A community-based newspaper serving the Puget Sound area since 1981
The Voice
September 2005
Articles translated into six languages
The newspaper of Neighborhood House
Edwards visits Seattle, speaks on poverty
BY JAMES OWENBY
Seattle Housing Authority
Complex issues like affordable housing and poverty are not solved overnight by one person with one strategy or tactic.
Former Sen. John Edwards was in Seattle last month and spoke on the issues of poverty in America at the NewHolly Gathering Hall.
The event, hosted by the Seattle based nonprofit Housing Development Consortium, was the first of three talks designed to inspire the development of new strategies for addressing poverty and the challenges of building and funding affordable housing projects.
“We have to make a commitment in the United States to end poverty,” Edwards said, reminding the audience of former President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty.
Edwards recently formed a Political Action Committee that contends there are two different Americas in our country today—one for those at the top who get everything they want and another for everybody else who struggles just to get by.
Edwards spoke for about 20 minutes and veered from a prepared speech in order to talk about the morality of poverty in the United States, challenging the audience to think about the country’s budget as a moral document.
“What does it say about America” when the budget fails to address the needs of the 36 million people who live in poverty, he asked. “If America wants to lead we have to do it with more than muscle, we need to do it with moral clarity.”
Edwards serves as the Director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity, an academic think tank at the University of North Carolina, School of Law.
The Housing Development Consortium will host two more public forums on the topic of the rising need for affordable housing, the decline in such housing’s availability and the shrinking resources for sustaining it.
The next discussion is scheduled to take place in the fall and the final discussion will take place in February 2006.
For more information on these upcoming events visit the consortium’s Web site at http://www.housingconsortium.org.
Boat race roars at Asian American water festival
BY WARYA POTHAN AND SOKUNTHEA OK
Special to the Voice
Fifteen Dragon Boat teams convened at Thea Park in Tacoma last month to race in the second annual Asian American Water Festival, or Bon Om Tuk.
More than 1,000 spectators watched the race and enjoyed the event’s international food and community resources booths.
The festival was sponsored by the Cambodian American Support Network, and aimed to unite Asian-American communities and Washingtonians to promote diversity and tolerance and to share culture, tradition and resources.
The water festival is an ancient community event that took place annually in Cambodia, Thailand and Laos.
Tacoma’s modern version started with a march of the 15 Dragon Boat teams, welcoming speeches by the President of the Cambodian American Support Network and the Mayor of Tacoma and a ribbon cutting ceremony. The festival continued throughout the day with cultural dances, youth performances and live music.
Neighborhood House’s Project HANDLE (HIV/AIDS Network Development and Life-skills Experience) has been involved in activities to promote the awareness and prevention of HIV infection and substance abuse at the event since its first year.
Project HANDLE is funded by two grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Substance Abuse Mental Health Service, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and the Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy.
As part of the project, more than 20 youth were trained at the University of Washington to be HIV and substance abuse prevention peer educators. The youth wrote a skit for the water festival, working hard entertain both youth and adults while sending out a clear message about the relationship between risky behaviors, substance abuse, HIV infection and the spread of AIDS.
For the next three to four years, the youth will continue to work with their peers, family members and other community members.
The Asian Water Festival was a community event that united Asian-Americans and other community members and promoted tolerance and acceptance. Resources such as HIV and substance abuse prevention materials were also shared.
Warya Pothan is the Project HANDLE Director and Sokunthea Ok is a community health project manager for the initiative.
Tenants Union rallies against gentrification
BY LORA CROPPER
Voice reporter
Seattle resident Jeri Gates has watched new businesses move into two of the neighborhoods she once called home.
“I wanted to go into the new stores, but I couldn’t afford it,” she said.
Instead, she found herself shopping at more affordable stores farther away, and she eventually moved away from both neighborhoods.
Gates joined about 70 others at a rally at the Rainier Valley Community Center last month, expressing concern that such gentrification could be the future of the Rainier Valley.
Those who spoke at the rally, organized by the Tenants Union of Washington, also decried federal cuts to the Section 8 program, which provides vouchers to help low-income people pay their rent.
Many Rainier Valley residents depend on Section 8 vouchers, event organizers said, so this loss of funding, paired with redevelopment already underway, could displace current residents of the area.
Esther Little Dove John, a leader of the Tenants Union’s Justice in Southeast Seattle Project and the event’s emcee, projected that redevelopment would force a number of residents to move away from their jobs, families and homes.
“We live here, and we want to stay here,” she said.
Instead, the Tenants Union is calling for “equitable development,” where new resources can come into a neglected community, but policies, public agreements and laws regulate its effects and allow current residents to stay.
The rally was attended by United States Congressman Jim McDermott and Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. Both said they supported the Rainier Valley’s concerns over Section 8 cuts.
“I can’t think of anything more basic than housing and health care, and these needs are not being met by this administration for low- and middle-income people,” McDermott said, encouraging those gathered to continue to take action and speak to government representatives. “It’s the fact that you live here and have a right to speak, so I want to hear your voice.”
Rasmussen promised to work with community representatives to save the Rainier Valley from potential displacement and gentrification. He said he plans to take community members’ ideas to the state legislature.
Although Seattle Housing Authority officials did not speak at the rally, leaders said afterwards that their developments in the Rainier Valley already follow principles of equitable development.
“Many residents of the former communities have, in fact, progressed to home ownership in the neighborhood, and most of the residents who said they wanted to return to the redeveloped communities have been able to do so,” said SHA Communications Director Virginia Felton. “People assume that the beautiful new housing is too expensive for poor people, but (much of) it is just as affordable as the old housing was…The for-sale houses that are more expensive help to pay for additional low-income housing.”
