Please see the meeting minutes below from May's monthly general meeting. Props to Roland who gave a remarkable presentation on the homeless committee.....
DNC Monthly General Meeting
May 5th, 2012
Location: Dodson Hall
Chairs: Ann & Roland
Meeting Minutes: Jada
1) Opening
Kelvin
· Provides Traditional Opening
Board Members introduce themselves
Ann
· Explains DNC, role, members
Roland
· Explains how the meeting will go forward
Ann
· Explains stipends
2) Constitution
Roland
· Reads constitution
3) Rules of Meeting/Stipends/Agenda
Roland
· Motion to accept agenda
· Second by Teri
· Motion carries
4) Agenda
a) Movie & Lunch
b) Shelter Issues
i) 1u Council
ii) Bill of Rights
Roland
· There is a break out group later today
· We have a regular meeting every Monday at Jacobs Well, please come to the meeting if you want to participate
· We’ve been running a peer Council at First United Church (shares powerpoint presentation)
· It’s about dignity in a normally undignified environment
· 6 meetings so far, the meetings have been productive
Elvis
· Member of any committee down here
· Voted to be on the committee on homeless shelters because I useto stay there
· There were issues with the staff at First United Church, pedofile
· Things are going a little more on the straight path
· Women are getting hassled by staff and drug users, and other people who are staying there
· Their concerns are falling on deaf ears
· There is also the issue of theft
· So we formed this committee
· If anyone has complaints or anything, come to our meetings every Thursday at Vandu or Monday’s at Jacobs Well
Roland
· This all started last year when I was staying at the Yukon Shelter
· Incredible system, so many things going wrong
· Since then I’ve been trying to understand it, how it’s funded, how it’s regulated
· They are dehumanizing, they are expensive
· These shelters cost between $50-$150 per person per day
· It’s completely unregulated, nothing is defined
· It boils down to about the attempt to push people out of this neighbourhood and to build condos
· Commonality with previous historic displacements that have happened in this neighbourhood
· They “treat us like children”, it’s so obvious
· I bet you anyone here would rather stay at Rosellen Suites than a homeless shelter, and it’s cheaper than what the tax payers of BC are paying for shelters
· Nobody can tell us what the rules are or how it’s regulated, we’ve even asked BC Housing
· But, it’s also incredibly necessary
· The only thing between the street and cold and rain and hunger is warmth, dryness, food and shelter
· System where there is zero input, where residents can’t have control over their own lives
· We need to ask ourselves “What do we want?”
· What we should have is choice in our outcomes
[Applause]
· I’ve talked to people at shelters, they ask me how can it be any different?
· Force people to listen to what we have to say
· The people doing gentrification are think it’s ok to do it, they don’t think they are doing anything wrong
· This is because they have dehumanized this neighbourhood, they don’t respect the community here
· What is the solution? Anyone who wants to participate should be allowed
· Peer run groups - A few exercises to shift the power is healthy and productive
· What you think you deserve as a human being, and what other people like friends, what they deserve too, from the heart
· That’s why over the last few months we have formed a Homeless Shelter “Bill of Rights”
· There are lots of ways to amend change or discuss the bill of rights, this is evolving
· We are going one by one, I invite anyone to come up and to speak to any of these points
· One: You have the right to feel safe
· Two: You have the right to be treated humanely with respect
· Three: You have the right to be free from discrimination
· Four: You have the right to understand the rules under which you live
· Five: You have the right to have written policies and procedures clearly communicated to you
· Six: You have the right to due process
· Seven: You have the right to help from an outside advocate of your choice
· Eight: You have the right to not be discharged without a viable option presented to you
· Nine: You have the right to privacy and personal property
· Ten: You have the right to have your doctors orders respected
Member
· Dignity Village in Portland, it’s a choice example
Member
· Motion for an amendment, suggests medical/legal needs, doctors/advocates orders respected/enforced
Roland
· We’ll talk afterwards, I want this to be an ongoing process
Ivan
· The one about safety, should be explicitly spelled out for women and transgered persons should have the right to have separate spaces
· They are constantly in spaces of stress, we should add something about this
· We should add some statement in the introduction that shelters shouldn’t exist, because they are forced there by market conditions, and their rights are taken away already
Roland
· Any additional comments on this project?
