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11-14-05 Council Meeting Minutes
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11-14-05 Council Meeting Minutes
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City Council - City Clerk
City Counci - Date
11/14/2005
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REGULAR MEETINGNOVEMBER 14, 2005 <br />neighborhood. She is certain that there are many others opposed to this issue, but are not <br />expressing their views due to their busy lives, or lack of knowledge of the situation. I’m <br />hopeful that the leadership of South Bend will ultimately decide on what is right for this <br />community, and look at the facts and not the fear of “bad publicity” when deciding <br />whether or not the Catholic Worker should continue to operate illegally in its houses. <br />Ms. Olivia Constable, 627 W. Colfax, South Bend, Indiana, stated that as a resident of the <br />West Washington historic neighborhood (living at 627 West Colfax) she would like to <br />add her voice to those of her neighborhood concerned about the changing zoning <br />regulations to allow large numbers of people to live in the Catholic Worker shelters on <br />West Washington Avenue. Ms. Constable advised that her family has lived in this <br />neighborhood for ten years, during which period we have been extremely impressed with <br />improvements and renovations to houses and properties. She knows that the West <br />Washington Neighborhood Association has been working hard to restore houses to <br />single-family residences, to renovate properties and make Chapin Street to a local street <br />again. All of these efforts have mad (and will make) this neighborhood a much more <br />pleasant place to live, walk, and raise children. People want to stay and put down roots in <br />this kind of neighborhood. She stated that she would be very sorry to see a return to the <br />broken-up multi-person properties and boarding houses that were common several <br />decades ago. Only strong zoning regulations can help this neighborhood continue to <br />improve. <br />Mr. Peter Morgan, 114 Chapin Street, South Bend, Indiana, and Ms. Rachael Tomas <br />Morgan, 114 Chapin Street, South Bend, Indiana, stated that they and their two young <br />children live in an own their home at 114 South Chapin Street. They moved into the <br />Near West Side Neighborhood when their youngest child was fourth months old. As <br />parents of young children, they had many concerns in considering the purchase of a <br />home, crime and safety, the speed and volume of traffic flowing on Chapin Street, few <br />young families reside in the neighborhood, homes in visible repair, the volume of rental <br />properties, and absentee landlords. Friends and colleagues questioned the financial risk <br />we would be taking in purchasing in this neighborhood. Mr. Morgan stated that they <br />took the initiative to knock on doors of neighbors asking for their opinion on the safety <br />and stability of the neighborhood. They called South Bend Heritage and spoke to the <br />director about the improvements they had started in the neighborhood; they met other <br />parents with older children who have raised their children in this neighborhood. Some of <br />the neighbors shared with us what they had heard about plans of a children’s theatre or a <br />museum and a firehouse as positive signs for the neighborhood. As parish members of <br />St. Augustine’s Church on West Washington Street since 1996 (and frequent worshippers <br />from 1988-1991), they had witnessed the visible signs of the good work of South Bend <br />Heritage in the construction of affordable housing near the parish. Despite some <br />concerns they still had, they purchased the home in January 2001 with trust of knowledge <br />and assurance that this distressed neighborhood was in positive upswing of thoughtful <br />and sensitive redevelopment. They stated that they valued the fact that South Bend <br />Heritage and the City, in their vision to revitalize this neighborhood, took great care not <br />to gentrify but to make available to hard working, low income families the opportunity to <br />rent apartments or own homes. When they purchased the house, it was their clear <br />understanding that the Near West Side Neighborhood Organization, South Bend <br />Heritage, and the City of South Bend was dedicating time, labor, and money in the <br />revitalization of this neighborhood. Ms. Tomas Morgan stated that she has become <br />involved in the Near West Side Neighborhood Organization and currently sits on the <br />board of the Organization. They have positively influenced other young families to move <br />into the neighborhood; they support commerce and the revitalization of the downtown <br />area; and talk to their colleagues about the benefits of living in the City of South Bend <br />and in this particular neighborhood. As you know over the past two years, the Catholic <br />Worker group has been using properties at 1126, 1130 and 1119 (A & B Duplex) West <br />Washington and 1102 Thomas Street in violation of current zoning laws. They purchased <br />1126 West Washington and 1102 Thomas Street and began renting 1130 and 1119 A & B <br />West Washington with the intention to provide temporary housing for the homeless. The <br />Near West Side Neighborhood Organization instructed the Catholic Worker group of its <br />disapproval. Disapproval not of their work to provide housing for the homeless but the <br />disapproval of violating the zoning and health, safety, and fire codes for the numbers of <br />people they were housing in these homes. We instructed them repeatedly to comply with <br />19 <br /> <br />
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