A community-based newspaper serving the Puget Sound area since 1981
The Voice
July 2005
Articles translated into six languages
The newspaper of Neighborhood House
Groundbreaking for Greenbridge redevelopment takes the cake
King County Housing Authority
WHITE CENTER – As bulldozers rumbled across the actual construction site, elected officials and children from Park Lake Homes clustered around a cake decorated like the hilly terrain of the soon-to-be-redeveloped housing community.
As cameras clicked, they took little green trowels and dug in.
With this, the King County Housing Authority officially “broke ground” on its new mixed-income community Greenbridge last month.
The fanfare was part of a ceremony held in the parking lot of the Wiley Community Center.
Speakers included U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, Congressman Jim McDermott, King County Executive Ron Sims and a Park Lake resident who is a star student at White Center’s Evergreen High School.
A bridge with a green railing, built over a “river” of crushed blue and green glass, symbolized the great step KCHA is taking with the redevelopment.
“This project is more than building homes; it will revitalize a community,” said Sen. Murray, who has battled steadily for housing funding in Washington, D.C. “Greenbridge will ensure that White Center remains strong and vibrant for generations to come.”
County Councilman Dow Constantine said, “This is not just an opportunity to pat ourselves on the back. We’re here to publicly acknowledge that we are on the way to realizing our collective dreams for a new community.”
Guests were invited to share their visions for Greenbridge in notes cast into a whiskey barrel planter painted to look like a wishing pond.
“On behalf of the residents,” said Yordanos Fesehaye, the Evergreen High senior who will attend the University of Washington on a scholarship this fall, “I want to express gratitude to all those who are making Greenbridge possible.”
Greenbridge will replace Park Lake Homes I, the 569-unit sprawl of World War II-era duplexes that was KCHA’s largest and oldest development. Nearly half of the homes at Park Lake I are still standing, not due for demolition until late 2006.
The Wiley Center is also undergoing renovation.
The development, including both the rental public housing and the array of services offered in the community, has been a boon to poor immigrants striving for a better life in their new country. The $35 million federal HOPE VI grant KCHA received in 2001 ensured a new future for the community.
Greenbridge will feature 300 low-income rental units, at least 154 low- to moderate-income rental units and up to 475 for-sale units in an array of designs, complemented by parks and trails.
Greenbridge will offer many services and shopping opportunities on Eighth Avenue Southwest, with a new elementary school and branch library near the village plaza.
Greenbridge will be designed to mesh better with the surrounding unincorporated White Center neighborhood, and several speakers mentioned the development’s potential for improving the area beyond its borders.
“White Center has a storied history as a first community for wave after wave of immigrants,” Constantine said. “Greenbridge will make it better for all of White Center because those immigrants’ sons and daughters who were raised in White Center will now have an opportunity to invest in Greenbridge and call White Center their home, not just for a decade but for generations.”
As one person who scribbled a note for the wishing pond described this connection, “May Greenbridge be a source of pride and delight for the White Center locale!”
Chambers packed at city council forum on immigration
BY JAMES OWENBY
Seattle Housing Authority
Roughly 200 people gathered in late May for the Seattle City Council’s first forum on immigrant and refugee issues. The crowd, which included East African and Southeast Asian refugees and Latino immigrants, mirrored the changing demographics of Seattle neighborhoods.
The event, called “The Changing Face of Seattle’s Immigrant and Refugee Communities,” was organized by City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen in conjunction with Hate Free Zone Washington, an immigration and civil rights organization.
The nearly two-hour forum was translated live into five languages and was designed to illuminate issues immigrants face in the realms of education, justice, immigration, housing and access to services.
“The crowd here is a crowd we don’t often see in City Hall,” Pramila Jayapal, the founder of Hate Free Zone Washington, told a Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter. “In Seattle, we pride ourselves in being liberal on issues like the environment. But on (immigration) we are behind.”
Jayapal set the stage by providing recent immigration statistics.
During the 1990s, she said, the U.S. foreign born population grew by 57.4 percent. Between 1990 and 2000, one in two new workers was foreign born and one in five children in the U.S. was the child of an immigrant. Immigration is shifting from European countries to Latin American, Asian, Caribbean and African countries.
“Seattle is no different,” she said, adding that 17 percent of Seattle’s population is made up of immigrants, up 40 percent from the previous decade. Seattle also saw a 320 percent increase in immigrants from Africa between 1990 and 2000, she said.
Members of the forum’s presentation panel, including Jasmit Singh, co-founder of Education for the Sikh Coalition Washington and Julio Sanchez, an advocate for immigrants and minorities, spoke about efforts to organize new citizens and discussed the challenges faced by immigrant youth in public schools.
“No matter where you stand on the immigration issue, the children of today are going to be the workers of tomorrow,” said Singh. “If we impart on them the right tools, they will be contributing members of society. If we fail to do that job, they will be dependent on the Social Security system and all the social systems that we have in place.”
Some 25 percent of all students in Seattle’s public schools are bilingual, he said, yet test scores for these students lag significantly behind the district average. He suggested the district consider recruiting teachers who reflect the changing student demographic and training them in cross-cultural awareness. He also spoke of the importance of offering parents easier access to interpreters.
Sanchez spoke about the barriers immigrants face to working in the United States. He advocated for increased support for job training, more funding for ESL classes and the creation of a city department to address immigrant worker issues.
In fact, Sanchez also advocated for the creation of a larger city department of immigrant affairs that would seek to understand local immigration dynamics, increase culture and language sensitivity, create links to mainstream institutions, encourage civic engagement and provide workforce support.
After the presentations, the panel took questions from participants, including several from immigrants and refugees who spoke through translators.
“The active engagement of the community members in this forum sends a strong message about the need to examine how vital services are delivered in Seattle,” said Kari-lynn Frank, a High Point community builder representing the Seattle Housing Authority at the forum. “I really applaud the courage and tenacity of those who were willing to participate to try to change things for the better.”
Seattle museum hosts housing exhibit
SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY
The need to design and build affordable housing in the United States remains urgent, or so demonstrates a traveling exhibit entitled “Affordable Housing: Designing an American Asset” which opened at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry last month.
