P.O. Box 6283, Boise, ID 83707 www.homelesscoalitionboise.com
Boise/Ada County Homeless Coalition
March 9, 2022
The meeting was conducted by Denise Caruzzi, President.
Also in attendance: Howard Belodoff; Cara Cain; Carol Craighill, Secretary; Lila Featherolf; Jim Grunrow; Martin Hendrickson; Neysa Jensen: Lisa Johnson; Barbara Kemp, Past President; Cay Marquart, LEAP Housing; Mary Nagel, Vice President; Kelli Parker; Jodi Peterson, Interfaith Sanctuary; Pam Roemer; Danielle Sanders, Good Samaritan Home; Pete Schroeder, Cathedral of the Rockies; Rodger Shaver, Jesse Tree; Kym Westmoreland, Maddie Andrew and Saidee Jones, CATCH; Gayle Wilde. Also in attendance were Guests: Michelle Goodell- IRC Housing Specialist; Ed Keener; Henry Krewer. Presenters included: Pastor Joe Bankard and Yogi Pullman
Opening:
Denise welcomed new members, and those we haven’t seen in a while
Review Minutes of 9 February 2022 meeting
Discussion: Rodger Shaver, Jesse Tree saw that 501c3 was a topic from last month, and questioned if it was to be on the agenda. Denise advised it hasn’t been discussed by the executive committee yet.
Motion to approve as submitted: Kelli Parke. Second: Roger Shaver. Approved: Unanimously
Review of Treasurer’s Report: February 2022
Presented by: Carol Craighill–noted increase in memberships and balance of $3505.33
Motion to approve as submitted: Neysa Jensen
Second: Gayle Wilde
Approved: unanimously
Presentations/Speakers:
- Pastor Joe Bankard, Collister United Methodist Church–provided an update on the work of the Faith Leader Collective in support of Interfaith Sanctuary move and appeal to Boise City Council
- relayed current status–outlining the letters, petition, media outreach, t-shirts, yard signs, and digital billboard (on State Street)
- shared the history of Collister Methodist and their current plans to build two 3-bedroom homes (at affordable rents) on the 3/4 acre property (w/50 year lease); LEAP Housing will manage project; they are currently speaking to 9 other churches to encourage other YIGBY (Yes in God’s Back Yard) projects
- Jodi Peterson-Stigers, Interfaith Sanctuary–provided update on the City Council appeal (and future plans)
- Hearing dates: 18-21, 25 April
- T-shirts: We are Interfaith shirts are being ordered; varied plans to distribute, mostly through faith leaders; let us know if you want one
- 19 April (10-4 session) –A Cafe may host a coffee/snack table; expect table for t-shirt distribution
- Plan is to make it a happy event and demonstrate that Interfaith is created by all of us; see Interfaith website
- Call to Action: Please show up for hearings–for testimony or just in person (in t-shirts if possible) as show of support
- Pete Schroeder additional comments:
- The billboard is set to go; expected to go live on March 14th
- T-shirts have been ordered
- several faith l leaders are onboard to be at the City on the 19th
- Yogi Pullman, newly housed participant in the Capitol encampment protest—update on activity and requests
- provided a personal account of her experience in being unhoused; shared the best thing that happened to her was meeting Kym at CATCH. In February she was able to get into a home
- As one of the first at the protest, explained the high levels of harassment, stress, and difficulty to take all the nasty comments; comments that showed they didn’t fully understand; has continued for 7-8 weeks now
- intentions to create a peaceful protest to educate others in a kind way
- she advised that solutions to housing people had to be personal–to find the unique barriers for each person; common barriers are lack of housing (there are 4 times the people in need as affordable housing) and not enough services; permanent housing takes 3-5 years
- A group of protestors spoke with the mayor and she has also spent time at the Capitol (and spoke with Kelsey in Gov. Little’s office, and Chris Mathias)
- Requests locally:
- more funding for low-barrier shelters, including space for pets (who are not service animals)
- more shelters for families
- more help and support to advocate for families and for singles
- case management/mental health/physical health services on-site
- Requests at state level
- fund the Housing Trust
- find other funding, fundraisers, include the unhoused in making decisions
- Call to Action: Yogi reminded everyone it takes a tribe to make a difference and thanked her friends from CATCH
- Martin Hendrickson, Idaho Legal Aid–on legal implications of the protest
- State is being very careful that their actions fall within the actions allowed by the Martin decision
- Police are confiscating camping items; citing for camping; using the opportunity to cite or arrest.
- highlighted some work being done to work within first amendment rights while addressing legitimate concerns (i.e. installing a portable toilet if concerned with demonstrators not using facilities; in return please stop seizing items like sleeping bags that are used to stay warm)
- there is individual assistance in some cases for those who have received citations for violations of the State Statutes
- State has historically taken position that lawn must be watered to maintain landscape when sprinklers are turned on; suggests they could easily be moved to a section of the parking lot
OTHER BUSINESS
- Denise asked if there are suggestions on the alerts or frequency
o Members feel they are a good thing - Denise called everyone’s attention to House bill 742, which has money budgeted from ARPA to create a housing fund
AGENCY UPDATES:
- Economic Opportunity, Kelli Parker, Director, http://eojannu.org/
- o Introduction to the program that offers loan assistance for personal emergencies, credit building, micro businesses
- o Working with community partners like Jesse Tree and Interfaith to figure out where there are gaps to see if EO programming can assist. Currently doing a pilot program to help with Security Deposits where Jesse Tree cannot provide full amount
- LEAP, Cay Marquart
o https://www.leaphousing.org/ - o Provided highlights from annual report. Some of which included:
- Served >400 people with their program services
- 50+ residents worked w/ the Resident Services team
- 250 Potential Homes
- Good Samaritan Home, Danielle Sanders, ED, o https://goodsamaritanhomeboise.org/
- Current challenge in staffing so developed partnership with Meals on Wheels
- Partnerships on Social Determinants of Health Partnerships
- Call to Action: Looking for Volunteers — please send them our direction
- Intermountain Fair Housing Council – Lori Dicaire, https://ifhcidaho.org/
- Has an enforcement program to understand if /when there is discrimination
- Received a recent grant
- Cathedral of the Rockies , Pete Schroeder, https://cathedraloftherockies.org/
- Housing Update. Working with Habitat for Humanity each year and help build a house each year. Hope there are 3 built this summer
- Interfaith Sanctuary, Jodi Peterson, ED, https://interfaithsanctuary.org/
- Meeting w Habitat for Humanity in a week
- Hope to build First Boarding Home together (Interfaith community and Habitat for Humanity, and LEAP) as transitional housing for employed single men
- Cay commented that working models have been done, ie Good Samaritan
- Danielle Sanders: offered to volunteer since she has experience in running a boarding house at Good Samaritan Home
- Corpus Christi – Carol Craighill for Don Rufffing, https://corpuschristiboise.org/
- Moving with business as usual
- Warming center due to wrap up on Sunday, March 13, unless weather turns extremely cold
- Jesse Tree – Rodger Shaver, https://www.jessetreeidaho.org
- Highlighted housing assistance service programs at Jesse Tree and reviewed annual report highlights ie. 668 families supported
Adjournment:
Meeting was adjourned at 3: by Denise Caruzzi. The next general meeting will be April 13, 2022 at 1:30 pm
Notes takes by: Kelli Parker and Cay Marquart
Secretary: Carol Craighill