To become involved in the effort to promote equitable development in the Rainier Valley or to find out more on the issue, contact Michele at the Tenants Union at (206) 722-6848 ext. 114.
Vocational English class helps students land jobs
BY KRISTA KENNER
Seattle Jobs Initiative
For most, searching for a job is a nerve-wracking experience.
Scanning the classifieds, filling out intricate job applications, placing follow-up calls and managing face-to-face interviews can be overwhelming.
Imagine taking on this process in a new country with a different language. Every year thousands of immigrants to the Seattle region do just that.
“The single largest barrier to employment for the immigrant/refugee population is language,” said Rhonda Simmons, executive director of Seattle Jobs Initiative.
To help lessen this barrier, Seattle Jobs Initiative and Neighborhood House began collaborating this year to offer vocational English as a Second Language training in White Center.
Funded by Making Connections and SJI, the pilot project focuses on preparing participants for janitorial jobs that offer wage progression and career advancement.
Nicholas Muñoz came to the United States from Mexico 10 years ago, but until recently was still struggling with his English skills. He needed to find a steady job to support his family, so when he found out about the SJI/Neighborhood House project, he immediately enrolled.
After completing the intensive, 10-week training, Muñoz was offered a job as a janitor at South Seattle Community College. He now makes $9 per hour and is looking forward to receiving medical benefits for his family within six months.
“My teacher was very good and paid attention to each student,” he said. “One student just came from Vietnam and didn’t know any English, but after only two months, he could speak a lot.”
Neighborhood House ESL Instructor Mary Turla said she teaches her students the words they’ll need in the workplace, such as mop, broom and detergent, but she also answers their individual questions.
“In vocational ESL, you plan, but some days a student has a particular situation they need help communicating in,” she said. “You have to be flexible.”
Project staff are also building relationships with employers in the White Center area. The goal is to connect with employers that offer wage and career advancement as language skills improve.
Currently, 20 students are enrolled in the class, and four have been placed in jobs.
“This pilot is a great opportunity for us to learn exactly what works and doesn’t work for this particular population,” Simmons said. “We want to share our experience with other agencies to enhance and expand appropriate employment services and training in this region.”
For more information about the project, please contact Gloria Hatcher-Mays at (206) 628-6967.
Health Notes
A column devoted to your well-being
Teens speak out about school-based clinics
A school-based health center is a health clinic in the school. It is a place where students can go for physical and mental health services and to learn how to lead healthy lives.
“When we walk into the clinic, people smile at us. That doesn’t always happen in middle school.”
Sang, a middle school student
There are 14 school-based health centers in the Seattle School District. They are open to all students and provide acute, preventative and reproductive health care and mental health counseling services.
“I like the mental health counseling. Otherwise, where would we find it?”
Cindi, a high school student
Mental health problems have surpassed injuries as the single most common reason for child hospitalizations among Washington children aged 5 to 19 years old.
Mental health counseling is available for concerns such as depression, stress, sexual and physical abuse, sexuality, drug and alcohol abuse.
“Our family doesn’t have enough money for all of us to go to the doctor for even one sports physical, let alone three of them!”
Zhivon, a high school student
In addition to sports physicals, school-based health centers provide treatment for illnesses such as flu and colds, injuries, stomach pains, acne and headaches.
They also provide dental screening and referral along with confidential services, including sexuality and reproductive health services.
Best of all, the nurse practitioners at many high school clinics are available three weeks prior to school for sports physicals. If your son or daughter needs one, just call the school to find out the clinic hours.
Each health center is staffed with a nurse practitioner, one or two mental health counselors and a clinic coordinator who all work closely with the school nurse, guidance counselors and other staff.
All staff are available to talk with students, parents, and families about a variety of topics, including nutrition, smoking cessation, weight management, sexuality and reproductive health.
Registration forms for school-based health centers are available at each school. Students are encouraged to register for services at the start of the school year.
For more information, contact the school-based health center at your middle school or high school.
BY VOICE STAFF
Bubbles and balls, hula hoops and parachutes were just some of the diversions enjoyed by the many children who attended the Neighborhood House Early Head Start picnic.
They also shared food from around the world, including Salvadoran pupusas and Ethiopian injera. Parents involved in the program helped plan the late July event, which attracted more than 130 people.
“Everything’s so great,” said Tham Nguyen.
Her friend Hong Nguyen agreed.
“The staff has been friendly and a big help to kids,” she said. “We feel really welcome.”
The Early Head Start program serves low-income families in Seattle that have children from ages birth to 3.
The program offers home-based activities, including parenting education and child development information.
Early Head Start Supervisor Marcy Miller said the aim of the picnic is to give parents and children a chance to meet and socialize with other families.
Participant Hodan Mohamed said she enjoyed the opportunity.
“It gives us a chance to see how many people have home visitors,” she said, adding that her home visitor has given her information and encouragement as her 2-year-old daughter recovers from an injury.
“We’re happy to have her helping us,” she said. “I really like the program.”
For more information about the Neighborhood House Early Head Start program call Marcy Miller at (206) 760-9330.
Garden tips for community gardeners
Special to the Voice
As the end of the 2005 growing season approaches, I hope you have time to enjoy your harvest.
Take some time to pick your squash, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans. Prepare some delicious meals and share them with friends.
You may have heard of the “slow food” movement. As food gardeners, you are the backbone of this movement.
Slow Food USA is an educational organization dedicated to sustainable food production and to the revival of the kitchen as the center of families, culture and community. Slow Food encourages regional and seasonal food traditions and a slower, more harmonious rhythm of life.