The exhibit, organized by the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., highlights more than a dozen housing projects from across the United States that embody good architectural and environmental design despite the tight budgets associated with low-cost housing. The exhibit will run through August 28.
MOHAI has also mounted a small exhibition alongside the traveling one that puts affordable housing into a Seattle context. That exhibit will include photographs of Seattle’s earliest public housing at Yesler Terrace, recent mixed-income developments at New Holly and Rainier Vista. and King County Housing Authority’s new Redmond development, the Village at Overlake Station.
The housing communities featured in the exhibit demonstrate how the country’s most gifted architects are designing attractive, efficient homes for low-income families in both urban and rural settings.
By providing facts about the state of affordable housing, the exhibition also provides a context in which viewers understand the importance of well-designed homes for the growing number of low-income Americans.
For example, one display points out that a household with only one member working at minimum wage can’t afford a one bedroom apartment in any county in the United States. To afford the median fair-market price of a two-bedroom rental unit in the U.S., a worker would have to earn a wage of $12.47 per hour, more than 240 percent of the current national minimum wage of $5.15.
MOHAI is located in the Montlake neighborhood at 2700 24th Ave. E, just off the University exit of SR 520. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (206) 324-1126.
Health Notes
A column devoted to your well-being
Start early with good dental care
BY MARTHA MORENO & GENE BECK DDS
Special to the Voice
Even before we see a baby’s first tooth, it is important that we teach good dental care habits. Dental professionals are now urging parents to start caring for children’s teeth from the time they are born.
This may be surprising to many parents who still believe that dental care starts at school age or when permanent teeth start to grow, but early care is essential to the development of healthy teeth and habits.
What kind of dental care do young children need?
It is important to start caring for your infant’s teeth when they are born. Clean your baby’s gums with a soft washcloth or soft infant toothbrush and water.
When their teeth grow in, teach your child that cleaning teeth is necessary, fun and easy. Parents should supervise and help children as they brush until the child reaches age 9 or 10. Before this age, children lack the coordination to properly brush their teeth, so parents really need to help out.
Brushing at least twice a day in a circular motion for two minutes provides the best results.
How does a baby bottle hurt my child’s teeth?
Baby bottle tooth decay is a big concern for infants. Children run a higher risk of getting early childhood cavities from using the bottle at night, napping with a bottle or nursing for long periods of time.
Dentists recommend weaning children off the bottle by age one. A good alternative is to use a sippy cup, or cup with a small spout. Encourage your child to use it at meals or when thirsty.
Also, dentists recommend that you only serve your children juice and milk at meals. In between meals, give your children water to drink when they are thirsty.
When should I first take my child to the dentist?
First visit by first birthday is recommended. Your child should see the dentist at age 1 or when their first tooth comes in.
Establishing a “dental home” for your child allows for early intervention and prevention of future dental problems. This will also teach children early on that the dentist office is not a place to fear.
Some parents wait until the child has severe decay before taking them to the dentist, which can be painful and traumatic for the child.
Establishing a good relationship with your dentist early can make all the difference for your child.
Why is oral health so important?
Poor oral health can lead to many other problems including missing school. More than 50 million school hours are lost every year because of dental disease and treatment. On school surveys, dental pain is a leading reason mentioned for why children miss school.
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, preventive dentistry means a healthy smile for your child. Children with healthy mouths chew more easily and gain more nutrients from the foods they eat. They learn to speak more clearly and quickly. They have a better chance of general health, because disease in the mouth can endanger the rest of the body. A healthy mouth is more attractive, giving children confidence in their appearance. Finally, preventive dentistry means less extensive treatment for your child.
What happens during a child’s dental visit?
Preventative dentistry aims to protect your child’s teeth. The initial visit usually involves a fluoride varnish for the child, dental education on what to expect in the months ahead and some tips to promote healthy habits. This begins a relationship between the dental team and the family.
The dental visit becomes more comprehensive as the child gets older to include x-rays, a more thorough cleaning and placement of sealants to protect against tooth decay.
After this, it’s smooth sailing with a check-up and cleaning every six months.
Martha Moreno is the health services coordinator and Dr. Gene Beck is a dentist for High Point Medical and Dental Clinic. High Point Medical and Dental Clinic is part of Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Centers. PSNHC provides medical and dental services at 17 different locations in the Seattle area. You can visit PSNHC on the Internet at http://www.psnhc.org.
Vehicle thefts affect everyone’s insurance rates
BY JEFFREY TAYLOR
State Farm® agent
Whether it’s the work of elaborate theft rings or random individual crime, auto theft is big business. On average, a vehicle is stolen every 25 seconds in the United States at a cost of about $8 billion a year. Insurance for theft is included in the comprehensive part of your auto insurance policy which also covers fire, vandalism and weather-related damage.
The number of insured cars stolen and their cost directly affect insurance premiums.
By taking a few precautions, you can reduce your chances of having your vehicle stolen. Always remove your keys from your parked vehicle. Park with your front wheels turned sharply to the right or left and apply the emergency brake, this will make it difficult for a thief to tow your car.
Consider installing an anti-theft device or buying a car with an immobilizer system that prevents a thief from driving off with the car. Park your car in a locked garage, patrolled or well-lit area whenever possible.
Unfortunately, carjacking has become a more common method of vehicle theft. Carjacking is the attempted or completed robbery of a vehicle by a stranger that includes the use of a threat or force. You can protect yourself from this crime by refusing to roll down your car window to a suspicious person and keeping your car doors locked and windows rolled up. If a suspicious person is near your parked car, don’t approach it. Keep walking and contact area security or police.
Insurance companies work together with the National Insurance Crime Bureau to crack down on criminal operations. If you suspect vehicle theft activity, notify your local police, or call the NICB anonymously at 1-800-TEL-NICB.
Fresh vegetables still available at local gardens
BY MICHELLE JONES
Special to the Voice
The growing season is well underway, and the Cultivating Communities program is still looking for households interested in buying weekly bags of organic produce.
The produce is grown by Seattle Housing Authority residents who are participating in community supported agriculture enterprises in the Rainier Vista, NewHolly, and High Point communities.