Member
· I think there are too many points, maybe some of them can be amalgamated
Roland
· That is probably true, this is a result of the evolution of this process
· We’ll look into that
Jasek
· I believe that we will avoid misunderstandings with the Bill of Rights
Roland
· Motion to make a ratification of a version in progress
· We’ll do a yearly review
· Second by Richard
· Motion carries
iii) Shelter Survey
Jasek
· We have learned interesting things
· It’s very complex
· We need special people doing just this survey only
· We need as many people as possible to do the survey
· 26% didn’t get better housing when they left the shelter, we want to fight for them
· 27% said that the shelter kicked me out onto the street
· 16% said that they were not treated with respect by shelter staff
· 19% did not feel safe or comfortable in the shelter
· 21% said that the staff didn’t listen to their concerns
· 21% were discriminated
· 17% said that the shelter did not follow health and safety rules
Member
· I did the survey, you have made 2 mistakes
Jasek
· He did the survey
· I just took his survey and simplified it because it was so complex
· 14% said they are not satisfied with the medication policy
· We need the surveys to have more people to participate, it will help us
c) 189 Keefer
Ivan
· We just finished that big campaign around the pantages project
· 2 weeks ago on Monday last week the city approved them, said yes to the condos, approved 79 condos at the pantages demolition site
· The coalition will continue fighting
· Strategizing, so if anyone wants to help us, we’re meeting Wednesday at 11am at the Carnegie on the 3rd floor
· There are other condos coming, they are coming really fast
· 611 main on keefer, 17 story condo
· And one across from Raycam
· The highest density condos in the city
· Another project that is going to be voted on by the DPB on Monday, 189 keefer
· It doesn’t need a hearing because it fits with the zoning heights now
· This is the first of the condos coming into Chinatown
· We’re not doing a big rally, we don’t have the strength, it has come up really fast
· Reads letter “Stop 189 Keefer “
· We can do some minor editing, in principle does this sound like a good statement?
· The danger here is that this project in Chinatown could start the rolling back of policies in the area, and eventually get rid of all SRO’s and all low-income people in Chinatown
· Motion to endorse it, moved by CJ, second by Kelvin
· Last year the value of the properties went up 150%
Ann
· It’s called land speculation
· As soon as it’s rezoned it goes from 1 million to 3 million
· We need to burrow down
Ivan
· Calls the motion
· Motion carries
· Build social housing, not condos
d) LAPP Report
Harold
· This is not a full report
· There is one problem has come up, let you know what the situation is
· There are lot people who don’t like low-income people on the committee
· Penny Ballem has been concerned about this and had a conversation with Wendy and suggested that Ivan should not be co-chair of the LAPP
· People have been reading the Vancouver Courier, horrible articles by Allen Garr
· Second article quotes Penny saying that Ivan is off the LAPP
· It’s a totally unfortunate thing
· Wendy wrote a letter to Penny, but she ignored it, then there was this move in the Courier
· Board has agreed to write a letter to Penny to seek clarification on what happened and what it exactly means
· At this point we don’t have a definite answer but I just wanted to let everyone know what is happeninng
Rob Morgan
· I am concerned that the city is allowed to do this
· Ivan is a strong people and stands up for other people
· They are picking on us poor people
Kelvin
· AFD will not stand beside the decisions of the City of Vancouver if Ivan is forced out of the committee, we will pack our bags and go with it because we believe he is doing a great job
· The question is to ask how many other agencies are willing to take a stand beside someone who they believe in
Ann
· Allen Garr wasn’t at the event
· There was an article by the Mainlander that does describe the meeting accurately
· They want to divide up these groups and have them fighting among themselves
· I encourage people to write to the courier in support of Ivan
Member
· We want to stop the oil spills
· I have a few postcards to protest against this
· This is our homeland, we need to fight for what is rightfully ours
· I want to thank all the outside people who have been pulling for us
e) Breakout Groups
Ann
· Policing Committees are at my house
· Vancouver Cop Watch, Jen Allen is more of this, it’s on copwatch
· The beat has been filmed
· Jamie Richardson has been sending emails to mayor and council every time he sees the Beat
· Our strategy at this point is to get as many meetings as possible with the police
· If you have pictures on your phone, you can contribute your pictures with us, put a place and date of the picture
· It’s an open committee, you can come when you want
Roland
· Committee on Homeless Shelters meets every Monday night
· Street Market committee meets semi-regularly
Ann
· Street market on Sundays
