11-14-05 Council Meeting Minutes

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