My favorite fall recipe is a ratatouille.
I usually cook it in a cast iron pot, first stir frying in olive oil the following ingredients in this order: garlic, onion and eggplant (until eggplant starts to get soft).
Then I add peppers (green or red, not hot), zucchini and several chopped, peeled tomatoes. Add a handful of chopped fresh Italian herbs or a couple tablespoons of dried herbs. Salt to taste.
The amount of each ingredient depends on your harvest and your preferred taste.
I think it is the freshness of the ingredients that makes this a great dish. Serve it alone or on pasta or rice. It’s good with Parmesan cheese, too.
To extend your fall food harvests, watch out for those early rains and heavy mists. This weather pattern can help spread harmful fungi. Prune any tomato plants with blight, which forms dark brown splotches on the leaves, stems and fruits. Also remove powdery, mildew-infected leaves on your squash and cucumbers. This white, moldy-looking fungus spreads rapidly.
Later in the fall, most tomatoes and squashes finally do die from fungal pests, but cleaning them out of your garden will lessen and slow the damage to you crops.
Even though the weather may seem damp, you may need to water the soil around your plants to ensure the root zone below the surface stays moist. Draught stress (dry roots) weakens your plants.
Make time to weed your garden well before you put it to rest for the winter. Many annual weeds are setting seeds in September. For the best weed control, pull them out before the seeds spread.
As the rains begin, watch for newly sprouted perennial weeds also. These should be removed before they get a chance to get established this winter.
The best weed control methods are hand-pulling and then covering the soil around your crops with weed-free mulch. A cover of mulch excludes light and thus prevents the germination of the new weed seeds.
Mulches can be made out of a weed-free compost, wood chips, shredded paper or dried leaves and grasses (without seeds).
Using a winter cover crop is another excellent ways to reduce weeds. Planting nitrogen-fixing “green manure” like crimson clover, vetch or field peas will prevent weeds and enrich your soil. Sow these cover crops this month while the weather is still warm.
Enjoy the seasonal bounty!
Anza Muenchow is a P-Patch volunteer and an avid gardener. If you have questions or comments about the material in this column, send her an e-mail at mahafarm@whidbey.net.
Conference teaches leadership, organizing
BY LYNN SEREDA
Voice reporter
Seniors, immigrants, youth and low-income public housing residents were among the more than 100 citizen activists who gathered for a weekend of workshops at Seattle University last month.
The event, called “Taking Action, Making Change,” was sponsored by the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations. Washington Citizen Action is a member of this federation along with other groups from Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
Washington Citizen Action is a statewide social and economic justice organization with over 50,000 individual members. Its board includes partners representing labor, senior, faith and community organizations, and its mission “is to achieve economic fairness in order to establish a democratic society characterized by racial and social justice, with respect for diversity, and a decent quality of life for those who reside in Washington State.”
The conference began with an immigrant rights plenary, which included a panel of immigrants who shared their stories.
Issues addressed included maintaining worker protection, reuniting families and making the dream of higher education possible for immigrant youth by lifting federal restrictions which force states to deny in-state tuition to immigrant students.
Attendees participated in a wide variety of workshops, some of which focused on racial and social justice. Others focused on skill-building in areas such as public speaking, computer use and canvassing.
A major highlight of the conference was the “Put People First” forum on the health care crisis in Washington, which was organized by Washington Citizen Action. Union leaders and organizers spoke about initiatives for more affordable and universal health care.
Then several dozen citizen activists came to the microphone to give testimony and recite statistics that illustrate the current health care dilemma.
For instance, nearly 800,000 people in Washington are uninsured and the cost to the state is nearly $318 million a year.
Steve Hill, administrator of the Washington State Health Care Authority spoke about the State’s plan to address health care issues and fielded some very tough questions from the floor.
Several residents from the Seattle and King County housing authorities attended the conference and a few played major roles in organizing it.
Regina Owens of Greenlake Plaza has been involved in WCA since July 2001. She currently sits on the state board and chairs the King County Action Team, which holds meetings on the first Wednesday of each month from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Greenlake Plaza Community Room, 505 N.E. 70th St. in Seattle. The group organized a garage sale as a fundraiser for the conference.
Owens also gave testimony at the Put People First health care forum. Her daughter Tiffany traveled to Olympia to testify for the Fair Share Health Care Bill. Both mentioned many benefits to becoming involved with WCA, such as the leadership training and mentorship that is offered.
“The more low-income voices that are heard, the more they take our views into consideration,” Tiffany Owens said.
For more information about Washington Citizen Action or the King County Action Team, call (206) 389-0050, ext. 105 or visit the Web site at http://www.wacitizenaction.org.
SHA resident Regina Owens spoke about health care issues at the conference.
Bells ring for after-school programs
BY VOICE STAFF
With school back in session, parents are searching for after-school programs to help their children succeed in school.
Following is a list of programs that serve public housing communities in Seattle and King County.
Catholic Community Services’ youth tutoring program is an evening educational enrichment program for students living in six Seattle public housing communities, including Cedarvale Village, Jackson Park Village, NewHolly, Rainier Vista, High Point and Yesler Terrace.
The program focuses on developing students’ reading skills, providing them with homework assistance and increasing academic knowledge through skill-building curricula. Call (206) 328-5659 for more information.
SafeFutures Youth Center provides programs for West Seattle youth aged 6 to 18.
Programs include homework help, counseling, enrichment activities and field trips. Students can also get involved in special initiatives such as an anti-violence leadership team or a healthy communities project. Call (206) 938-9606 ext. 118 for more information.
