested in hearing more of the project that the architect students are planning at the Waterville homeless shelter site. I read the word “encampment” and was immediately intrigued. What will it look like? When will it take place? Is it permanent?? I must find out more.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Failure to launch...

I have been unsuccessful in making contact with a the public service person assigned to me. I first contacted him using the email address given, and waited a few days to see if he responded. After no respnse, I called using the number given, left a voice message and contact information. After waiting a few more days for a response, I determined that he either was not available or did not wish to respond. I did leave Marty's name as the person from who I obtained contact information from. I will keep looking for a response, and will persue if one comes, but I have decided not to make further contact.

Observation:
While at a service learning site for another course, I observed the agitated behavior of a tenant who is a person with schizophrenia. He was agitated about believing that someone had not given him the right box of food and that another person did it on purpose and that people were keeping food from him. I observed how people refrained from making eye contact with him and how a worker attempted to redirect him to other things, to no avail. People seemed to know something of what he was speaking, but I could not determine if there was an actual event that occurred or if it was his out of touch with reality thoughts.

Observation:
I noticed how students interacted with tenants at a service learning site. I knew we were there to make connections and learn, but it seemed too artificial. I felt sad that the connections being made were of limited duration; it seemed that the tenants were reserved and not very willing to make connections because they knew we were there short-term. After having been there for a number of visits, it was very difficult knowing that there was a lot of food insecurity of some of the tenants.

Who are you and why are you here?

K. R. - nurse employed at Mercy Recovery Center since 2006

1. What is the time in your life that you felt the most at home, centered, yourself and why?

Um, When I feel at home? Hahah – I don’t feel not at home, so I don’t… hahaha

Probably at home in my living room.

2. What is the time in your life that you either experienced a version of homelessness or felt the least secure regarding your living situation?

SO you want to know where I didn’t feel at home in my living situation? I have not really had that, um…. When I was young, I have had a time when I wa sort of on my own, um but I always had supports to fall back on, so I didn’t really…I was young, you know, 19… after my parents divorced, you know, they went their own way and I was sort of left to figure out housing, so that’s kind of the only time really that I felt that I didn’t necessarily… felt I didn’t have a home.

3. What’s one way that gentrification affected you or your family/community personally?

I don’t know. I don’t think it has.

Um maybe my…work experience.. the homeless community

4. What is one way that you/your family/community has been personally affected by homelessness?

Um… well in the setting that I work in.. I’ve gotten to know patients, heard their stories and have gotten to know what they go through, so you can’t help but have it affect you on some level. Um you know, when you see people panhandling I think it’s kind of difficult because of my job, to know that they are panhandling, to know what reason that they’re panhandling for? You know, whether they are looking for drugs or you know, to get the next beer or whether they are looking for a handout to improve their lives. So um you know working with the homeless has definitely, gave me… you know my old inclination would be maybe to give ‘em a buck or two, but I wouldn’t do that anymore. It’s not because I don’t feel for them, but it’s because I know that there are people out there who don’t necessarily… are out there for the right reasons. You know, to get the next drink or fix… I know that happens.

5. What is a question you have relating to the issue of homelessness that you don’t ask out loud because it may be seen as either politically incorrect or ignorant?

Maybe that question – to get a real answer - why are you out here panhandling? What will you really do with the money? Food? Shelter? Alcohol or drugs? Improving their lives? On some level I don’t think people know what to do with that. I think that assuming that they are not there for the right reasons would be politically incorrect. Ya… just the wondering.

6. If you had a magic wand, what is one way you would you use it to address gentrification?

To improve people’s quality of life while you are improving their surroundings, so to solve all their problems, not just housing that is in good shape. To improve everything about people’s lives and have them not fall back into old ways, their comfort zone. Services, roof over their head, food in their mouths, education, you have to do it all, in order for them to improve. Make sure that they have mental health services, make sure that they have alcohol counseling services, it’s just a lot.

7. If you had a magic wand, what is one way you would use it to address homelessness?

Um probably the same thing; that you would have to fix everything. You would have to fix all the problem areas.

8. This is a definite ‘first thought’ question so I’m happy to ask it twice if you’d like to help you catch that ‘first thought’. What is one thing in your life that would be different if you knew for certain that from this moment on everyone everywhere would always have safe affordable housing – first thought?

Um, I guess people wouldn’t be cold. You live in Maine. It’s cold out there. I don’t know if it would affect my life, but it would definitely affect theirs.

Um one thing that comes to mind is that the more services there seem to be in a given state or place, the more it draws the homeless to it, and so the better our services, the bigger the problem.

You know it’s very strange.. you know people find out from different places and they travel from a different state. And people find out “Oh, I can get this in Maine”, they might go to it. And I’ve seen fluctuations in my years working here where, you know where services and the community get services for people and then there is an influx and you know you can make the problem worse.