Who are the farmers?
The farmers are recent immigrants from Southeast Asia. Most have been involved with the garden for one to four years and have farming experience from their native country.
What is community supported agriculture and what is the benefit of subscribing?
Community supported agriculture is a marketing technique where local farmers provide fresh produce to paying subscribers. The subscriber receives a bag of seasonal produce each week.
By purchasing a subscription, you get to see where and how your food is grown, and you are guaranteed fresh, organic produce. You help provide an income for local farmers and give them the opportunity to practice English-speaking skills with their customers. You also provide yourself the opportunity to sample unfamiliar produce and try new recipes.
What kinds of produce do I receive and how much do I get?
Produce will include traditional vegetables and herbs of the American diet such as lettuce, onions, peas, basil and carrots, as well as Asian vegetables like bok choy, and mustard greens. Each week you will receive one to two grocery bags of seasonal produce that feeds three to six adults. Many households find that they cannot consume all of the produce in a week and choose to share it with one or two other households. We also have half-shares available.
What does it cost?
A full share costs $450 for 22 weeks of produce, but some of those weeks have already passed. The program is offering a prorated rate to those who sign up now. Payment installment plans are available.
Where do I pick it up?
Pick up is underway at the Rainier Vista Sunrise Garden at the intersection of 33rd Avenue South and South Oregon Street on Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. until Oct. 20.
Subscriptions are also available at the NewHolly Most Abundant Garden, just north of the intersection of South Myrtle and 37th Avenue South, on Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. until Oct. 20.
St. Andrews Episcopal Church at 111 N.E. 80th St. also has a program with pick up on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to dusk. It runs until Oct. 22.
St. Therese Catholic Church at 3416 E. Marion Street has pick ups on Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon until Oct. 23.
Finally, pickup is on at the High Point Market Garden on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. until Oct. 19. The garden is located at the intersection of 32nd Avenue Southwest and Southwest Juneau Street.
How do I subscribe?
Those interested can subscribe by contacting Michelle Jones at (206) 723-0678 or by e-mail at michellej58@hotmail.com.
Michelle Jones is the CSA subscriber coordinator for Cultivating Communities, a collaboration of the Friends of P-Patch, City of Seattle and SHA.
One to grow on
Garden tips for community gardeners
Keeping aphids out of your garden
BY ANZA MUENCHOW
Special to the Voice
Summer is here.
The days are long and the plants are loving the light. The warm temperatures are good for maximum plant growth. But the third element for plant growth is moisture and this is the problem.
The Pacific Northwest typically has a summer drought. For most plants, gardeners must add two to three inches of water per week to their soil. The best time to water is in the morning, which allows the plants to be fully hydrated before the heat of the day and allows the water to evaporate off the leaves before evening.
We have many plant pathogens that thrive on wet leaves at night so it’s best to keep water off the leaves in the evening. If you cannot water during the morning, take care to water only the soil, not the plants. I recommend using drip irrigation. It uses less water and applies it at the root zone. Soaker hoses are easily purchased at the local hardware or lawn and garden store. They work for many years and are often made of recycled products.
After planting the vegetable bed, lay out your drip system around the base of the plants and check the soil regularly to see how often to run it. The soil must be damp but not soggy to about two inches down.
When plants are stressed for water, a common problem is aphid infestation.
Aphids are small, soft-bodied gray or green insects that suck the juices from your plants. Some have wings, but mostly they just cluster tightly on the growing tips of plants. They carry disease and exude a sticky substance that causes black sooty mold to grow on the plants.
The best organic method of controlling aphids is a good spray of water to knock them off the leaves. Repeat this several days in a row.
For stronger control, add a few drops of mild soap in a spray bottle of water sprayed directly on the infected area. However some plants (especially fuchsia) are sensitive to soap so try with just water first.
A healthy population of natural predators is the best guard against aphids. The primary predator for aphids is lady bugs. Learn to recognize the lady bug larvae because it is at this stage that they eat the most aphids. The larva is a tiny black or gray alligator-looking bug that sometimes has irregular orange spots.
Other predators include spiders, syriphid fly and wasps. There’s a tiny wasp, called trychagamma, that lays its eggs on the soft bodied “host” aphid where they hatch and eat out the inside of the aphid. The carcass is easily identified by its goldish brown color. Leave these empty aphid carcasses on your plant so all the baby wasps will emerge and protect your garden.
The Northwest berries are coming into the markets now. Raspberries and blueberries are simple to grow and best eaten fresh.
If you have a sunny site with adequate water, consider planting this perennial. You’ll be happy next year when they start bearing fruit.
Berry cobblers and pies are traditional summer treats. If you have a surplus of fruit, making jams and jellies is fun and last for snacking all winter long. It is fast and easy to freeze a tray of berries and then pour them into a freezer bag to be used in the coming months.
Enjoy your summer harvest!
Anza Muenchow is a P-Patch volunteer and an avid community gardener. If you have questions or comments, send her an e-mail at mahafarm@whidbey.net.
Community notes
Disaster preparedness information now available in Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese
Russian-, Spanish-, and Vietnamese-speaking individuals can now access important disaster preparedness information in their native languages on the Internet at http://www.metrokc.gov/prepare/preparerespond/prepared.aspx.
The King County Office of Emergency Management has recognized the importance of reaching native speakers of three of the most frequently spoken languages in King County.
In response, the office is now providing translated safety tips and resources in hopes of reaching more members of our diverse regional community.
This material highlights practical tips on putting together an emergency preparedness plan and a disaster supplies kit, and a how-to guide for sheltering-in-place.
Resources also include a selection on emergency preparedness and links to public health information currently available on the Internet in Russian, Vietnamese, and Spanish.
Teachers and contacts within the Russian, Vietnamese, and Spanish communities can also find the material in English, along with additional helpful preparedness tips, checklists, links and tools to teach safety information to children.
Additional links for other languages can also be found on the Personal Preparedness Multilingual page, which can be found on the Internet at http://www.metrokc.gov/prepare/preparerespond/multilingual.aspx.
Library makes summer reading fun, exciting
BY VOICE STAFF
Encourage your children to read this summer by placing them in your nearest library’s summer reading program.