Kent Youth and Family Services provides youth programs for residents 5 to 19 years old at three KCHA developments, Cascade Apartments, Springwood Apartments and Valli Kee, with after-school activities beginning on Sept. 1.
At Springwood, the program is in Building 23, while the Springwood Youth Center is under construction.
Activities include tutoring and homework help, arts and crafts, cooking classes, intramural sports leagues, teen nights and career exploration. Highlights include a talent show in February and a three-on-three basketball tournament in April. Youth are encouraged to take part in program planning and to set goals for field trips. Call (253) 859-0300 for more information.
Neighborhood House runs an after school youth tutoring program for kids aged 7 to 18 at Burndale and Green River Homes in Auburn and at Park Lake Homes in White Center. It also provides after-school tutoring to students at Tyee High School in SeaTac. For more information call (206) 366-5084.
KCHA’s Eastside developments – Eastside Terrace, Avondale Manor, College Place, Spiritwood Manor and Hidden Village – benefit from youth programs offered by the Bellevue Boys & Girls Club, (425) 454-6162.
After-school activities focus on education, character development, the arts, fitness and health and life skills.
In Auburn, youths at Firwood Circle participate in after-school programs provided by the Auburn Boys & Girls Club, a satellite of the Federal Way club. The Firwood Circle club is closed during renovations of the community room, but is expected to be back in operation by October. For more information, call (253) 804-5915.
At Ballinger Homes in Shoreline, the Center for Human Services’ Homework Factory has long provided kids with a helping hand for schoolwork. There is also QuEST (quiet evening study time), the Awesome Possums service club, weekly teen outings and art classes on Saturdays.
Youth programs at Ballinger, provided by CHS, begin on Wednesday, September 7. For more information, call (206) 362-2842.
Community notes
Win funds for neighborhood projects
The City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods is holding an “ideas fair” for those interested in applying for funding for neighborhood projects.
Project funding is available through a number of City programs, including the Small Sparks program and the Race and Social Justice fund.
The fair will feature displays on past projects including playground improvements, oral histories, traffic calming projects, youth involvement projects, cultural programs and more.
It takes place on Saturday, September 10 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Seattle Vocational Institute, 2120 S. Jackson St.
A workshop on the Race and Social Justice fund will take place from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. Learn more about the fund and hear from 2004 award recipients.
Other workshops will cover tips for submitting competitive applications, and developing proposals.
For more information contact the Department of Neighborhoods at (206) 684-0464.
Senior job fair at Seattle Center
Older adults looking for possible jobs and networking opportunities can find them at the fourth annual Senior Employment Fair on Wednesday, September 14, at the Seattle Center.
The Mature Workers Alliance of Puget Sound presents Hire Experience: 50+ Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Seattle Center House.
At this job fair, you can network with potential employers, participate in job search workshops and learn how to start your own business. Admission is free. Bring your resume and dress for success.
For questions or accommodations, please contact the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging at (206) 838-8163. For Metro Transit bus rider information, call (206) 553-3000.
The Mature Workers Alliance of Puget Sound is a group of public and private organizations committed to empowering older workers and increasing their presence and productivity in the workforce.
More information is available on the web at http://www.seattlecenter.com.
TRANSLATED ARTICLES FROM THE VOICE
Don’t eat fish or crab
from the Duwamish River
Qaybta Caafimaadla Dawladda waxay codsanaysaa inaan la soo qaban nooc kasta Mallaay ah weliba Duwamish biyihiisa. Dhowaan rusaalooyin laga helay PCB ku jiridda wlaxaha aan ammaan ahayn.
PCB waxaa lagu yaqaan ka warqabka qaabka dhibaatooyinka caruurta oo korriin diyaar u ah, waxaa weliba muhim u ah haweenka uurka leh oo qorshaynaya inay ilmo helaan.
Talo bixinta sal looga dhigay tusaalooyin baaris nadaafadeed oo ku jiro Kalluunka kamid ah perch, flounder, English sole, iyo crab oo biyaha hoos ku jira webiga Duwamish. Kalluunkaas ku nool ama agagaarka weliba oo sannad gaaraya waxaa loo aqoonsan yahay Kalluun deggen.
Kalluunka Salmon kuma jiro digniintaan.
Saraakiisha Caafimaadka Dawladda waxay taageersan yihiin jiritaanka digniintaan inaan la cunin shellfish laga soo qabta webiga Duwamish iyo meelihii kale ee King County shoreline marka laga reebo( Vashon-Maury Island).
Isticmaalka la xadeeyey ma la soo jeedin Salmon oo laga soo abta Duwamish, sababtoo ah PCB xadkeeda wuu ka hooseeyaa Duwaamish kuwa laga hlayna waxaa loo aqoonsady Kalluun deggen. Waxay la mid yihiin xadka laga helay Salmon qaar Puget and Sound sababtoo ah Salmonka laga hlay waa wqati yar. Qaybta Caafimaadkana waxay ka digeen cunidda Kalluunka weegaarka Puget Sound.
Wixii warar dheeri ah la xiriir Liz Carr (360) 236-3191.
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.
September 2005
A resource for King County Housing Authority residents
Greenbridge housing construction begins
BY CLAUDE IOSSO
King County Housing Authority
After years of planning, resident relocation and housing demolition, the fun part of Park Lake Homes’ redevelopment has finally begun.
This month Walsh Construction Co. is expected to start building the first new housing for the mixed-income development that will be known as Greenbridge.
All of the World War II-era housing west of Eighth Avenue Southwest has been razed.
Bulldozers, track hoes and dump trucks have spent the summer grading and leveling the site for new streets and utilities.
