New biomass rules take effect Friday!

Hey, biomass developers! If you can't meet at least 50% efficiency, then you won't be considered green and renewable, meaning you will not be eligible for subsidies from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Mass. Dept. of Energy has announced.

In the last three years, both pro and anti-biomass activists have spent many hours in hearings and many hours researching and submitting testimony and evidence.  Yes, we would have liked the new rules to be even stronger.  But even as they are, not a single one of the biomass plants currently operating in New England can meet the new standards-- this according to the president of the pro-bio trade group, the Biomass Power Association.

Most biomass plants operate at less than 25% efficiency.  (Can you imagine if only  25% of the gas you put in your car's tank actually took you somewhere?) Burning trees and waste wood is no more "green and renewable" than coal or oil.

Let's be clear: these new rules do not prohibit the construction of biomass plants in Massachusetts; they simply mean those plants won't qualify for Renewable Energy Credits.  The developers of the proposed biomass plant in Springfield, Palmer Renewable Energy, has said it doesn't need the RECs to operate profitably. But I can't imagine they're thrilled with the new rules.

Stop Toxic Incineration in Springfield, Arise, the Conservation Law Foundation and the Toxics Action Center have accomplished a lot this year to keep PRE from moving forward in Springfield.  The city council revoked the company's special permit that a previous, all at-large version had approved, and when the building commissioner gave PRE a building permit anyway, we and the city council successfully appealed to the zoning board.  We appealed the plant's air permit to the Dept. of Environmental Protection, and the final decision is still pending.  PRE is appealing the building permit revocation to the Massachusetts Land Court, so our fight is not over.  But Springfield residents have had three years (so far!) where our already sick air has not been made sicker by spewing pollutants and greenhouse gases into our air.

Now we get to save our RECs for energy production for those sources that deserve it.

"The only thing I can do for you is walk you to the door."

The last people I saw at Arise today were a woman and her adult nephew. 

For the last five years, she and her three children have been living with her father and taking care of him as he was dying, which, last month, he did..  She was never on his lease.  The landlord is evicting her, and Housing Court gave her ten days to leave.  Those ten days are now up, and she is waiting for the 48 hour notice from the sheriff.

Two weeks ago she went down to the Liberty St. welfare office and filled out an application for Emergency Assistance with the Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).  She went back to DHCD on Wednesday and a DHCD worker told her there was nothing they could do to help her.

"The only thing I can do for you," she said, "is walk you to the door."

Well, we're going to do what we can for her.  But here's what YOU can do: we're not done pressuring the Governor's office, our  legislators, or DHCD.  Please call BOTH the Boston and the local Governor's office: 617- 725-4005 or 784-1200.  Call your state senator and representative through the State House switchboard.  Ask them: is this what they intended when they voted these new rules through?  And call DHCD at 627-788-3610 and ask him to have some compassion in how his agency applies the new rules.

MORE YOU CAN DO: Help us monitor the DHCD office in Springfield (and Holyoke, if we can get enough people!) for homeless families being turned away from shelter.  We have two trainings scheduled: Monday, August 20, 11 am., and Wednesday, August 22, 5 pm.  It's not necessary to take the training to do the monitoring, but it's helpful. 

Here are some of the situations that our colleagues in Boston are reporting. I'll be very surprised if you aren't  gnashing your teeth by the end of this post.

In the past week, one very young mom with a 1-year old baby was denied shelter after exhausting her last double-up. She and her child slept for 2 nights in South Station. The first night a man approached them and offered them food. The next night he returned and said he was worried about them and would let them stay in his apartment. He then raped the young mother while the baby slept nearby. Even after the mother returned to DHCD with the rape kit results and proof of why she had good cause for losing a prior job (she had no child care and nowhere to stay), DHCD refused to look at the evidence, denied her shelter again, and told her that they would report her to DCF for neglecting her child by sleeping in South Station. In fact, we now know that DHCD actually did file a 51A on this poor woman. And even after Traveler’s Aid put her up for a few nights and contacted DHCD on her behalf, a high ranking DHCD official refused to place her and said: “she can appeal the denial and get a decision in 45 days.” Ongoing efforts are being made to force DHCD to place this family (which may or may not happen today), but whatever happens to this family now, the harm is done and there can be no denying that this is a predictable consequence of the policy that is being applied.

Other families are being approached outside DHCD offices by strangers who see them crying or distraught and offering to take them home. We are very concerned about the quid pro quos that may be imposed. In one double up, the mom was told she would have to “strip to stay.”

In another case, a woman who is 8 months pregnant and her baby’s father had no where to sleep but an old car of some friends that was parked on the street. The car recently was towed away, leaving them with nowhere to go. They applied for shelter and were told they would not be eligible until they brought in a ream of verifications, including the registration for the car that was towed (which of course is relevant to nothing and was in the car that was towed which no one had resources to retrieve). The pregnant woman in the late stages of her pregnancy has now been forced to sleep on the hard floor of an acquaintance’s house with no mattress and cannot stay there for long. She has given DHCD verification from medical providers that her pregnancy is high risk to which DHCD has responded: "they aren't my boss."