· 11:30 Friday mornings meetings at Vandu office
· Everyone is getting stipends at the front stage
Rob Morgan
· I’m with Edge
· Story about our group, on CTV.bc.ca/first storey
Ann
· DTES not for developers meeting, learn how to laydown in front of bulldozers
· Motion to adjourn
Closing
DNC Monthly General Meeting
May 5th, 2012
Location: Dodson Hall
Chairs: Ann & Roland
Meeting Minutes: Jada
1) Opening
Kelvin
· Provides Traditional Opening
Board Members introduce themselves
Ann
· Explains DNC, role, members
Roland
· Explains how the meeting will go forward
Ann
· Explains stipends
2) Constitution
Roland
· Reads constitution
3) Rules of Meeting/Stipends/Agenda
Roland
· Motion to accept agenda
· Second by Teri
· Motion carries
4) Agenda
a) Movie & Lunch
b) Shelter Issues
i) 1u Council
ii) Bill of Rights
Roland
· There is a break out group later today
· We have a regular meeting every Monday at Jacobs Well, please come to the meeting if you want to participate
· We’ve been running a peer Council at First United Church (shares powerpoint presentation)
· It’s about dignity in a normally undignified environment
· 6 meetings so far, the meetings have been productive
Elvis
· Member of any committee down here
· Voted to be on the committee on homeless shelters because I useto stay there
· There were issues with the staff at First United Church, pedofile
· Things are going a little more on the straight path
· Women are getting hassled by staff and drug users, and other people who are staying there
· Their concerns are falling on deaf ears
· There is also the issue of theft
· So we formed this committee
· If anyone has complaints or anything, come to our meetings every Thursday at Vandu or Monday’s at Jacobs Well
Roland
· This all started last year when I was staying at the Yukon Shelter
· Incredible system, so many things going wrong
· Since then I’ve been trying to understand it, how it’s funded, how it’s regulated
· They are dehumanizing, they are expensive
· These shelters cost between $50-$150 per person per day
· It’s completely unregulated, nothing is defined
· It boils down to about the attempt to push people out of this neighbourhood and to build condos
· Commonality with previous historic displacements that have happened in this neighbourhood
· They “treat us like children”, it’s so obvious
· I bet you anyone here would rather stay at Rosellen Suites than a homeless shelter, and it’s cheaper than what the tax payers of BC are paying for shelters
· Nobody can tell us what the rules are or how it’s regulated, we’ve even asked BC Housing
· But, it’s also incredibly necessary
· The only thing between the street and cold and rain and hunger is warmth, dryness, food and shelter
· System where there is zero input, where residents can’t have control over their own lives
· We need to ask ourselves “What do we want?”
· What we should have is choice in our outcomes
[Applause]
· I’ve talked to people at shelters, they ask me how can it be any different?
· Force people to listen to what we have to say
· The people doing gentrification are think it’s ok to do it, they don’t think they are doing anything wrong
· This is because they have dehumanized this neighbourhood, they don’t respect the community here
· What is the solution? Anyone who wants to participate should be allowed
· Peer run groups - A few exercises to shift the power is healthy and productive
· What you think you deserve as a human being, and what other people like friends, what they deserve too, from the heart
· That’s why over the last few months we have formed a Homeless Shelter “Bill of Rights”
· There are lots of ways to amend change or discuss the bill of rights, this is evolving
· We are going one by one, I invite anyone to come up and to speak to any of these points
· One: You have the right to feel safe
· Two: You have the right to be treated humanely with respect
· Three: You have the right to be free from discrimination
· Four: You have the right to understand the rules under which you live
· Five: You have the right to have written policies and procedures clearly communicated to you
· Six: You have the right to due process
· Seven: You have the right to help from an outside advocate of your choice
· Eight: You have the right to not be discharged without a viable option presented to you
· Nine: You have the right to privacy and personal property
· Ten: You have the right to have your doctors orders respected
Member
· Dignity Village in Portland, it’s a choice example
Member
· Motion for an amendment, suggests medical/legal needs, doctors/advocates orders respected/enforced
Roland
· We’ll talk afterwards, I want this to be an ongoing process
Ivan
· The one about safety, should be explicitly spelled out for women and transgered persons should have the right to have separate spaces
· They are constantly in spaces of stress, we should add something about this
· We should add some statement in the introduction that shelters shouldn’t exist, because they are forced there by market conditions, and their rights are taken away already
Roland
· Any additional comments on this project?