Walsh will begin construction of housing designed by the architect team of GGLO and Arellano/Christofides. The project will take place in phases, with the housing built in this phase concentrated on two long blocks along Eighth Avenue Southwest, bounded on the north by Roxbury Street and on the south by 99th Street.
“We are very pleased to be in a position to deliver on schedule housing that meets the vision of the Greenbridge master plan and incorporates significant input from the community,” said John Eliason, HOPE VI development manager for the King County Housing Authority.
Walsh is well-suited for this $15 million project and won the bid process for this first phase of housing. The company, with offices in Seattle, has completed several renovation projects for KCHA and has built housing for HOPE VI projects in Seattle and Tacoma.
Eighteen buildings will go up, containing 82 residential units and two commercial spaces.
The design also includes a small “pocket” park, at the corner of Roxbury Street and Eighth Avenue, and a walking path, which will split the long block bounded by 97th and 99th streets.
While most of the new housing will be six-unit complexes, combining both side-by-side townhouse apartments and stacked flats, there will be a wide range of housing configurations, from one-bedroom flats to three-bedroom townhouse apartments.
The hill that rises up from Eighth Avenue has been incorporated into the building designs. Many will be split-level, allowing for ground-level entrances on two sides.
Structural and stylistic variations will give each building a distinct look. The housing will have siding in a combination of colors, many windows and handsome, sheltered front porches.
KCHA will be able to follow through on its commitment to sustainability, with long-lasting, cement-like siding, 50-year roofing and energy-efficient appliances on this first phase of housing.
The entire $165 million Greenbridge development is expected to feature 300 low-income rental units, at least 154 low- to moderate-income rental units and up to 475 for-sale units.
Of the 82 units being built now, 52 will be rent-subsidized – targeted for low-income households – and the other 30 will be targeted for moderate-income households.
Construction of this first phase of housing will last about a year, with homes scheduled to be available for rent starting in September 2006.
Mardi Gras high-rise gets all ‘decked’ out
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
Mardi Gras, the King County Housing Authority’s mixed-population high-rise in Kent, had changed little since it was built in 1970.
Thirty-five years of weather, including big helpings of rain, were hard on the wooden decks of the three-story building.
When KCHA is done with a $225,000 renovation this summer, the decks at Mardi Gras will be safer and more attractive.
“I was thinking at first that the decks didn’t need fixing, but when the contractors began working on them, you could see a lot of structural problems, especially out front,” resident Ken Iverson said. “I think it’s going to look good and, more importantly, the decks are now structurally sound.”
All of the wood plagued by dry rot has been replaced, and the dark 1970’s brown is being painted over with a modern combination of colors.
New railings, mounted differently to reduce water leakage, will be black, as will the fascia board along the bottom edge of each balcony. The bottom of each deck, which is the ceiling for the deck below, will be an ivory color. The wood trim behind each balcony and along the top of the building will be a complementary olive green.
The design of the wood-picket fencing that surrounds each deck is changing as well. In response to resident requests for more privacy between the balconies, the pickets on the sides of each deck are being replaced with opaque glass, which will let in light, but obscure the view.
“These improvements will look really nice,” said Dick Currie, project manager for KCHA. “The residents have been enthusiastic about the changes.”
In addition to new plywood sheathing, the surface that residents walk on is being upgraded from painted wood to a more attractive, durable vinyl.
Mardi Gras, a 61-unit building, is getting improved quickly. Codeck Construction, the Lynnwood company hired to refurbish the decks, began this project in May.
The renovations were scheduled for completion on Sept. 17, but sunny weather allowed the contractors to get ahead of schedule.
Last stage of Park Lake relocation begins
BY REBEKKA GOLDSMITH
King County Housing Authority
Residents still living at Park Lake Homes I will begin moving out this month as the final phase of relocation to make way for Greenbridge, begins.
As with earlier relocations, the King County Housing Authority will help all residents make the transition smoothly.
More than 100 households currently live in the Stage 3 units on the east side of Eighth Avenue. They have up to one year to find alternative housing, and all families must be relocated by the end of September 2006.
Residents are already working with KCHA staff members to plan a move that best meets their needs.
Family services managers at the Greenbridge Family Services Office, 10006 Fourth Pl. S.W., are working with families to explore housing options, including other public housing or apartments on the private market made affordable with Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers.
“We are ready to help residents who will be relocating this year,” said Tracie Friedman, family services manager for KCHA. “We have a seasoned staff and are well-connected to local rental agencies and landlords. We are in a good position to help the remaining families relocate from Park Lake.”
Residents are also meeting in small groups to gather information about relocation and participating in other activities. Cambodian and Vietnamese groups met in August, learning about nutrition and receiving blood pressure checks and diabetic screenings.
Vietnamese seniors will meet on Thursday, September 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at a place to be determined. English speakers will meet on Thursday, October 20. Please call the Family Services Office at (206) 574-1160 for details.
All Stage 3 households will receive a letter this month from their family services specialist that explains relocation benefits and assistance, which include relocation counseling, moving benefits, security deposit assistance (if moving with a Section 8 voucher) and housing stability services after they have relocated.
As long as residents remain in good standing with the King County Housing Authority, they will have the option to return when Greenbridge units are completed.
Prior to the beginning of relocation, a lottery was held to determine the order in which residents will be contacted to return to the new community. That list includes the names of all heads of household who were eligible for relocation benefits.
If your family is part of Stage 3 relocation and you have questions about your upcoming move, please contact the Family Support Services Office at (206) 574-1160.