In addition to the fact of the denials and reflected in the above examples and others, families are systematically being treated horribly by DHCD. Families cry to us: “Do I really have to go back there to get shelter? Please don’t say I have to go back there.” They are forced to go to the office day after day, given long lists of verifications to bring back (some of which are not even relevant and many of which should not be required before placement), and then when they do bring them in are told DHCD is too busy to see them that day.

One woman who is a natural born U.S. Citizen and has never been in the Dominican Republic in her life was told by a DHCD worker: “Just go back to the Dominican Republic where you belong.”

One mother with several children who is hearing impaired and has just been diagnosed with cancer is another example. Based on reports from the City of Boston, she and her children have been staying temporarily with her mother in subsidized housing who has now been served with eviction papers, at least in part because their staying there violates the lease. She has spent multiple days at DHCD with her children without being served. She noticed many families who came in later than her being processed in front of her and so repeatedly went to the reception desk to ask if she had missed hearing her name called -- due to her hearing impairment. She was rudely told that if she came back to the desk again she would be forced to leave. Then she was told they did not have time to see her and she should come back yet another day. She begged them to place her because she could not go back to her mother’s because of the pending eviction and did not know where her children would sleep. She was told that it was her problem where her children were going to sleep and told in front of one of her children that DHCD would file a 51A against her to have DCF take her children if she did not return to her mother’s last night.  Traveler’s Aid ended up putting them up last night but obviously does not have the resources to replace the EA system for all these families.

In addition, Traveler’s Aid contacted DHCD counsel about the mother’s pending eviction, based on the understanding that DHCD had promised lawmakers that it would take steps to ensure that hosts in subsidized housing would not be evicted for taking in homeless families. But DHCD counsel informed Traveler’s Aid that no action would be taken to prevent eviction in individual cases.

Homeless 18 yr old girl - any ideas?

Just got off the phone with an 18 year old girl who is homeless.  She called Worthington St. Shelter for Women, where she has stayed before, but was told there were no beds available.  Now, this is interesting, because the official policy of Friends of the Homeless, who administers both the men's and the women's shelter, is to never turn anyone away.  So I called Worthington St., and sure enough, it's true she was denied because the shelter is full.  The very nice woman I spoke with, when I mentioned that I thought there was a no turn-away policy, said that that policy needs to change.

"We're seeing the same kind of numbers," she said, "that we usually see in the winter."  We commiserated with each other a bit.  I chose to wait to insist they shelter this girl until I tried some other options.

I have a call into the homeless coordinator at the Springfield School Department, because the girl is still in high school.  I also have a call into Sr. Sanga, who runs Annie's House, although she never has an opening.  Last time I talked to her, she told me that the women just weren't turning over, because they couldn't fuind housing they could afford.

I called my girl back to tell her what I was trying, and to ask her a little more about how she became homeless.

"I've been in a foster home since I was 14, and when I was 18, I was stubborn and signed myself out of DCF custody," she said.  "Then I stayed at the Worthington Shelter for six weeks.  Then I went to stay with a friend in Worcester, but it wasn't safe-- the people in his house do drugs and I don't, it was pretty crazy there."

I suggested she try to sign herself back into DCF-- not easy, but not impossible.

Anyone have other ideas?

With what we know is happening to homeless families, all I can do is echo my girl and say, It's pretty crazy out there.

UPDATE: REALLY, REALLY BAD NEWS!  Friends of the Homeless has a NEW policy-- if you've been staying at one of their shelters and leave for what is considered to be a "housed" situation, you are not eligible for shelter for a year!   My girl is technically in that situation, but I spoke to the director, Bill Miller, who is going to call her and who might be willing to make an exception.

But more bad news: Bill says that those in the overnight shelter are going to have to come up with a housing plan, and if the "guests" are considered to be "noncompliant"(a pretty subjective term),  they will have to leave.  He says there are no time limits on shelter-- yet.

You would think the provider world would be more aware of what happens when you put people in a corner and give them no way out.

Arizona's out of control immigration laws

Briseira Torres of Glendale, Arizona spent four months in jail on forgery charges because she was suspected of being an illegal immigrant! But of course, race had nothing to do with it....

Check out this story from Young Turks (you can skip the ad):

A snarky response to an annoying facebook post about poverty

This is so good I just had to repost the entire thing-- it's from The Phoenix and Olive Branch.  Thanks for the tip, Cynthia Melcher!

August 10, 2012 By Sierra 7 Comments

So, I keep seeing this seriously problematic image circulating on facebook. It’s an ugly beige and red graphic with the following text: If you can afford beer, drugs, cigarettes, manicures and tattoos, you don’t need foodstamps or welfare.

If you can afford beer, drugs, cigarettes, manicures and tattoos, you don’t need foodstamps or welfare.