Programs are free and geared toward children of all ages.
Reading books is at the center of the programs, which also include fun events for every member of the family.
Librarians help participants keep track of each book they’ve read, and those who read ten over the course of the summer can choose a brand new book to take home.
Parents are encouraged to enroll their youngest children in the program – reading a book to them counts toward the reward.
Seattle Public Library officials said the program is important because research shows children who stop reading during the summer months often lag behind when they return to school in the fall.
To make sure families are drawn back to the library again and again, the summer reading program includes a number of fun events, including nature programs, puppet shows and musical performances.
Events for teenagers, including spoken word poetry events and movie nights, are also scheduled. To find out more about enrolling in the reading program or for a calendar of events, contact your local library branch. To locate the branch closest to you, call (206) 386-4636 in Seattle or 1-800-462-9600 in King County.
TRANSLATED ARTICLES FROM THE VOICE
Farmers market season is here
Emeraldka cagaaran, Yaanyo iyo kuwa kale oo cusub(fresh) laga heli karo Sammarka oo dhan toddobaadle deriska suuqa beeralayda, waxaa mahad ah isticmaalayaasha suuqa wuxuu noqon doonaa mid fiican oo dheer sannadkaan. Beeralayda way soo kobcayaan Xilligooda kala duwan iyo suuqyo badan raashiin badan laga heli karo sida ukumo iyo hilib oo markaas la kariyey, malab iyo subag.
Suuqyada nooca u shaqeeya hal maalin toddobaadkiiba 20 ilaa 40 iyo beeralayda oo u fidinaysa raashiin cusub oo ku jiro Puget Sound qudaarteeda Burcad iyo Baasto , hilib lo’aad, Digaag, Mallay, Ukumo iyo Malab. Inta badan waxay u shaqeeyaan kuwa aan faa’ido doon ahayn, 2004. Waxaa lagu qiyaasay 260,000 wax iibsasho oo arkay suuqyaha.
Dadka dhaqaalahooda hooseeyo waxay xitaa isticmaali karaan suuqa iyo dhammaan raashiinka la oggolyahay in lagu gato sida Food Stamps, WIC iyo Ddaka waaweyn Quudinta Mashruuca coupons.
Suuqa marka la xirayo, beeralayda waxay deeq u bixiyaan wixii meesha loogga tagay oo qudaar ah deriska, meelaha loo yaqaan Food Banks, sida deriskooda Beeraleyda isku jir waxay ugu deeqaan meelaha loo yaqaan Food Banks. Sida deriska Beeralayda sannadkii hore waxay u deeqeen in ka badan 39,000 Pounds oo raashiin ah Food Banks. Liiska oo dhan Beeralayda Suuqa King County wac (206) 296-7824.Fiiri http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/farms/index.htm. For Seattle markets wac (206) 632-5234 ama arag http/www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org
ÑAÕ VAØO MUØA CHÔÏ NOÂNG SAÛN THÖÏC PHAÅM
Maøu caûi xanh bieác, maøu caø chua ñoû ñaäm, vaø boùng daùng caùc loaïi noâng saûn töôi khaùc coù theå tìm (mua) ñöôïc trong suoát muøa heø taïi caùc phieân chôï haøng tuaàn.
Nhôø vaøo nhu caàu cuûa giôùi tieâu thuï, coù nhieàu chôï seõ môû cöõa laâu hôn trong naêm naøy. Caùc noâng daân ñòa phöông ñaõ troàng nhieàu loaïi hoa maøu hôn ñeå coù theå keùo daøi muøa maøng cuûa hoï, vaø coù nhieàu chôï cuõng baùn caùc noâng saûn thöïc phaåm thöôøng coù quanh naêm nhö tröùng gaø höõu cô (organic egg) (tröùng do gaø nuoâi khoâng baèng thöïc phaåm coù hoaù chaát), caùc loaïi thòt, möùt, baùnh, maät ong, vaø bô söõa.
Caùc chôï noâng saûn thöôøng môû cöõa moät ngaøy moãi tuaàn, vaø coù töø 20 ñeán 40 ngöôøi baùn haøng. Nhöõng ngöôøi baùn haøng vaø nhöõng noâng daân thöôøng baùn cho caùc khaùch haøng nhöõng thöïc phaåm töôi goàm caùc hoa maøu trong khu vöïc Puget Sound, traùi caây mieàn ñoâng cuûa tieåu bang Washington, traùi daâu berries töø caùc vöôøn ñòa phöông, caùc loaïi rau caûi (khoâng duøng phaân boùn), bô söõa, thòt boø (töø boø nuoâi baèng coû töôi), gaø khoâng thaû chuoàng, caù , tröùng vaø maät ong. Phaàn lôùn caùc chôï ñöôïc ñieàu haønh bôûi caùc toå chöùc baát-vò-lôïi, vaø trong naêm 2004, ñaõ coù khoaûn $260,000 ngöôøi thaêm vieáng caùc chôï naøy.
Nhöõng ngöôøi ngheøo – lôïi töùc thaáp cuõng coù theå ñi caùc chôï naøy, vì caùc chôï naøy ñöôïc pheùp nhaän phieáu thöïc phaåm hay caùc tín phieáu WIC , vaø caùc coupon thuoäc Chöông Trình Dinh Döôõng daønh cho ngöôøi cao tuoåi.
Khi caùc chôï ñoùng cöûa, coù nhieàu noâng daân taëng caùc noâng phaåm baùn khoâng heát cho caùc food bank (trung taâm thöïc phaåm) trong khu xoùm. Theo Lieân Hoäi Cuûa Chôï Noâng Saûn, thì trong naêm vöøa qua, caùc noâng daân ñaõ taëng treân 39,000 caân thöïc phaåm cho caùc food banks.
Ñeå coù danh saùch caùc chôï noâng saûn trong vuøng quaän Kinh, xin goïi cho soá (206)296-7824 hoaëc vaøo maïng http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/farms/index.htm. Ñoái vôùi danh saùch caùc chôï trong khu Seattle, xin goïi cho soá (206)632-5234 hoaëc laø vaøo maïng http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org.