Park Lake family buys a brand new home
Home ownership program makes purchase possible
BY ELAINE MAGIL
Special to the Voice
Ever since the Nguyen family moved from Vietnam to the United States, they’ve worked toward the American dream of owning a home.
Settling at Park Lake Homes in White Center, both parents found jobs and saved what they could.
After years of hard work and with help from the International District Housing Alliance’s Homeownership 1-2-3 program and KCHA’s Resident Opportunities and Self-Sufficiency Down Payment Assistance Program, the Nguyens’ dream has come true.
The Nguyens didn’t just buy any home—they bought a brand-new, single-family house in southwest Seattle. The location is perfect, not too far from their old apartment at Park Lake.
“I’m thankful that the house is real and affordable, and works with my income,” said Mr. Nguyen, who asked that his first name not be included in this story.
Nguyen and his wife have four children. The eldest boy is already thriving at the University of Washington and the eldest girl is set to attend college soon.
Nguyen said the house provides needed space for himself and his family.
The Nguyens were able to add to their savings with an Individual Development Account, which provided them matching grant funds for every dollar they saved.
They also received down-payment assistance from another nonprofit agency called HomeSight.
The KCHA ROSS Down Payment Assistance Program provided $15,000 toward the purchase of their new home.
This is money that the family will never have to pay back, as long as they live in the home for at least three years.
Residents who get the grant and then move within the first few years must pay back some of the money.
Either way, this program can help residents make a bigger down payment on a home, which means they will need a smaller loan and pay less interest over time. It can also mean the difference between a family being able to buy a home or continuing to rent.
Not all residents are eligible for ROSS grants or IDAs, but Homeownership 1-2-3 can still help them find down-payment assistance programs and make the sometimes confusing process of buying a home easier to understand.
With translators on staff, IDHA focuses on helping immigrants and refugees with the home buying process.
So far, the International District Housing Alliance has helped 11 families from KCHA and the Seattle Housing Authority purchase homes.
With the ROSS grant and a little guidance from Homeownership 1-2-3, more KCHA residents will likely be able to buy homes soon.
If you are interested in learning about home ownership programs, you can contact IDHA at (206) 623-0122.
Van driver bids farewell
BY SERGUEI NIKITINE
King County Housing Authority
BURIEN – Every Wednesday morning, residents gather in the lobby of Burien Park, waiting for Fernando Cardozo to arrive.
Cardozo is a quiet, humble man, but as the driver of the King County Housing Authority shuttle van he has become a familiar and well-loved figure at this mixed-population high-rise.
In fact, after three years shuttling residents to local food banks, grocery stores and shopping malls, Cardozo has become popular at all of KCHA’s 23 high-rises.
Sadly, residents will be saying goodbye to Cardozo this month. The fourth week of September will be his last as transportation coordinator for KCHA.
A native of Colombia, Cardozo is moving to Florida, where the climate is more like that of his homeland and where there is a large Colombian-American community.
“I like my job,” Cardozo says. “It is very rewarding for me to help seniors and people with disabilities, to see the friendly faces and hear the words of gratitude every time I bring residents back home from the trip. But I want to try something new in my life.”
In 2002, when Cardozo started at KCHA, he had to win over residents.
Cardozo had replaced Dellarae Simpson, a warm woman who drove the shuttle for many years. But soon the residents came to appreciate his readiness to help, kindness and punctuality.
“We love him,” says Norma Anderson, a longtime resident of Burien Park “He is always on time, helpful and very patient.”
Cardozo said he liked helping residents, providing a convenient way for them to go shopping and an opportunity for fun on annual field trips.
He added that he enjoyed his interaction with the residents and the little adventures they shared.
On several occasions the van broke down with the passengers on board, and Cardozo remembers calling for a second van for the residents and a tow truck to haul the van.
On his very first field trip, carrying residents home from the Washington History Museum in Tacoma, he nearly took the exit to the freeway truck scale.
“He is going to have us weighed,” he remembers one passenger observing to everyone’s amusement.
Another time, a resident had a seizure on the return trip from a food bank, and Cardozo remembers driving to the nearest fire station. The firefighters were able to help the resident, but they joked about having patients brought to them by the van load.
Cardozo said he will miss staff, including the Southwest Area maintenance crew, who are very supportive, and the Support Services Coordination team, who worked with him to implement projects and changes to the transportation service.
But most of all, Cardozo says he will miss his passengers and busy streets and freeways of Seattle.
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.
Thurs., Sept. 1: Issaquah/Kent grocery
Eastridge House 9:30
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., Sept. 2: Auburn grocery
Gustaves Manor 9:45
Wayland Arms 10:15
Plaza Seventeen 10:35
Mon., Sept. 5: holiday
Tues., Sept. 6: Shoreline grocery/food bank
Briarwood 9:45
Lake House 10:15
Paramount 12:30
Northridge I/II 1:00
Wed., Sept. 7: 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., Sept. 8: reserved
Fri., Sept. 9: SeaTac Mall
Plaza Seventeen 10:00
Wayland Arms 10:10
Gustaves Manor 10:20
Mon., Sept. 12: Bothell/Redmond grocery
Northwood 9:30
Northlake House 9:45
Forest Glen 1:00
Casa Juanita 1:35
Tues., Sept. 13: Southcenter/Kent grocery
Harrison House 9:15
Vantage Glen 11:30
Harrison House 1:20
Wed., Sept. 14: Int. grocery/Southcenter
Brittany Park 10:00
Munro Manor 10:20
Burien Park 10:50
Boulevard Manor 11:10
Thurs., Sept. 15: Issaquah/Kent grocery
Eastridge House 9:30
Harrison House 1:00
Fri., Sept. 16: food banks
Gustaves Manor 9:45
Wayland Arms 9:55
Plaza Seventeen 10:30
Southridge 1:00
Mon., Sept. 19: Bothell/Redmond grocery
Northwood 9:30
Northlake House 9:45
Forest Glen 1:00
Casa Juanita 1:35
Tues., Sept. 20: food banks
Mardi Gras 10:00
Paramount 12:10
Northridge 12:25
Briarwood 12:45
Lake House 1:00
Wed., Sept. 21: Burien grocery
Burien Park 8:45
Munro Manor 9:15
Brittany Park 9:45
Boulevard Manor 10:30
Riverton Terrace 10:40
Thurs., Sept. 22: Issaquah/Kent grocery
Eastridge House 9:30
Harrison House 1:00
Friday, Sept. 23: reserved
For shuttle scheduling through the rest of September, please consult notices posted at your building.