Now, first of all, let me critique this thing as quickly as possible:
1. What you’re basically saying is that you can take one quick look at somebody and decide that they don’t deserve to eat or have a roof over their head. Wow, who made you god when I wasn’t looking?
2. You are not an expert on anyone’s needs when you bump into them in 7-11 and notice them buying cigarettes with nicely painted nails. See #1.
3. Targeting the poor as though they are stealing from you is stupid when your employer and insurance company are more likely the ones stealing from you in much greater amounts.
4. The poor don’t owe you an explanation for why they’re poor or what they do with what little they have.
5. The reason we have welfare and food stamps is to prevent assholes like you from withholding charity from the starving because you don’t approve of their lifestyles.
6. Compare the following:
Case of beer: $9.
Carton of cigarettes: $50.
Manicure: $15.
Tattoo: $200.
Total: $274.
Rent (per month): $500.
Food (per month): $400.
Total: $900.
Foregoing all those things still leaves you $626 in the hole, and we haven’t even mentioned electricity or running water or a phone line.
As for drugs, I have three responses:

• Even if there were as many people abusing drugs and using welfare to survive as the Right seems to think, I’d rather pay an extra ten cents a year to have them not starve to death. Starvation is not a motivator. It’s a killer. If someone is so addicted to drugs that they can’t get it together enough not to be homeless, I doubt they’re in a position to stop doing drugs when their situation gets worse. What do you think got them started in the first place? A master’s degree and a new job at Google?
• If someone is so addicted to drugs that they can’t get it together enough to keep a roof over their heads, they probably aren’t all that successful keeping up with the onerous paperwork that is required to stay on welfare. They’re probably leaning on the charity of family or friends.
• If we had adequate, accessible psychiatric and health care for the poor, fewer people would turn to drugs in the first place.

7.  The poor do not have to perform for you by “looking poor” or foregoing things that you classify as luxuries to be deserving of basic human needs like food and shelter. Their survival should not depend on how much you like them, unless you want to return to the days of parents injuring their kids so they can receive more money begging on the street from pompous businessmen in fur coats. Read some Charles Dickens, for heaven’s sake.
8. If you’re academically minded, read this.
9. People turn to destructive creature comforts like cigarettes, alcohol and drugs to escape a life without real opportunity. How many poor kids have you sent to college lately?
10. Argh.
Okay, now that I’m done with that, here’s the snark I promised. Sometimes you can only fight a picture with another picture:

If you can afford to buy a senator, you don’t need a tax break.

Most Popular -

"Most Serious Attack on Poor People In 25 Years"

Forty voices filled with frustration. From all areas of our community. A vicious attack on us by the state government was underway. The guidelines for determining homelessness were revised. Under these new revisions , you could even sleep in a car and NOT be considered homeless The legislation crossed our governors desk, and HE SIGNED IT.
     
      We showed up on Thursday July 26th at 12:00 noon. The employees that worked in the Mass State building located on Dwight st in Springfield were forewarned as they arrived for work that morning. They knew we were coming. We arrived carrying sings and organizing chants. Mad, worried and determined, we stood on the walk in front of the building. Cars honked, folks yelled out windows in support. Michaelann Bewsee E.D of Arise, said that it was the worst attack on poor people she had seen in 25 years. This statement got allot of attention. Arise for Social Justice has been a advocate of the poor folks in our city for decades. Michaelann has seen it all. Alone we are easy targets for the oppressors. That is why we have to come out and stand together on attacks like these. We have strength in numbers. They cant ignore us. And anyone who knows Michaelann, knows it is close to impossible to ignore her.

      We entered the State building and marched up three flights of Stairs to Governor Devall Patricks office. We carried a protest sign with the signatures of all that were there that day.Outside of the Governors office door, we were meant by Elizabeth a staffer in the Devall Patrick administration.
She told us that she wanted to hear what we all had to say. She also told us that she has been a fan of Arise for a long time. She was cordial and invited all of us (30 +) into a large board meeting room. She introduced herself and her colleague's and stated that she felt this new legislation was a sensitive issue. Michaelann explained in clear and concise language that we wanted the revision changed and not left to the discretion of the agency or government officials whimsical or literal interpretations. Plainly she stated  "That if you were living in a bus station on Friday you were considered homeless, and therefore eligible for shelter. However on Saturday when the revision was instituted, under the same bus station roof as Friday, you would no longer be considered homeless and thus, NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SHELTER."
 


    This is the ATTACK Michaelann was referring to. Cuts in exactly the wrong place. On the most indefensible population of the state .And not just the state, but our country. You have to wonder who is responsible for this unforgivable, heartless piece of legislation? Well folks,I hate to think that the Governor fully realized the potential impact that this change would have on us. Did someone explain the "Bus Station Example" to him? Did he get it? Elizabeth, the staffer could not offer any relief beyond promising that Devall Patrick would be made aware of our protest and our visit. Oh, and our Protest sign with all of our signatures.

     We ended our 30 minute visit with Elizabeth and staff abruptly, Michaelann making it clear we were not happy or satisfied in any way. So what do we do now? Did you call your state rep? Senator? Congressmen? Are you as mad as we are?  This is just wrong on so many levels.
  
      Please get involved. A phone call to your elected officials office in a presidential election year carries a little more weight than non election years. We must all at least do that. Call Arise, ask what you can do .Better yet, visit us at 467 State street in Springfield Massachusetts. We love visitors. We need you to help support our campaigns. If you want to help, but cant come down,please contribute. Drop a check in the mail. Your financial support helps insure the grassroots work that we mobilize on. It cost us money and we are poor folks also. Collectively we do make a difference. We need your help. Times are tough. We are experiencing extreme hardship. Please insure the integrity of our work.