Member
· I think there are too many points, maybe some of them can be amalgamated
Roland
· That is probably true, this is a result of the evolution of this process
· We’ll look into that
Jasek
· I believe that we will avoid misunderstandings with the Bill of Rights
Roland
· Motion to make a ratification of a version in progress
· We’ll do a yearly review
· Second by Richard
· Motion carries
iii) Shelter Survey
Jasek
· We have learned interesting things
· It’s very complex
· We need special people doing just this survey only
· We need as many people as possible to do the survey
· 26% didn’t get better housing when they left the shelter, we want to fight for them
· 27% said that the shelter kicked me out onto the street
· 16% said that they were not treated with respect by shelter staff
· 19% did not feel safe or comfortable in the shelter
· 21% said that the staff didn’t listen to their concerns
· 21% were discriminated
· 17% said that the shelter did not follow health and safety rules
Member
· I did the survey, you have made 2 mistakes
Jasek
· He did the survey
· I just took his survey and simplified it because it was so complex
· 14% said they are not satisfied with the medication policy
· We need the surveys to have more people to participate, it will help us
c) 189 Keefer
Ivan
· We just finished that big campaign around the pantages project
· 2 weeks ago on Monday last week the city approved them, said yes to the condos, approved 79 condos at the pantages demolition site
· The coalition will continue fighting
· Strategizing, so if anyone wants to help us, we’re meeting Wednesday at 11am at the Carnegie on the 3rd floor
· There are other condos coming, they are coming really fast
· 611 main on keefer, 17 story condo
· And one across from Raycam
· The highest density condos in the city
· Another project that is going to be voted on by the DPB on Monday, 189 keefer
· It doesn’t need a hearing because it fits with the zoning heights now
· This is the first of the condos coming into Chinatown
· We’re not doing a big rally, we don’t have the strength, it has come up really fast
· Reads letter “Stop 189 Keefer “
· We can do some minor editing, in principle does this sound like a good statement?
· The danger here is that this project in Chinatown could start the rolling back of policies in the area, and eventually get rid of all SRO’s and all low-income people in Chinatown
· Motion to endorse it, moved by CJ, second by Kelvin
· Last year the value of the properties went up 150%
Ann
· It’s called land speculation
· As soon as it’s rezoned it goes from 1 million to 3 million
· We need to burrow down
Ivan
· Calls the motion
· Motion carries
· Build social housing, not condos
d) LAPP Report
Harold
· This is not a full report
· There is one problem has come up, let you know what the situation is
· There are lot people who don’t like low-income people on the committee
· Penny Ballem has been concerned about this and had a conversation with Wendy and suggested that Ivan should not be co-chair of the LAPP
· People have been reading the Vancouver Courier, horrible articles by Allen Garr
· Second article quotes Penny saying that Ivan is off the LAPP
· It’s a totally unfortunate thing
· Wendy wrote a letter to Penny, but she ignored it, then there was this move in the Courier
· Board has agreed to write a letter to Penny to seek clarification on what happened and what it exactly means
· At this point we don’t have a definite answer but I just wanted to let everyone know what is happeninng
Rob Morgan
· I am concerned that the city is allowed to do this
· Ivan is a strong people and stands up for other people
· They are picking on us poor people
Kelvin
· AFD will not stand beside the decisions of the City of Vancouver if Ivan is forced out of the committee, we will pack our bags and go with it because we believe he is doing a great job
· The question is to ask how many other agencies are willing to take a stand beside someone who they believe in
Ann
· Allen Garr wasn’t at the event
· There was an article by the Mainlander that does describe the meeting accurately
· They want to divide up these groups and have them fighting among themselves
· I encourage people to write to the courier in support of Ivan
Member
· We want to stop the oil spills
· I have a few postcards to protest against this
· This is our homeland, we need to fight for what is rightfully ours
· I want to thank all the outside people who have been pulling for us
e) Breakout Groups
Ann
· Policing Committees are at my house
· Vancouver Cop Watch, Jen Allen is more of this, it’s on copwatch
· The beat has been filmed
· Jamie Richardson has been sending emails to mayor and council every time he sees the Beat
· Our strategy at this point is to get as many meetings as possible with the police
· If you have pictures on your phone, you can contribute your pictures with us, put a place and date of the picture
· It’s an open committee, you can come when you want
Roland
· Committee on Homeless Shelters meets every Monday night
· Street Market committee meets semi-regularly
Ann
· Street market on Sundays
· 11:30 Friday mornings meetings at Vandu office
· Everyone is getting stipends at the front stage
Rob Morgan
· I’m with Edge
· Story about our group, on CTV.bc.ca/first storey
Ann
· DTES not for developers meeting, learn how to laydown in front of bulldozers
· Motion to adjourn
Closing
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