Northend high-rises get new support services coordinator
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
After eight years as a support services coordinator, Tonya Lewis has stepped down.
Judy Lawler, longtime support services coordinator for KCHA’s Eastside high-rises, has taken over at Lewis’ developments – Briarwood, Lake House and the Northwood.
“I love it here, but it was time,” said Lewis, who resigned on Aug. 26 to return to Michigan, where her family is based. “I’ll definitely miss the residents and being part of a community. I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people from different ethnic backgrounds.”
Like all of the support services coordinators, Lewis, long known by her married name, Perry, helped residents of the mixed-population high-rises maintain independence, providing outreach, information and referral and arranging social events.
Lewis enjoyed organizing bingo games for her residents and earned the staff nickname “Bingo Queen.”
Lewis joined KCHA in 1997 and was first assigned to Kent’s Harrison House and Mardi Gras. She has also helped Burien Park and Southridge residents, switching to Northend properties in July 2002.
Briarwood and Lake House, both in Shoreline, and the Northwood, in Kenmore, will be in good hands with Lawler, who has been with the Support Services team since it began in early 1996. She has worked with Eastside residents during her entire tenure at KCHA, but is not a stranger to the North end.
“I have worked in two of the Northend buildings (Lake House and the Northwood) in the past, so I know a lot of the people and am looking forward to getting reacquainted with them,” she said. “I also look forward to meeting the ‘new’ people at Briarwood.”
The Housing Authority plans to hire a new coordinator soon for Lawler’s old properties – Casa Juanita in Kirkland, Eastridge House in Issaquah, Forest Glen in Redmond and Northlake House in Bothell.
KCHA takes on water waste
Savings will benefit housing programs
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
As a part of water conservation efforts, the King County Housing Authority will install locks on all outside faucets at family developments this year.
Used with hoses to water gardens and wash cars, outside faucets have accounted for more than $50,000 and as much as $200,000 in KCHA’s water costs each year.
While some residents have voluntarily curbed their use of water when shortages have occurred, unauthorized water usage continues to be high.
Facing HUD funding cuts, the Housing Authority can’t afford to continue paying for unlimited water use and still operate public housing as it has in the past. Reducing water expenses helps KCHA keep its affordable housing programs intact.
The caps on the faucets will save energy and utility costs as well as cut water consumption. Water is the largest utility cost in the Public Housing budget. As we continue to assess our utility costs, additional measures may be taken to operate within our funding.
We recognize that a number of residents desire access to outside water for a variety of uses. KCHA is working on and will consider recommendations for alternative methods for providing water for vegetable and flower gardens, such as the use of rain barrels and other ecologically friendly renewable alternatives.
If you have any questions or suggestions about other ways we can conserve water, please contact your housing administrator or site manager. We appreciate your cooperation.
Park Lake Boys & Girls Club adjusting to move
BY TIM LOCKE
King County Housing Authority
The Southwest King County Boys & Girls Club faced a stiff challenge when the Wiley Center was closed for renovations this summer.
The Club, popular with hundreds of Park Lake Homes kids, would continue to operate during the two-year construction period, but where?
At the Wiley Center on Eighth Avenue Southwest, youth had access to study rooms, a computer room and a gymnasium. Finding a single facility that could provide all that was impossible. So Club staff found another way.
“We’re taking our show on the road,” Club Director Mark Pursley said, only partly kidding.
The Boys & Girls Club now has offices at 10011 Fourth Place S.W., but it is also offering activities at White Center Heights Elementary School, Evergreen High School and Park Lake Homes II.
During the summers, staff will also load equipment into the Club’s vans, taking activities to parks, outdoor basketball courts and ball fields. During the school year, Girl Scouts, Smart Girls and the youth groups Torch and Keystone will meet after school at the offices on Fourth Place.
Supervised after-school activities, including recreation and homework help, will be available at Park Lake II’s Multi-Service Center and at White Center Heights Elementary School.
Friday night activities, from 8 p.m. to midnight, will be offered at the Evergreen High School gym in White Center.
The Club had a lot to replace. In addition to a full-size gym, the Club’s facilities in the Wiley Center included workout and study rooms, locker rooms, a computer room, a recording studio, a community room/cafeteria, offices and a game room.
Swarming about the hallways, Park Lake youth made full use of the building.
Club members will be able to make even better use of the Community Center after renovations are completed in the spring of 2007. The Boys & Girls Club will get its gym back, as well as other rooms, many redesigned to be more comfortable and more suited for learning.
Pursley, the Club director, is glad the adjustments will allow the Club to continue providing members’ favorite services, such as basketball, tutoring, lunches and, in his words, “just a safe place to hang out on a rainy day.”
Girl Scouts at Springwood have fun, get prepared
BY JESSICA COHEN
King County Housing Authority
The meeting opens with a chorus of girls reciting a promise to uphold the Girl Scout Law.