Shameful---More Vacant Homes Than Homeless

Article well worth the visit- Please read-
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/more_vacant_homes_than_homeless_in_us_20111231/

The Criminalization of School Discipline in Massachusetts' Three Largest School Districts

 Read this article-- although for poor families and families of color, it's a scenario we know all too well. Want to get involved in changing the picture?  Contact the Springfield Student Advocacy Project, (413) 342-0080, Email: SpringfieldSAP@gmail.com

Arrested Futures: The Criminalization of School Discipline in Massachusetts' Three Largest School Districts

from the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Massachusetts, Citizens for Juvenile Justice
Principal Author: Robin L. Dahlberg
From the Executive Summary:
On October 23, 2007, a 14-year-old boy at the Kennedy Middle School in Springfield, Massachusetts, was arrested after he refused to walk with a teacher to her office and instead returned to his classroom. According to the police report, he yelled at the teacher, bounced a basketball in a school hallway, failed to respond to a police officer’s request to go with the teacher and slammed his classroom door shut. He was subsequently taken into police custody, handcuffed, transported to the police station and charged with “disturbing a lawful assembly.”
This incident illustrates a matter of growing concern to educators, parents and advocates: the extent to which the permanent on-site presence of police officers in public schools results in the criminalization of disruptive behavior. While other research has focused on zero-tolerance policies and the overuse of out-of-school suspension and expulsion as significant factors in feeding the “School-to-Prison Pipeline,” this report focuses on the additional problem of arrest, in particular the use of arrest to address behavior that would likely be handled in the school by school staff if not for the presence of on-site officers.

Published on American Civil Liberties Union (http://www.aclu.org)

Source URL: http://www.aclu.org/racial-justice/arrested-futures-criminalization-school-discipline-massachusetts-three-largest-school

Don't want children and families out on the street? Then PROTEST!

PROTEST!!
THURSDAY, JULY 26, NOON
WMA OFFICE OF GOV. DEVAL PATRICK
436 DWIGHT ST., SPRINGFIELD

 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is about to make its biggest attack on homeless families to date, by making it almost impossible for homeless families to qualify for shelter.  My guess is that this move will be accompanied by a strong push to get families already in shelter out of there as fast as possible.

If defending these families-- some of whom are our own members-- isn't the central mission and responsibility of Arise, then I don't know what is.  In fact, I can't think of anyone who is poor or progressive who can afford to do nothing.  If you absolutely can't come to the demonstration, then please, please call Governor Patrick and your state legislators.  617.725.4005 or 413.784.1200.  You can find more information at Arise for Social Justice. 

Don't be fooled if the Gov's office says things aren't as bad as we're making them out to be.  Our reading of the regulations (and the reading of the Mass Coalition for the Homeless and Mass Law Reform Institute)  says that families will even be permitted to sleep in bus stations and still not be eligible for shelter.  The Dept. of Housing and Community Development, which oversees the regulations, says it's not as bad as all that.  Then they need to change the regulations!  And that will only happen if we are loud, clear and speak with one voice-- right now!

Two important vigils to stop foreclosure evictions

From Springfield No One Leaves:

"END ALL NO FAULT EVICTIONS AFTER FORECLOSURE!" 

 

 For six years we've been making this demand across Massachusetts and backing it up by being ready to resist bank attempts to evict families for no reason at all! Last night at our weekly Bank Tenant Association meeting we discussed the possibility of two of our members (the Mendez Family & the Tucker Family) facing evictions as early as August 3rd. Both families have move-out dates scheduled for July 31st. The BTA voted to use civil disobedience if necessary to block the evictions of the Mendez Family and/or Tucker family from their home. 

Both the Mendez Family and Tucker Family are making demands long made by our movement - we are demanding that Aurora Bank & Deutsche Bank, respectively, stop No-Fault Evictions after foreclosure. Instead, we have a simple solution: 

• ACCEPT RENT & MARKET THE PROPERTY OCCUPIED OR...
• SELL BACK AT THE CURRENT MARKET VALUE - THE SAME PRICE ANYONE ELSE WOULD BUY FOR! 

Both the Mendez & Tucker Family's can afford their home after foreclosure, or can afford rent. In both cases they've offered to buy back at current value - and would even agree to share any equity appreciation in future. The Tucker family has secured financing from a non-profit to buy at current value in cash. But in both struggles, Aurora Bank and Deutsche bank are refusing to negotiate, instead continuing the banks practice of evicting families for no reason at all. 

WHY EVICT A FAMILY THAT CAN PAY RENT?

We'll be ready to block these evictions, but we refuse to sit on the sidelines and simply wait for the bank to evict!. We're going on the offensive. 

On MONDAY JULY 30TH & TUESDAY JULY 31ST we will hold back-to-back candlelight vigils to highlight the immorality of Aurora & Deutsche Bank's actions, make our demands clear, and send out a notice that Springfield will not allow for no-fault evictions of our neighbors! We'll be canvassing neighborhoods, reaching out to local elected representatives, building with ally organizations and getting media attention to spotlight the truly evil and unjust actions of the banks. 