KCHA NEWS
The mission of the King County Housing Authority is to provide quality affordable housing opportunities and to build communities through partnerships. We encourage self-sufficiency and we protect the dignity of people with limited resources while safeguarding the public trust.
KCHA considers rent policy changes
BY ASHLEY LOMMERS-JOHNSON
King County Housing Authority
Changes to rent policy may soon become a necessity.
As the federal government provides less and less money for public housing, the amount the King County Housing Authority collects in rent may have to increase to cover the cost of housing and services.
Within the next three to four months, the KCHA Board of Commissioners will make very difficult decisions about how much residents will have to pay toward housing costs.
The board has several options. It could shift policies to allow people with higher incomes to be tenants, but board members do not consider that a good alternative when so many extremely low-income households are in need of a home.
The board could also reduce services, but many are key to helping residents become self-sufficient.
The Housing Authority is considering these ideas, but it also considering whether to ask some or all residents to pay more for their housing.
No one living in public housing pays more than 30 percent of their income for rent. Some pay as little as 15 percent of their gross income. Some households, because of their very low incomes, pay no rent at all.
On the other end of the scale, some residents with higher incomes choose to pay a flat rent, which is still lower than what private landlords charge.
While current rents are fair and affordable for all, not all residents pay the same percentage of their income for rent.
The board will tackle these important questions about the rent policy in the next few months.
Should rent be based on income? Is there another way to ensure that rents are fair and affordable?
Can the rent policy be simpler to understand yet still fair?
Should KCHA continue to provide income deductions for residents who get jobs to encourage them to work and stay employed? What about other deductions?
Should every resident be required to pay a minimum amount of rent?
Should some or all households be required to pay a greater percentage (for example, 33 percent instead of 30 percent) of their income for rent?
Should residents be allowed to pay a flat rent forever, even if their incomes become relatively high?
Should KCHA increase the flat rents that residents pay?
Residents will have the opportunity to provide their views on the issue this summer, before the board votes on a new rent policy.
If you are interested in participating in the discussion and inviting some of your KCHA neighbors to a focus group meeting, please call (206) 574-1100 and leave your name and telephone number.
Helpful youth program will soon have new home
Many join groundbreaking celebration
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
KENT – Like many of the kids in Kent’s poor East Hill neighborhood, Sharmarke Ahmed was not born in the United States. He came with his family from war-torn Somalia as a young child, and they first settled in Georgia.
While it may have been a step up from the terrible conditions in his African homeland, Sharmarke’s new home was steeped in trouble. Violent crime and drug dealing were common among youths and “they looked up to gangbangers,” the Kent Meridian High School senior told a rapt audience at the Rec Hall at Springwood Apartments.
Sharmarke found an avenue away from crime when his family moved to Valli Kee in Kent in 2001. Kent Youth and Family Services provides a youth program at the 114-unit family development in Kent that drew him in and encouraged academic success.
Tall and thoughtful with wire-framed glasses, Sharmarke seized the opportunity to star at school. He earned high grades and has been awarded a full scholarship to the University of Washington.
“The youth program makes a difference,” said Sharmarke. “I can be somebody now.”
More poor kids will have a chance to be somebody with the construction of a new Springwood Youth Center this summer. KCHA along with its Building Better Futures partners – Kent Youth and Family Services, the Puget Sound Educational Service District and the Center for Career Alternatives – celebrated the start of construction of the new facility at a groundbreaking under sunny skies in late May.
A crowd of more than 100, including Springwood kids and leaders from nonprofit service agencies, gathered in the beat-up, one-story Rec Hall to hail the building that will take its place.
The new facility will feature a full-size gym, a classroom, a computer lab and a kitchen.
Speakers, which included Kent Police Chief Ed Crawford, KCHA Executive Director Stephen Norman and Mike Heinisch, executive director of Kent Youth and Family Services, stood next to a model brick wall fashioned from cardboard, with shovels and sledgehammers leaning against it.
The ceremony followed the unveiling of a donor wall at the new Kent Family Center that marked the successful completion of the center’s capital campaign.
That facility, completed last spring, houses Head Start classrooms, a Women, Infants and Children (WIC) clinic and a career development center.
In a stirring speech, the Rev. Marvin Eckfeldt called the Family Center “a dream come true.”
Jack and Mary Lou Becvar of Kent, major supporters, unveiled the donor wall. Head Start children gave the donors leis.
Park Lake, Avondale students win scholarships
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
Yordanos Fesehaye has been a go-getter at Evergreen High School in White Center. She’s a natural-born leader who has mentored younger students, planned school events and organized community projects.
Caylen Dean helped pioneer the Link Crew mentoring program at Woodinville High School and participated in the Northshore School District’s Teaching Academy, using her leadership abilities to “help bring out the best in everyone around her,” a teacher noted.
Both Fesehaye, a resident of Park Lake Homes I in White Center, and Dean, who lives at Avondale Manor in Redmond, have worked hard in their quests for college educations. They were the King County Housing Authority’s top two applicants for scholarships from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.
Fesehaye and Dean’s commitment will not go unrewarded. KCHA has awarded each with an academic scholarship worth $1,000 per year, up to a total of $4,000. These special scholarships are the first KCHA has offered since the 1980s.
“Because of the obvious strong commitment you and your family have made toward your educational goals, we would like to help support your efforts,” KCHA Executive Director Stephen Norman wrote in a letter to both girls.
Fesehaye, the daughter of Letekidan Teklemariam, graduated from Evergreen in June and has enrolled at the University of Washington. Dean, the daughter of Lori Dean, also graduated last month and plans to study elementary education at Seattle University.
James Schindler, Dean’s English teacher at Woodinville High, credited her for working toward her goal by taking an advanced teaching academy class.
“With her patience and innate kindness, I think she has chosen a goal well suited to her skills and personality,” he said.
Fesehaye began life in war-torn Eritrea. Her father died in a car accident involving a drunk driver when she was 4. She began a dramatic academic turnaround after joining the Upward Bound program.
She spoke about her background at the Greenbridge groundbreaking event. (See “Greenbridge ground breaking takes the cake” on the front page of the general section.)