Blogs = interview Report + Quotes + Insights + Setting + Reflection

1. Please document each interview you do with a blog entry that details

a. What was said overall as specific as you can include

b. At least two memorable quotes or sayings

“- why are you out here panhandling? What will you really do with the money?”

“the more services there seem to be in a given state or place, the more it draws the homeless to it, and so the better our services, the bigger the problem.”

c. Insights that either you or they had –

“the more services, the more people from away travel to get services, making the homeless population in that area worse”

Me - That people from other states and areas travel to where the services and supports are.

I’ve seen that - Volunteering at shelters in rural Skowhegan and Solon – there were people who were from another state at those pretty rural homeless shelters who were not from that area.

d. Setting – several details that describe their clothing, posture, facial expression, type of voice, where you were when interviewing, colors, objects, people around, sounds – as if you are writing a short story

The people at the reception window seemed very leery of me and why I was there. They said that no one had time for an interview because they were all very busy. There were three people there at the time, one at the window who answered the phone and addressed me when I stepped to the window and one sitting near here and another who came in to chat while The person I spoke with made a call to ask about an interview.

They discussed what I was there for and were very leery about my purpose, stating they could not answer questions about patients because of confidentiality. They seemed pretty suspicious; I reiterated that I had called multiple times and had been directed to leave messages on a certain person’s voice mail; they said how that person was on vacation and wouldn’t be back until next week. I also clearly stated that I did not expect to discuss details of any patient and handed them the list of 8 questions. They seemed even more perplexed; I again stated that I was in a class that was gathering information from certain Portland community members in order to influence policies regarding homelessness and gentrification. Blink, blink. They didn’t seem to know what that word meant, but no one asked directly. I was asked to take a seat and they would find out if there was anyone available. The glass was slid cautiously closed, and they turned towards one another, talking .

As I waited to find out if anyone was available and able and willing to talk to me, I was in the waiting room with a man that was discharged and waiting for a ride as well as two women, one of which went into an intake interview room.

The man waiting was alone and made multiple calls to make contact with someone who was available to pick him up. He seemed very tired and mentally exhausted. In contrast, the two women were chatting and giggling, looking at their cell phones.

A couple of employees came out from double doors and went into the reception area and chatted with the people there, came back out, looked my way, then disappeared back through the double doors. Finally, a woman in scrubs came out and asked me to go into an interview room. She looked at me very suspiciously and seemed very distrustful of why I was there. She said that she was told I had questions and restated their patient confidentiality policy.

The room was a very small office with a desk, computer, and two chairs, one on either side of the desk. She sat in the “I’m in charge” chair and directed me to sit in the other. It felt like she was humoring me and stated that she was not sure what I wanted.

I went through the “who I was and why I was there” spiel again. I talked about our project, handed her the release form and confirmed that we would not identify her specifically without further permission and that we were not specifically looking to do that with this interview.

She was very suspicious and answered the questions with great reserve and seemed to try to choose words very carefully. She seemed very guarded about answering anything in a personal way. By the time I left, I was almost questioning my own motives, and felt like I was being deceptive. I wonder if they thought I was a person interested in their services and was trying to get information in a sneaky way. It was the strangest interview I have conducted thus far.

e. Reflection -- And then make sure to include a reflection section with your personal reflection about each interview.

As I thanked her for taking the time to answer my questions and gathered my coat and papers to head out, I remembered the bird question. I silently chuckled to myself before I spoke. When I told her I had one last question that was meant to close out our time together and asked her to tell me about the last bird she remembered seeing, she laughed out loud and asked if I was serious. I sat smiling and said I was. She told me about seeing a red cardinal in a bush on a recent walk with her daughter. I thanked her, smiling, and left.

Even though the woman was very guarded with her answers, I found it interesting that two of her most personal comments were ideas that I had had as well. The question of why panhandlers were really out there and what they would use the money they received for, and the observation that it seemed like the more services for homeless in an area, that people traveled there, therefore, seemingly increasing the homeless population in that area. I wonder about the validity of the second comment, but found it interesting that she mentioned it. I very much enjoyed asking the bird question to her and just thanking her and leaving afterwards. It still makes me smile when I think of the quizzical look on her face.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Opportunistic interview with a Dentist....

I had a filling fall out an had to have a dental visit. I use a local community dental clinic. I asked the Dentist if she had time for a few questions to help a student out ;-) . It worked! It really helped that the appointment following mine cancelled at the last minute, also. It turns out this dentist is active in legislature and policy making within her field and was very interested in our project.
I have her email address as she would like to be informed of our public happenings regarding this class.