MONDAY JULY 30TH - 7:00 PM

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL VS. AURORA BANK

Mendez Family Home - 27 Talmadge Drive, Springfield, MA

TUESDAY JULY 31ST - 7:00 PM (in place of our SBTA meeting)

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL VS. DEUTSCHE BANK 

Tucker Family Home - 53 Palo Alto Road, Springfield, MA

Please save the date - more details to come in the next 2 weeks! 

Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/247909318645911/ 

Peace and Solidarity, 

Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude

The Insane Cruelty of Gov. Patrick Toward Homeless Families

I am seething with rage.  For months we at Arise for Social Justice have been fighting to keep the proposed new rules about who's eligible for family shelter from becoming too draconian.  With our allies at Mass. Law Reform Institute and the Mass. Coalition for the Homeless taking the lead, we were able to make some small changes in the regs-- not enough to keep many new families from becoming homeless, but something, anyway, and our thoughts were turning toward this fall and winter and what we might be able to do to find shelter for the unsheltered.

Today we found out that the Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will be applying the strictest possible interpretations of the new regs-- not that the families described are ones that must be sheltered, but that these are the only families who will be sheltered.  The rest?  Out on the street and out of luck.  The regs were encouraged and signed by Gov. Patrick.

We had a woman in the office today who has a 20 year old underemployed son and an 16 year old daughter with severe autism.  Her husband left them unexpectedly ("I woke up one morning and he was gone.") and she fell behind in her mortgage and every other bill ("He hid how much debt we were in".). Now her house has been foreclosed on, and she has 30 days to get out.  She won't be eligible for emergency shelter. Maybe she'll be eligible for one of the fewer than 500 MRVPs that are supposed to help end family homelessness, or maybe the RAFT Program, a benefit to help families come up with first month's rent and security or other bills....and then what?

Actually we had two former homeowners today.  The second was a 74 year old grandmother with custody of her 10 year old granddaughter.  She hasn't made a full mortgage payment in over a year, and is having trouble getting onto the food stamp program, because she can't provide proof of shelter costs, because she doesn't have any.  They won't be eligible for emergency shelter, either, when they are finally evicted.

Last but hardly least, we met with a young woman with two children and two black eyes.  She's been staying with her sister and her sister's two children in a two bedroom, subsidized apartment.  Her sister was just notified that she faces eviction unless her "company" leaves.  The woman's two black eyes came about because she started hitting herself in the face when she completely lost it, realizing she and her kids were about to become homeless and had no place to go..But she doesn't fall into an eligible category, either.

Every day is like this.

One MLRI lawyer commented, "So we've come to a point where the state's housing agency issues a reg that would define a bus station as a 'housing situation' that is 'meant for human habitation' (because it has lights, heat, running water and toilets).  Thus a family with children living in a bus station is not sufficiently homeless to be eligible for shelter.  This is beyond Kafka."

I feel particularly angry at the service providers and their networks.  In spite of warnings by Arise and others, they put on their rose-colored glasses and gave the new head of DHCD, Aaron Gornstein, a stamp of approval before the evidence was even in. ("He's a compassionate person who really understands homelessness.")  Gornstein and Governor Patrick don't even have the guts to say, "We're done sheltering homeless families,"  but do it all under the banner of doing good for families!



Just as I have said that all poor people in Springfield were victims of last June's tornado, not just those who lost their housing, so all poor people, and the neighborhoods in which they live, are victims of  Patrick's new policies.  The dismantling of the communities of poor people continues.

I'm going to paste some information from the Mass Law Reform Institute about what actions you can take that might help-- we have to try-- try hard and right now.

But first I have to say something about Arise.  We are the only grassroots, poor people's organization from here to Boston and one of only three left in the state that will absolutely go to the mat for poor people, especially homeless people.  I can guarantee you that there's not one organization in a 90 mile radius that, tonight, is anguishing over how poor families will survive and which is also plotting, planning and organizing.  I suppose that's partly because our core members and our staff are all too familiar ourselves with foreclosure, eviction and homelessness.

If you think the work we do simply has to be done, then you've got to support us-- with your commitment, your actions and your cash.  We need donations very much.  Please send us some help at Arise, 467 State St., P.O. Box 5423, Springfield MA 01101.  And call us if you want to take action-- 413 734-4948

=====================================================================

Please call today!  Ask the Governor and the Legislature to PUT A STOP to emergency assistance (EA) regulations that would leave homeless children and their families in dangerous situations. (Copy of proposed regulations is attached).

Under the new rules that will go into effect in 60 days unless we stop them, children and their families will be ineligible for shelter even if they

·        have nowhere to sleep except a bus station or a hospital emergency room

·        are in a double up situation where the child is being abused by a neighbor

·        are in a housing situation where the mother is being regularly raped by the primary tenant

·        are in a housing situation that is unfit for human habitation (such as not having running water) and the landlord could fix it but won’t

·        are in a housing situation with lead paint, exposed wires, overcrowding that violates the sanitary code, or infested with rats (as long as the infestation isn’t caused by accumulated garbage)

·        were evicted through no fault of their own (for example, because the landlord wants to put the building on the market) and have no place to go

And many of the families who might meet the new standards won’t be eligible due to new unreasonable third-party verification requirements.

Please call the Governor, 617.725.4005 or 888.870.7770. 

Ask him to PUT A STOP to these inhumane rules.