“Yordanos is an amazing young woman,” Upward Bound learning specialist Carrie O’Brien wrote in a recommendation for the NAHRO scholarship. “She plans on being successful, and I have no doubt she will accomplish any goal she sets for herself.”
Highline Council meets July 7
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council represents an unincorporated area of King County south of Seattle that includes White Center and Boulevard Park. It serves as the area’s voice with King County government.
The council usually meets the first and third Thursday of each month at the North Highline Fire Station, 1243 S.W. 112th St., from 7 to 9:30 p.m. It will meet on July 7 and 21 this month.
In cooperation with the council, the King County Housing Authority offers free transportation to these meetings. If you are interested, please call Steve Fisher at (206) 574-1280.
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
The Bellevue Boys & Girls Club, which has programs at Spiritwood Manor, Hidden Village and Eastside Terrace, was one of five clubs from around the country selected to receive an Annie E. Casey Award of $10,000.
The award, presented in April at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 99th National Conference in San Diego, is given to the clubs considered the best at helping low-income families and their children. There are 3,400 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.
“The clubs are a valuable part of our community,” said Carma Oaksmith, manager for Spiritwood Manor and Hidden Village.
She added that the clubs provide a homework hour, computer access, outside games and mentoring.
“Without them, children would have nowhere to focus after school, when many of their parents are at work or at school or college themselves.”
BY CLAUDE IOSSO
King County Housing Authority
The boys and girls at Echo Glen Children’s Center, a juvenile detention center in Snoqualmie, have done bad things. Often born with addictions and raised with abuse, many battle mental and emotional problems and have learned only how to lash out at the world.
At Echo Glen, rules and walls may have replaced chaos, but those who work with the kids know they have much to learn about life. One of these workers, King County Housing Authority AmeriCorps member Jill Beppu sought to use clay and paintbrushes to teach them a little.
A collection of beautiful mosaics, featuring shards of colored clay and mirrors, is proof that she and volunteer artist Rachael Bigham, succeeded.
The mosaics, in frames and built into towers, are outsider art at its best – garish, raw and fascinating. Beppu and Bigham assembled the mosaics, but Echo Glen inmates created many of the pieces.
For KCHA, Beppu teaches English as a Second Language to immigrants in Kirkland and Bellevue. Unlike the residents she works with at Casa Juanita and Spiritwood, most of her Echo Glen students speak English, but she wondered if communicating with them would prove harder.
Beppu, who has a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Washington, began teaching art at Echo Glen as a volunteer in 2002. When she joined the KCHA AmeriCorps team in 2003, her Echo Glen efforts became part of the job duties.
In 2004, Beppu decided to return to the AmeriCorps team for a second year. KCHA AmeriCorps Coordinator Pat Porter asked her to consider involving her students in the AmeriCorps art competition, held at the annual Northwest National Service Symposium.
“Jill picked up the idea and ran with it,” Porter said. “Then it took on a life of its own. It’s a marvelous project, full of so much energy.”
She said she was happy to see strong involvement in the project.
“The kids actively participated, which is something these kids just don’t do,” she noted. “They’re non-verbal and closed-up, but they willingly followed the rules so they could be in the class.”
Beppu said she hardly expected this transformation when she started at Echo Glen. The youths weren’t hostile and, closely supervised by security staff, they were quiet and respectful. However, they betrayed little interest in art.
One youth caused a change in the others approached the project when he applied himself to a piece, laboring for 10 minutes to sketch a cartoon scene in the Japanese “animé” style.
“That this young man could focus on one thing for 10 minutes was a great accomplishment,” Porter said. “The other kids were then willing to follow along.”
The students at Echo Glen embraced the mosaic project, not only carving designs into shards of clay, but also learning how to grout, paint and glaze. For some, they discovered the pride of creation and were anxious to show their work to Beppu and the staff.
“The kids now are able to focus, to decide to continue,” Beppu explained. “They can visualize. They learned patience, how to cope with disappointment and how to take care of things.”
As Porter noted, “They learned they don’t have to react to everything with anger.”
Despite the mosaics’ eye-popping grandeur, a technicality kept the project from winning the May symposium at Portland State University. It turned out that all entries had to be crafted by AmeriCorps members alone.
The disappointment was short-lived. Beppu and Bigham soon won a $6,000 Kateri Brow Big Idea Grant from the Issaquah Schools Foundation. Beppu plans to continue the Echo Glen art program with that and other funding from charitable groups.
Shuttle schedule
The monthly schedule is posted at central locations in the buildings the shuttle serves. The schedule sometimes changes, so confirm times against the posted schedule. Residents must sign up for ride service.
Fri., July 1: Auburn grocery
Gustaves Manor 9:45
Wayland Arms 10:15
Plaza Seventeen 10:35
Mon., July 4: holiday
Tues., July 5: Shoreline grocery/food bank
Briarwood 9:45
Lake House 10:15
Paramount 12:30
Northridge I/II 1:00
Wed., July 6: Burien grocery
Burien Park 8:45
Munro Manor 9:15
Brittany Park 9:45
Boulevard Manor 10:30
Riverton Terrace 10:40
Yardley Arms 1:00
Park Lake 1:30
Thurs., July 7: Issaquah/Kent grocery
Eastridge House 9:30
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., July 8: SeaTac Mall
Plaza Seventeen 10:00
Wayland Arms 10:10
Gustaves Manor 10:20
Mon., July 11: Bothell/Redmond grocery
Northwood 9:30
Northlake House 9:45
Forest Glen 1:00
Casa Juanita 1:35
Tues., July 12: Southcenter mall
Harrison House 9:45
Vantage Glen 11:30
Wed., July 13: Int. grocery/Wal-Mart
Brittany Park 10:00
Munro Manor 10:20
Burien Park 10:50
Boulevard Manor 11:10
Brittany Park 12:15
Thurs., July 14: Kent grocery
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., July 15: food banks
Gustaves Manor 9:45
Wayland Arms 9:55
Plaza Seventeen 10:30
Southridge 1:00
Mon., July 18: Bothell/Redmond grocery
Northwood 9:30
Northlake House 9:45
Forest Glen 1:00
Casa Juanita 1:35
Tues., July 19: food banks
Mardi Gras 10:00
Paramount House 12:10
Northridge I/II 12:25
Briarwood 12:45
Lake House 1:00
Wed., July 20: Burien grocery
Burien Park 8:45
Munro Manor 9:15
Brittany Park 9:45
Boulevard Manor 10:30
Riverton Terrace 10:40
Yardley Arms 1:00
Park Lake 1:30
Thurs., July 21: Issaquah/Kent grocery
Eastridge House 9:30
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., July 22: reserved
Mon., July 25: food banks
Brittany Park 9:15
Yardley Arms 11:30
Riverton Terrace 1:30
Tues., July 26: food banks
Mardi Gras 10:00
Burien Park 1:00
Wed., July 27: reserved
Thurs., July 28: food bank/Kent grocery
Boulevard Manor 9:30
Munro Manor 9:45
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., July 29: Alderwood Mall/Redmond grocery
Northwood 8:45
Northlake House 9:00
Forest Glen 1:00
Patio display wins Ballinger garden competition
BY CLAUDE IOSSO
King County Housing Authority
SHORELINE – The back of Vera Bereszyuk’s unit at Ballinger Homes is a burst of color, with peonies, hydrangea, geraniums and clematis all clamoring for attention from pots and the garden bed. Calla lilies beckon from the front.