Interview with a dentist:

1. What is the time in your life that you felt the most at home, centered, yourself and why?

Around the holidays, coming home from college, with family gathered together, Christmas eve, “this is where I belong; this is who I am”, comforting being home for the holidays.

2. What is the time in your life that you either experienced a version of homelessness or felt the least secure regarding your living situation?

Right after coming home from first year of college; siblings had moved into my room and I had no space to call my own. I slept on the couch until I left for school again, all summer long. I feel so out of place. I can’t live at school, I don’t live there, and I don’t have a space here, and don’t live here anymore. I have no bed; it felt really, really uncomfortable and weird; it was really hard.

3. What’s one way that gentrification affected you or your family/community personally?

Please define gentrification for me?

“Revitalized area that is now only financially accessible to people of higher class income than those who lived there before; previous tenants cannot afford the area any longer”

I don’t think I have any experience that I can immediately think of…

4. What is one way that you/your family/community has been personally affected by homelessness?

I have to say, I see it most here, at the dental clinic. I worked in private practice and had no contact with homeless clients. I see a lot more here, working in Waterville. I see how their health is adversely affected, on their dental health specifically. Especially people who don’t qualify for certain programs that you would think that they should qualify for and it breaks your heart when you see that they can’t afford what they need.

5. What is a question you have relating to the issue of homelessness that you don’t ask out loud because it may be seen as either politically incorrect or ignorant?

I don’t understand…. I mean, my version of homelessness is very very different from what those who truly are experience. I don’t understand the situations that lead them to be in the position that they are in. I know personally a previously very successful person, who ended up falling into a situation an became homeless. You wouldn't specifically ask him “Hey, how’d you get this way? What happened?” You obviously know there is some kind of situation that precipitated their situation. I wonder about some of the programs that we have and whether they could be better targeted to help this population more than they do. Especially regarding how cold it is here; people are allowed to be there at night, but then must leave during the day; go out into the cold with really no place to be. We have situations in this building where homeless people come in from the cold and the building owners shoo them back outside or call the police to ask them to have them move along. People are uncomfortable with it, don’t want to be faced with it and don’t want to see it. It’s very sad.

6. If you had a magic wand, what is one way you would you use it to address gentrification?

I suppose I would use it to change people’s thoughts and minds to where they are less self centered, to where they are a little bit more “how can I help someone else” instead of how can I help myself. I think if everybody had a little more of that, it doesn't have to be a lot, but that this world would be a lot better.

7. If you had a magic wand, what is one way you would use it to address homelessness?

Oh, I’d take it away. Give everybody at least a place to stay, something to eat, you know. I think our communities have failed a lot. It used to be more of the individual community rather than the whole big government and legislature deciding how to help others. The community would come forth and help people who were down and out. A lot of times that would occur in churches and local groups, but I think that we've lost the sense of community so we don’t see it as our problem anymore we see it as somebody else’s and their issues, and so we think somebody else should take care of it and not us.

I wouldn't be giving so many donations if they already had it!

Afterthought on homelessness experience with a family member –

As a first thought it didn't even occur to me that it had affected me in my life, but when you were talking about homelessness and how it affects you, um my brother used to live with me in my house, and he developed a severe drug problem. It got to the point where he had and was doing drugs in my home, ... needles and so forth. I have a license with the DEA; I’m not allowed to have that kind of stuff in my house or support it. I actually had to seek some psychological help to help me deal with my brothers’ addiction. Because, I actually had to say you can’t live here any more. While he was never homeless, he always found someplace to stay or to be; my family took him in after I said you can’t live here anymore. It was something that we kind of had to do; he was stealing from us; it became very, very, very difficult. It was heartbreaking. It was the worst…. In my whole life and I, I think I try to forget about it a lot. I am able to talk with him about it, in terms of… he’s much better now; he’s gotten treatment for himself. He’s been clean for I think going on three years, which is fantastic and he’s had I think one relapse and then gone right back to where he was supposed to be. But that was really, really horrifying and it could have turn into a homelessness situation so I do understand that element. You have to want it. I respect programs that are there to help.

My thoughts:
This interview was the highlight of my day. Obviously, being told I needed to have an extraction wasn't. Listening to her voice and seeing her wring her hands as she relate the last bit about her brother and how she and her family wrestled with a family member experiencing active addiction was a real nugget of gold. Her compassion for people is what placed her where she is; in a clinic setting versus private practice. One of the colors that stood out in this interview were that lovely greenish-blueish scrubs color, the color that reminds me of those truly useless emesis basins shaped like a kidney that hold about a half cup of anything. And the other color was red. Mario Brothers decals were on the wall in the room where I got my broken tooth looked at. The smell was of clean disinfectant, and the office I interviewed her in was cluttery compared to the neat treatment areas.