Please call your state Senator and Representative via the State House switchboard at  617.222.2000 (or get their direct numbers at www.wheredoivotema.com). 

Ask your Senator and Representative to ask Senate President Murray and House Speaker DeLeo to PUT A STOP to these inhumane rules.

National Alliance Of HUD Tennants Washington, DC June 26, 2012

I was privileged to stand with NAHT this past week in DC. NAHT and MAHT (Mass Alliance of HUD tenants) work tirelessly on behalf of those in danger of losing section 8 housing. Attending the conference were members of NAHT from all over the US. The fight to preserve low income housing is difficult. Workshops on organizing tenants associations and HUD regulations as well as what litigation is presently being considered, were explored in great detail during this 2012 conference. Members of HUD sat on a panel and listened to us and provided some insight as to where they stood on certain housing issues. In addition we meant with government officials in the Senate building who addressed housing. This trip was very inspiring and very enlightening. The housing issue in Springfield has the same challenges as it does in many parts of the US. Please watch this short video as we marched on the MLK memorial in DC. We were stopped at the entrance. We held our protest at the entrance. Please leave questions and comments.
John Morris

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=db0_1340748532&comments=1

June Teenth/Justice for Charles

Yesterday's June Teenth event lacked only one element to make it the perfect day: the presence of Charles Wilhite.

On Monday, the court will set a date for a bail hearing; the bail hearing may be (we hope) July 2.  Once again, community support makes a difference.

Ruben, Tony, Maggie and Jeremiah at the Arise table

Best former city councilor ever- Amaad Rivera

Vira Cage, Charles' aunt, coordinating  the day

Lucinda Ealy coordinating childcare

Dan Keefe from Out Now & Justice for Charles with Vira

Rev. Charla Kouadio and Maryanne Winters

Arise's Ellen Graves & musician Ben Grosscup

Amanda's boys

Jean Sherlock on the racist school system

Rep. Ben Swan and Vira

In the hat-- Arise member Sheldon Gaynor from Like It Or Not

Early Arise member Helen Drungo, Charles' grandmother

'Candejah Pink from No One Leaves

Arise member Keith Peters, who's coordinating next Saturday's CORI Independence Day

3rd Annual C.O.R.I. Independence Day-Opportunity House

Project Coordinator, Keith Peters of Arise for Social Justice, spoke to a group of men at The Opportunity House this morning, June 19th. Keith spoke in depth on the logistics of sealing criminal records. The men at the Opportunity House are recovering from substance abuse and other health issues. Obtaining Employment and Housing can be difficult when you have a record with the criminal justice system. Keith promoted the upcoming CORI reform day being held at Blunt park in Springfield, MA on June 30th from 11:00am to 4:00pm. The men at the Opportunity House  had many questions around CORI and the 3 Strikes legislation currently being considered in Massachusetts.
The Opportunity House, owned by Behavioral Health Network- BHN, has 38  residents. The average stay at the House is from 6 to 7 months. With the help of a experienced staff, each resident is encouraged to establish a recovery network, rebuild family ties, find employment and housing.  It is one of the few effective programs in the state offering these services. Opportunity house has been open since 1971. BHN also operates "My Sisters House" a similar program for Women located in Springfield Ma.
Arise applauds the efforts of the Staff at Opp House for allowing all of the residents to attend this important event, both this morning and the upcoming event on June 30th

WHATS IS 467 STATE STREET?

I had lived in Western Massachusetts all of my life before I moved to Springfield. I had only lived here for a couple of months. I had walked by 467 State Street many times. The sign, ARISE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE, intrigued me. Social Justice? Well I was pretty sure I was all about Social Justice. Isn't everyone? I would look in the window and see that the folks inside always seemed very busy. There was a mix of folks inside. Older, younger, White, Latino, African American. People going and coming, Most of the folks either on the phone or in front of a computer monitor. Some younger folks making big signs, "JUSTICE FOR MICHAEL"   What the heck do they do in there? I had asked some of my friends if they knew what ARISE was. One dude told me it was a "Lefty cult, very radical, some Jesus freak shit" This made no sense to me. There were signs in the windows, but nothing about Jesus. Nobody was coming out in the street after me trying to recruit me to sell incense and handing out those Jesus pamphlets. No, I was pretty sure my friend was wrong. I would often stop and read the literature posted in the window. "Police Brutality case nearing
close"    http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/former_springfield_police_offi_4.html - "3 Strikes legislation in the House" - "Do you owe Community Service Hours? You Can do them Here". I had to find out what Arise For Social Justice was all about. I owed the Commonwealth of Massachusetts a fine. I wasn't working at the time and paying this fine was near to impossible. The representatives at the Hall of Justice were understanding enough to allow me to perform community service in lieu of the fine. 

This is how I discovered what Arise for Social Justice was all about. On my first day, I was asked to hand out flyers addressing a upcoming rally. The next few weeks I started to get to know the staff and other volunteers. They were working for SOCIAL CHANGE, at a grassroots level. These folks were committed to issues I had been concerned with for a very long time. I did not know that there were local organizations that fought for these important concerns, issues such as Homelessness, Poverty, Police Injustice, Needle Distribution, Tenants Rights. 