All the plants got noticed last month during the second annual Ballinger in Bloom garden contest. Bereszyuk’s garden won first prize, tabbed the best of 14 entries by three garden experts.
Bereszyuk was delighted with her victory. The Ukrainian immigrant was unable to say much in English, but when the judges presented the first prize, she beamed and said, “thank you” repeatedly.
Ukrainian immigrants dominated the 2005 competition. Lidia Ogorodnik, who took first place last year with a backyard garden surrounding a love seat, won second prize. Mariya Skobyak, whose garden featured a nice border and mix of colors, took third place.
Two contestants, Mai Cha and Ivan Bonarenko, earned honorable mentions.
Bereszyuk won a $25 gift certificate to Home Depot while Ogorodnik and Skobyak won decorative plants. Cha and Bonarenko received small cash prizes.
Ballinger Homes, a 110-unit family development near Shoreline’s northern border, won a National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials award this year for an exterior remodel. Pink rose campions, red geraniums and white and blue hydrangea decorating the contestants’ yards made the handsome, two-tone duplexes look even better.
Many residents take great care of their units, and several fine gardens were not even entered in the contest. It is this community spirit that Shoreline Community College outreach worker Lindsey Legaspi decided to celebrate when she organized the first Ballinger in Bloom event in 2004.
This year’s judges were Ken Plante of Sky Nursery and two avid amateur gardeners, Darlene Miller, vice president of workforce and economic development at Shoreline Community College, and Center for Human Services Finance Director Tracy Little.
The three judges checked each garden and conferred under gray skies, which fortunately never dropped any rain. To ensure impartiality, they were given no information about the contestants, and they only considered the gardens themselves.
The judges agreed that Bereszyuk’s garden deserved first place. Citing the large mix of flowers, Miller noted that the backyard garden featured “a good color mix.”
Plante said, “There are lots of plants, a nice plant selection and good design.”
KCHA, Shoreline Community College and Center for Human Services sponsored the Ballinger in Bloom event, with plans to continue it next year.
Program makes phone service affordable
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
The Washington Telephone Assistance Program can help you acquire phone service or keep the service you already have.
The program is managed by the State of Washington, the federal government and your local telephone company.
To be eligible for the program you must be an adult living in your own home and receiving financial or medical assistance from the state Department of Social and Health Services.
You are eligible if you receive any of a variety of different kinds of assistance, including food stamps, General Assistance, Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Medical Assistance, Refugee Assistance, Community Options Program and DSHS Chore Services.
The program offers new customers free basic installation, as long as there is wiring already to your home.
WTAP will also drop any initial deposit requirements for local service. WTAP offers a low monthly rate, with participants paying $8 at most for their phone service each month.
You still must pay taxes and fees.
To enroll in WTAP, contact your local telephone company. You will need to provide them with your DSHS client identification number. The telephone company will verify your eligibility with DSHS.
WTAP covers basic residential local telephone service for one line only. For additional lines or added features, such as caller identifcation, answering services, call forwarding, call waiting and long-distance calls, including toll calls, you will have to pay full price.
After WTAP determines you are eligible to participate, the program pays the phone company the difference between the cost of service and what you can pay.
For more information about WTAP, call toll-free 1-888-700-8880.
North Area welcomes new support service coordinator
BY TONYA LEWIS
King County Housing Authority
When the residents of Northridge House and Northridge II need help finding services in the North City neighborhood of Shoreline, their new support services coordinator is uniquely qualified to help.
Like the residents at the twin 70-unit, mixed-population high-rises, Ruben Rivera-Jackman calls North City home. He has lived in the neighborhood for nearly a decade.
Rivera-Jackman joined the King County Housing Authority’s Support Services team on June 6, taking over for Jeffrey Gerhardstein at Northridge I and II and at Paramount House, in Shoreline’s Jackson Park neighborhood.
“I am excited about working in the housing field again,” Rivera-Jackman notes. “I grew up in New York City and lived in low-income public housing as an adolescent, after my family became homeless as a result of a fire.”
Prior to starting with KCHA, Rivera-Jackman worked for five years at Therapeutic Health Services as the clinical supervisor for outpatient alcohol and drug services.
He has many years of experience in social services, including working with affordable housing providers.
Rivera-Jackman received a master’s degree in not-for-profit leadership from Seattle University in 2003.
“One of my passions is advocating for safe and adequate housing for low-income, disabled individuals and the elderly,” Rivera-Jackman wrote in an e-mail. “I am excited about providing support to the residents to ensure that they sustain their current housing and enhance their quality of life.”
And Rivera’s interest in reaching out goes beyond just his dedication to the residents he will be serving.
“I look forward to contributing to the Support Services Coordination team by sharing my diverse professional and personal experiences,” he added. “I hope to create a sense of community amongst the residents living in the North end of King County.”