I could see that the fact that she suppressed thoughts of her brother surprised her. She had a quizzical contemplative look on her face just before she brought it up and asked if she could share one more thought.

thought I already posted these....

Prior to last class, I think I remembered that we were to do at least one more interview with a personal contact. I was reminded of this between my morning class and this one. I cased the cafeteria area for a person who might have time between eating or studying to no avail. I went to the computer lab to do homework and before I got started, the idea of soliciting someone from my facebook page came to me. I know, I know.... it's not a face-to-face interview. Two women whom I am acquaintances with responded to my request before I removed the post, so I went with it.

Interview of two social contacts

Eight questions to ask the person you are interviewing

P. T. fourty-something single female – business office staff

1. What is the time in your life that you felt the most at home, centered, yourself and why?

The loss of my brother when i was 11 and we as a family realized what it was to lose a core family member and face that together.

2. What is the time in your life that you either experienced a version of homelessness or felt the least secure regarding your living situation?

When i had no job and lived with my brother and his wife and my brother lost his job

3. What’s one way that gentrification affected you or your family/community personally?

It really has not directly affected me.

4. What is one way that you/your family/community has been personally affected by homelessness?

Having been to Haiti and seen what a 3rd world country looks like i see why God repeatedly tell us to care for the widows and orphans.

5. What is a question you have relating to the issue of homelessness that you don’t ask out loud because it may be seen as either politically incorrect or ignorant?

Why cant they just figure it out?

6. If you had a magic wand, what is one way you would you use it to address gentrification?

Listen and introduce God's love and principles and the fact that as creator he does not make mistakes.

7. If you had a magic wand, what is one way you would use it to address homelessness?

Convince Christians that God really does want us to help them.

I would have apparently become a socialist overnight!

ME: (Yes, but besides that - hahaha - any thoughts?)

I might feel safer outside at night there are homeless sometimes outside at the churches near where I live.

ME: Thank you for your time!! You're awesome!

K.W. – married thirty-something mother of one, farm family

1. What is the time in your life that you felt the most at home, centered, yourself and why?

I think seven years old is the last time I truly felt that way. I lived with my parents and two siblings and I was just free to be myself.

2. What is the time in your life that you either experienced a version of homelessness or felt the least secure regarding your living situation?

Right now. We are living in a guest house that we built for my husband's parents and they agreed we could live here for two years. It's been two years and three months and I feel the pressure to leave.

3. What’s one way that gentrification affected you or your family/community personally?

ME: (If it hasn't, that's ok to say as well.)

I am unaware of any effect it's had on me personally.

4. What is one way that you/your family/community has been personally affected by homelessness?

I can only think of an incident that happened to me in Florida. Is that relevant?

ME: (Whatever you want to share is pertinent.)

Oh, wait. I know something from Portland

Every time I go to Portland, I see people on the medians with signs begging for money. It makes me feel sad for them, if they are really homeless, but also wary, because I've heard so many stories of the people pretending to be homeless. I never want to give money in case they are going to spend it on drugs or alcohol.

5. What is a question you have relating to the issue of homelessness that you don’t ask out loud because it may be seen as either politically incorrect or ignorant?

Does being smelly bother the homeless person?

6. If you had a magic wand, what is one way you would you use it to address gentrification?

I would make it so the people that already live in the area would not be pushed out and the people who want to move there would have space and everyone would all get along.

7. If you had a magic wand, what is one way you would use it to address homelessness?

I would give every homeless person a house and the money they need to get back on their feet.

I would encourage a friend to get away from her controlling, verbally abusive husband.

ME: (Wow; so sorry to hear about that. Excellent first thought! Thank you for your time and willingness to participate! You're AWESOME!!! Thanks!!)

My comments - I really liked the candid comment "Does being smelly bother the homeless person?". THAT would seem socially unacceptable to ask a homeless person.

I remember a time quite a few years ago that I was with my 5 year old daughter at the Portland Public Market building. We entered the restroom and as we waited for a stall, we heard water being splashed. When we came out of the restroom stall, there was a young woman with a towel on her head who proceeded to tell us how she had cleaned the toilet with products that she had bought for that purpose and had used the bowl to bathe and wash her hair. It was obvious that this woman had some sort of drug or mental health issue because she talked a blue streak. I hushed my daughter from asking questions and hurried her out of there, fearful foremost for the safety of my child. I know, I know.... BUT mothers' do stuff like that instinctively, so I found out. I would have liked to know more about her and her situation. I have often wondered what had become of her.

Hearing that question about smell brought that experience to the forefront of my mind. Are there safe accessible places for a homeless person to bathe? I can't answer that. I guess public bathrooms are accessible, but surely are not the best places to undress and wash. Having fresh clean clothing to put on afterwards must also be an issue that is not easily dealt with for the homeless. More questions come up about what would help and what wouldn't.