On a daily basis I would see families come into the office that were being evicted or losing their section 8 housing. I was amazed at the level of compassionate concern shown to each and every one of these folks. From advocacy to the housing court, to advising individuals of their right with an arrest or a mistreatment by the local law enforcement. 

I discovered there were many issues I knew little about. The Arise staff were kind, generous and patient, educating me on many issues and taking the time to be sure I understood them. On one occasion, I was handing out flyers promoting a upcoming event on the 3 Strikes Legislation currently being considered in Massachusetts. On that day the Governor was scheduled to speak. The New Dunbar Center was merging with the YMCA, and  all of our local politicians showed up. The Mayor, a Congressman, City Councilors, a host of  Springfield businessmen and the media. This was the first time I would identify myself as being from Arise for Social Justice. As Mayor Sarno was arriving at this event, I approached and handed him a flyer denouncing the 3 strikes bill. (Little did I realize I'd be seeing a  lot more of Mayor Sarno.) The feeling I clearly recall from that day was a sense of purpose. Like I was making a difference. Just handing out flyers and asking folks to support us. The issue needed support. It still does! 

On that day, I carried an important message. One person to another. Approaching and talking with a mother with children in tow or a college student or a businessman on lunch, about the great burden this law would put on our Families, our Community our State and our Country. I was beginning to realize that I wasn't just handing out flyers. I was helping to influence a proposed law, at a Grassroots level. I began to realize further that this is how change begins. This is how we can make a difference in our City, in our State and in our Country.

My life has changed considerably since I walked into 467 State street. I have been honored to meet committed individuals who are willing to stand up to the bureaucrats and fight injustice. The folks who call themselves members of Arise, give a voice to the poor and the homeless, speak out against industry that destroys our environment and fearlessly demand answers from our elected officials.

I am proud to stand with my colleagues and call myself a member of  Arise for Social Justice.

Please join us on the firing lines and help us make a difference.

Breast cancer:

Today's Cape Cod Times has a disturbing article about funding cuts for breast cancer studies and prevention-- I can think of a dozen items I'd cut in the state budget before this.  Then, of course, we could restructure the state income tax so that higher income people pay a fair share!

(The graphic shows the distribution of breast cancer in the state from 1982 - 1994.  Hate to think what it is now.)

Silent Spring looks to end dry spell

By Cynthia Mccormick

cmccormick@capecodonline.com

June 04, 2012 2:00 AM

State funding for environmental research on possible contaminants in the Cape's drinking water is getting harder to come by.

It's a situation that advocates for breast cancer research say could delay the development of protective regulations, costing lives as well as treatment dollars.

After receiving no state funding for the past two years, the Silent Spring Institute in Newton asked legislators on Beacon Hill for $150,000 this spring to continue a study on carcinogens and endocrine disrupters in the Cape's drinking water. Lawmakers in both houses, however, turned down funding for the nonprofit organization, founded in 1994 to study the Cape's high rates of breast cancer.

But some fancy footwork by state Sen. President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, and Sen. Dan Wolf, D-Harwich, could salvage one-third of Silent Spring's request.

At the last minute, the legislators got a "technical amendment" to include $50,000 for Silent Spring in the Senate budget. "It's really important work," Wolf said.

Now Silent Spring leaders hope the proposed funding survives a joint conference committee review.

The reduced amount "is a good start," said Cheryl Osimo, co-founder of Silent Spring Institute and communications director of its sister organization, the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition.

"But we need to fill the gap to have an active research project on the Cape again," she said.

Hurt by budget crisis

The money is a far cry from the $1 million in funding Silent Spring got from the state a little more than a decade ago.

The institute used the funds for studies on breast cancer incidence rates and such factors as pesticide and land use in an attempt to look for possible environment links to breast cancer on the Cape.

It also conducted a household exposure case-control study showing that contaminants from building materials and consumer products end up in the air and dust of people's homes.

Many of these contaminants are classified as endocrine-disrupting compounds, which because of their ability to interfere with the body's hormone system makes them suspect in cases of breast cancer.

But Silent Spring lost its state funding when falling tax revenues contributed to the state budget crisis in 2003.

Since then, the organization, which has an annual budget of $1.6 million in private and federal funds, has focused its Cape work on studies into possible contaminants in drinking water.

Several of its studies, including one on private wells released in November, show that pharmaceutical products and artificial sweeteners as well as flame retardants, hormones, plasticizers and insect repellent are making their way into the Cape's private wells.

This is a concern to researchers, since many of these substances mimic estrogen, which causes breast cancer cells to grow in the lab.

Across the country, about 40,000 women die of breast cancer each year. Barnstable County has the state's highest breast cancer mortality rate, according to a report by the Massachusetts affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Cape's annual death rate from breast cancer is 29.4 out of 100,000 here, compared with the state average of 21.4. Barnstable County's breast cancer incident rate also is higher than the state average, according to the Komen foundation.

"Breast cancer incidence has been elevated on Cape Cod ever since the Massachusetts cancer registry began in 1982," Silent Spring Institute Executive Director Julia Brody said.

In December, the Institute of Medicine, a nonprofit organization that acts as the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, "issued a clear statement saying that science now documents plausible biological links between environmental chemicals and breast cancer risk," Brody said.