“I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place and be a sister to every Girl Scout.”
Today’s meeting focuses on assembling first-aid kits. Springwood Troops 8231 and 8351, meeting together on a sunny Monday afternoon in July, discuss each item in the kit and what it is used for. The principles in the Girl Scout Law come into play in this project.
“What can you use the cold compress for?” asks Donna Peyer, program coordinator.
“For a bump on the head!” the group answers.
“Yes!” Peyer says. “If you shake the pack vigorously, it will become cold and stay cold for 30 minutes and you can apply it to a swollen bump or scrape. However, each cold compress is only used once and then it doesn’t work anymore – so we have to be careful when we use it and make sure we put it to good use. We want to use our resources wisely!”
Troops 8231 (for kids aged 11 to 17) and 8351 (for those aged 5 to 10) meet at Springwood’s Kent Family Center once a week, year round. There are Girl Scout troops at Valli Kee and Cascade Homes as well. They also have weekly meetings year round. Membership is open to all girls, ages 5 to 17, living in public housing in the Kent Area. Girls can drop in any time and it’s free to join.
Assembling first-aid kits is part of the “Staying Safe” curriculum the Girl Scouts worked on this summer. Through activities like this one, the troops have been learning about fire and earthquake safety, and, importantly, about personal safety.
There have been several sessions on personal safety in all kinds of situations. The girls have learned how to stay safe in the street, at playgrounds, parks, homes and buildings. Lessons have covered safe places to go and safety rules.
The Kent troops’ safety program is supported by an initiative jointly sponsored by Girl Scouts of the USA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The initiative brings Girl Scouts to public housing across the nation, as part of HUD’s effort to create housing environments where girls and families can thrive and grow strong together.
Staff from the Girl Scouts Totem Council office in Seattle lead the Kent troops. Parents and other qualified adults are always welcome to volunteer. Membership is granted to all youth who make the Girl Scout Promise, accept the Girl Scout Law, and pay a small annual membership dues.
As the meeting closes, the program coordinators Peyer and Aprile Sims tell the girls about an upcoming field trip – a beach walk, clean-up and picnic at Seahurst Park in Burien.
“Let’s bring our first-aid kits,” one girl suggested, “so we’ll be prepared.”
“Great idea!” the program leaders agree and advise the girls to bring backpacks for their supplies. The meeting ends amidst anticipation for the field trip and a snack of Popsicles.
“Field trips are my favorite part,” one girl notes. “I can’t wait!”
Join the fun
To find out more about the Girl Scout programs in KCHA’s Kent communities, call Marylou Rivera Buckner at (206) 826-2161.
For information on troops in other local neighborhoods, contact the Girl Scouts-Totem Council office at (206) 633-5600 or (800) 767-6845.
Council meets Sept. 15
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council will meet on Sept. 1 and 15. Residents of Park Lake Homes and Boulevard Manor are encouraged to attend.
The council represents the neighborhoods of White Center and Boulevard Park, which are not part of any city. It serves as the area’s voice with King County government. The council meets at the North Highline Fire Station, 1243 S.W. 112th St., from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
The King County Housing Authority offers free transportation to these meetings. Call Steve Fisher at (206) 574-1280.
Section 3 means job opportunities for residents
KING COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY
Construction at Greenbridge means possible jobs for current and former residents of Park Lake Homes as well as residents of other King County Housing Authority communities.
With support from the federal HOPE VI program, KCHA is redeveloping Park Lake Homes into a mixed-income community that will be known as Greenbridge.
Construction is already underway in the White Center development, and more than 20 KCHA residents have already landed jobs related to this project.
The HOPE VI Section 3 program is designed to match Park Lake I residents, both those who have been relocated and those still at the development, with job opportunities related to Greenbridge.
However, other KCHA residents are also eligible for the program.
If you are interested in learning more about training programs or construction-related employment, please call Gina Bellisario, HOPE VI housing and employment specialist, at (206) 574-1159.
TRANSLATED ARTICLES FROM THE VOICE
KCHA clamps down on water waste
Savings with benefit housing programs
Qayb ahaan dhaqaaleynta biyaha waa lagama maarmaan, King Conty Housing waa la quffuli doonaa dhammaan dibedda qoyska horumarinta sannadkaan
Isticmaalka biyaha jardiinooyinka, iyo dhaqidda baabuurta dibedda biyaha laga cabo waxaa la xisaabay ka badan 50,000 ka badan 200,000 KCHA biyaheeda sannad kasta
Qiimaheeda. Deegaanka isticmaala biyo yar, nasiib darro qaar ayaa isticmaala biyo aad u sarreeya.
HUD dhaqaalaheeda la jarayo Maamulka guryaha wuxuu si joogto ah u bixinaya dhaqaale aan xad lahayn oo biyo ah oo weli ka socda Guryaha Dadweynaha ,dhimidda isticmaalka biyaha waxay caawimaysaa KCHA si ay u wado mashruuca guryaha.
Si joogto ah wax yaabaha daruuriga ah qiimahooda waxay wadi kartaa dhaqaale gelinta guryaha.
Waxaan aqoonsanay dad ka mid ah deegaanka biyaha si wacan u isticmaala ee KCHA way shaqeynaysaa waxaana la soo jeedinayaa hab kale oo ka wamaagsan biyo waraabinta geedaha ubaha jardiinooyinka.
Haddii aad su’aal qabtid ama soo jeedin biyaha, fadlan la xiriir Maamulahagaaga Guryaha. Raali waxaan ka nahay la shaqeyntaada.