Ruben Rivera-Jackman can be reached at (206) 363-3580. His office hours are from 1 to 4 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays at the Paramount, from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays at Northridge II and from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays at Northridge I.
Home ownership takes preparation, resolve
BY A. LINDA TAYLOR
Special to the Voice
Whether you are buying a home, qualifying for a rental property or improving your credit rating, education is the key to achieving financial success.
For example, did you know if you are purchasing a home you may be eligible for a $13,500 grant from the Resident Opportunity Self Sufficiency program to help with closing costs and a down payment?
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, International District Housing Alliance and El Centro de la Raza offer workshops and seminars designed to equip you with the tools you need to move forward on the path to a brighter and more secure financial future.
You will have the opportunity to learn concepts and strategies on developing life-long habits that will help you accumulate wealth. With proper maintenance of your credit, accumulation of savings and responsible financial management, you can hope to achieve the American dream of homeownership.
To learn how you can achieve your homeownership dream, please call Metesa Greene, The Urban League at (206) 461-3792 ext. 3013, Elaine Magil, IDHA at (206) 623-0122, or Leilani Finau, El Centro de la Raza at (206) 957-4633.
A. Linda Taylor is housing director for The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle.
TRANSLATED ARTICLES FROM THE VOICE
Greenbridge groundbreaking takes the cake
WHITE CENTER –Xaflad weyn oo Jaaliyadda Dhexe meesha baabuurta la dhigto Juun 1da, KCHA go’aansatay dhismaha Greenbridge.
Isbeddelkaan guryaha Park Lake $ 235 Malyan qiyaasta dakhliga Jaaliyadda Loogu yeeray Greenbridge waa mashruuc weyn iyo u hadlaha Greenbridge Waxaa ka mid ah Sen. Patty Murray, Mudane Jim McDermatt iyo dadka deggen Park Lake buundo iyo cagaar waxay dhisaysaa “webi oo dhexmara buluu iyo dhalo cagaar ah, calaamo u ah tallaabo weyn ay qaaday KCHA.
Mahruucaan wuxuu ka badan yahay dhismo guryo: wuxuu wax tarayaa Jaaliyadda” sidaas waxaa tiri Sen. Murray, u soo dagaallantay maalgelinta Guryaha Washington DC”Greenbridge wuxuu xaqiijin doonaa White Center Oo ku harta mid xoog badan dhaxal u noqota jiilka imaan doona.
“Codka deegaanka” Yordanos Fesehaye, dhigta Evergreen High oo deeq waxbarasho u taga Jaamacadda Washington,” waxaan rabaa inaan u hambalyeeyo dhammaan dadka ku hawlan Greenbridge hirgelinteeda.
Greenbridge waxaa ka faa’idaysan doona 33 oo dakhligoodu hooseeyo kireystayaal ah, qiyaas 154 hoose isubeddela kirada, qiyaas 475 oo dhismo beec ah u xaqiijiya baabuur dhigashadooda, hawl badan loo ballan qaadayo iyo dukaamaysi oo 8th Avenue SW, iyo Dugsi Hoose ee cusub iyo qatb Maktabad ku dhow Village Plaza.
KHÔÛI COÂNG XAÂY DÖÏNG KHU GREENBRIDGE LAØ ÑIEÀU TUYEÄT HAÛO
White Center- Trong moät buoãi lieân hoan lôùn hoâm ngaøy 1 thaùng Saùu, taïi baõi ñaäu xe cuûa trung taâm coäng ñoàng Wiley , Nha Caáp Phaùt Gia Cö Quaän King ñaõ khôûi coâng xaây caát khu Greenbridge.
Vieäc bieán ñoiå khu vöïc I, Park Lake Home vôùi kinh phí laø $235 trieäu –ñeå trôû thaønh moät coäng ñoàng cö daân coù nhieàu nguoàn lôïi töùc khaùc nhau goïi laø Greenbridge laø moät döï aùn to lôùn, coù nhöõng chöùc saéc phaùt bieåu trong buoåi leã Khôûi Coâng goàm Thöôïng Nghò Só Patty Murray, Daân Bieåu Jim McDermott vaø cö daân ôû Park Lake. Moâ hình caây caàu nhoû vôùi tay vòn, baét qua con soâng coù nhöõng hoøn thuûy tinh maøy xanh döông vaø xanh laù caây, laø bieåu töôïng cuûa Nha Caáp Phaùt Gia Cö Quaän King trong böôùc tieán to lôùn naøy.
Nghò só Patty Murray ñaõ noùi:” Döï aùn naøy coøn lôùn hôn caû vieäc xaây döïng nhaø cöõa; noù seõ phuïc hoài laïi coäng ñoàng, baø laø ngöôøi ñaõ kieân trì tranh ñaáu ñeå coù ngaân khoaûn xaây döïng nhaø cöõa töø Washington DC. “Chaéc chaén khu Greenbridge seõ laøm cho White Center luoân vöõng maïnh vaø sinh ñoäng trong nhieàu theá heä tôùi.”
Yordanos Fesehaye, moät hoïc sinh naêm cuoái trung hoïc Evergreen High, em nhaän ñöôïc hoïc boãng ñaïi hoïc Washington ñaõ noùi “thay maët cho caùc cö daân, toâi muoán noùi leân loøng bieát ôn ñeán vôùi taát caû moïi ngöôûi ñaõ giuùp thöïc hieän khu Greenbridge”.
Khu Greenbridge seõ coù 300 caên nhaø cho ngöôøi lôïi töùc thaáp thueâ möôùn, khoaûn 154 caên cho ngöôøi coù lôïi töùc vöøa phaûi, vaø coù ñoä 475 caên nhaø ñeå baùn, taát caû caùc caên nhaø ñöôïc thieát keá noãi baät, gaàn coâng vieân, coù loái ñi nhoû. Greenbridge seõ taïo ñieàu kieän ñeå môû cô sôû thöông maïi, (vaên phoøng) dòch vuï doïc theo ñöôøng Eight Ave, cuøng vôùi tröôøng tieåu hoïc môùi vaø chi nhaùnh thö vieän ngay beân caïnh khu thöông xaù.