She said it was the first time a major medical organization had made such a claim.

But with the economic crisis affecting public research dollars available at both the federal and state levels, Silent Spring has been facing budgetary woes.

The federal government filled some of the state funding gap with four congressional appropriations, the last of which was $350,000 in September 2010.

But those appropriations ended with the federal ban on earmarks, although the organization continues to receive other federal grants.

The Massachusetts Environmental Trust helped out with the Cape drinking water studies until it dropped its funding in fiscal 2011, Osimo said.

Nearly a quarter of the organization's funding comes from private donations, Osimo said. She said it gets more than a third of its funding from nonprofit foundations and 42 percent from various federal grants. It just received $200,000 from the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, which Osimo said will help update the organization's epidemiology database and develop new biomarkers for exposure to contaminants.

Lack of funding 'appalling'

Karen Joy Miller of the Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition on Long Island, N.Y., the fundraising arm for one of the country's largest studies on environmental links to breast cancer, said the funding situation is "appalling."

She said her organization no longer receives funds from the county, state or federal governments.

Miller said Huntington and Silent Spring have been role models for involving the community in discussion about breast cancer and partnering with private donors to offset lost public funding.

Environmental research organizations can't expect the deep-pocket corporate support that floats pharmaceutical and other research, said Dr. John Erban of Tufts Medical Center Cancer Center, who is on Silent Spring's board.

"There is very little revenue to be gained in prevention. The financial incentive is lacking," Erban said.

But there is great cost savings to be had in preventing cancer, especially as the population ages, he said. Unfortunately, organizations "are not doing nearly as many studies as could be done, because of limitations on resources," Erban said.

Copyright © Cape Cod Media Group, a division of Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

become a housing Discrimination Tester!

Nearly 4 million Cases  of 
Housing Discrimination Occur Each Year - YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THAT  STATISTIC

 Become A HOUSING DISCRIMINATION TESTER

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

57 Suffolk Street, 3rd Floor, Holyoke, MA

Deadline: June 12

Call Tanya Jones-Murray

413-539 9796 x 112

www.massfairhousing.org

Refreshments will be served

 

RIGHT TO EXIST-WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY!



Add caption

April 2nd, 2012- Almost 100 of us came out in support.

Many of us spoke on the Homelessness in our city. We were right across the street from you Mr. Mayor. We were angry. Couldn’t you hear us? We signed petitions. We addressed with great clarity how serious our problem is. We requested a meeting with you Mr. Mayor, to discuss the travesty that only gets worse as you ignore it. You had to have heard us THEN, didn’t you Mr. Mayor?

We stood at your doorstep and called for action. Our Great Warriors marched up your grand marble staircase and hand delivered a letter to your office. You weren’t available Mr. Mayor. You must have had something more important to do than housing the poor of Springfield. It seems you may think we are easy to ignore. We are not going away Mr. Mayor.

 We decided to come to your office, with hope of a meeting to discuss the urgent need of Housing. We showed up with our own beautiful oriental carpet, lighting, music, magazines and entertainment. Hell, we even bought lunch. You called the police.

 You smiled as you tried to walk by us Mr. Mayor. You got about 10 feet away, and you couldn’t help yourself. You turned around and came back for the last word. You did this three times. You pointed your finger, you talked down to us, and you showed us arrogance. In the face of a homeless mother, in tears, you showed NO compassion. You walked away.        

We are not going away Mr. Mayor.

We now  demand a Housing Task Force, made up of at least 50% low or moderate income members. We are not going away!

 Finally, Mr. Mayor, On the 1 year anniversary of the tornado, you invited all of your supporters in city and state government, for a time of self-congratulatory frivolity, 50 of your supporters came to the First Church, a far cry from the thousands  you claim to have been involved in the Rebuilding Springfield Effort. We were there Mr. Mayor. You walked right by us. We had signs- “What About Us?” You pretended not to see us once again. You smiled as you walked past the 6 year old who looked directly at you, asking for help. Can’t you see why we are Angry Mr. Mayor? You have kept us out of the Rebuilding Springfield plan. We have repeatedly tried to be involved. We have real ideas, with real poor people, with real needs. A real difference could be made here Mr. Mayor with input from those who desperately need help. But, you choose to ignore us. Can’t you see why we are Angry Mr. Mayor? We are not going away.

You indiscriminately demolished housing after the tornado without Due Process. Without professional opinion stating whether or not the structure could be saved, and then you charged the owner for the demolition cost.  Many more families needlessly homeless because of a decision that could have been avoided if we had a Housing Task Force in place. A task Force of the People to give voice to their needs. Given the millions of dollars being appropriated to housing in Springfield, supposedly, to help those most devastated by the tornado, it would make perfect sense to listen to those individuals. THE HOUSING TASK FORCE.  You will not even meet with us on this issue Mr. Mayor. You choose to ignore us. Can’t you see why we are ANGRY?

We, the voices of THE VOTERS, THE FAMILIES, THE CHILDREN, THE POOR, THE HOMELESS, Need a Housing Task Force in Springfield.

WE ARE ANGRY AND WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY.            

By John Morris

Ariseforsocialjustice.blogspot.com