HOMELESS METERS: Homeless Donation Meters

Introduction: Many folks have asked me what I think about the parking meter style donation centers that are springing up across the country. Today it started with this message from a friend: "What do you think of Pasaena’s effort to repurpose parking meters to collect change for the homeless, Tim?" You can read about Pasadena's program in the LA times by clicking here. This and numerous other inquiries lead me to devote a website page to describe the various programs, how they are doing, and what I think of them. Much has been written about these fund-raising programs, and they've gotten a lot of local press. But are they worth it? Let's see.

What Do I Think of These Programs? First, we need a better name than "Programs to Convert Parking Meters into Fundraisers for the Homeless". That just doesn't work, in a conversational sense - way too awkward. Though each of the various municipalities have their own names for their programs, I'll go with the generic "Homeless Donation Meters" for now (unless someone comes up with something better).

In general, I am in favor of city parking meter programs that encourage donations to organizations that benefit the homeless and provide an alternative to giving money to panhandlers. We have 7 parking meters here in San Luis Obispo in a program called "Change for Change". They don't raise enough money (so far) to help provide affordable housing to the homeless, and their primary benefit is to increase awareness of homelessness and provide an alternative to paying panhandlers.

LOCAL: Bonetti Ranch Development Could Use More Housing

Update 12/16/2014: I've spoken with Bonetti Ranch Development people about including more housing of all levels in the development. They've told me that the city of SLO, through their housing policies, will not allow it. Specifically, they said they wanted to build 500 square foot housing units, and city policies basically made it unfeasible.

Original Article Introduction: On September 6, 2014, the Tribune published an article on the proposed Bonetti Ranch Development  located on the north east corner of Tank Farm Road and Higuera in San Luis Obispo. You can read an article on the development in The Tribune newspaper by clicking here.

Above: Corner of Tank Farm and Higuera. Left to right: Barn that will be torn down, windmill, ranch house.

NATION: The So-Called Republican "War on Women" Continues (The Hobby Lobby Decision & more)

*****Update 9/10/2014: Persecution of Women and Christians in the Middle East - I try to avoid partisan politics whenever possible and stick strickly to the issues, but sometimes I just can't keep quiet. This is one such occasion. Read on.

Democrats continue to push the idea that the Republicans are at "War with Women". Apparently, this idea resonates in opinion polls, but is ridiculous on it's face. Much of this argument has been fueled by the recent "Hobby Lobby" contraception opinion by the U. S. Supreme Court. You can read the Wikipedia page on the Hobby Lobby decision by clicking here.

The real war on women is being fought in the Middle East, where women have no rights whatsoever. In addition, muslim extremists are kidnapping, torturing and raping women and have been legally doing so for decades and centuries. For good measure, there is also currently mass genocide of those of the Christian and other minority religions in the Middle East. These issues are the ones that should concern us, rather than the "war on women" political farce being perpetuated by the Democrats on the uneducated public.

Above: Havasupai Creek, Grand Canyon, May 2014. Photo by Tim Waag. Ya gotta see it 2 believe it!

SLO: County Needs Affordable Housing - Part II

Introduction: Creating truly Affordable Housing in SLO requires a full-court press. This means that every form of affordable housing must be pursued and implemented. One form of affordable housing is what I like to call "Affordable Green Micro-Housing". It has already been done here in SLO County, around our country, and around the world. It consists of homes primarily in the 200 to 400 square foot range (10 x 20 feet = 200 square feet; 20 x 20 feet = 400 square feet) - that is, bigger than an old-fashioned dorm room with a bathroom and kitchenette, but not by much.

The Need to Attract Affordable Housing: The city of San Luis Obispo works hard to attract businesses to move to SLO. However, it appears to do little to create city policies that would allow those who work here to also live here. This would require policies that promote so-called "workforce housing". "Workforce housing" is a nice word for "Low low low low Income housing". We have many workers in the hospitality / service / tourism / retail industry that cannot afford to live in SLO (or often, anywhere at all - thus, remaining employed and homeless). 

In my opinion, the city of SLO has a moral obligation to allow policies that create low income housing to match the employers that it recruits to move their business here. These would include low per-unit fees for "micro-housing" development and more permitting for high density in-fill within the city, as well as "homesharing" and granny unit development.

*****RESOURCE: TINY HOUSE BUILD.COM 
Web Site (Tiny House Friendly Map of the United States)

Web Site (TinyHouseBuild.com: Magazine about small houses)

According to the "Tiny House Friendly" map of the US, no municipalities in SLO county are shown on the map - not a surprise. Also, much of the current trend in "tiny homes" involves those with high incomes that want to live a simpler, less resource intensive lifestyle. That is, they can afford the "McMansion" but choose to live in a "tiny home".

*****RESOURCE: TENT CAMPS TO TINY HOUSE VILLAGES - A HISTORY
Please consider buying this book: Tent City Urbanism: From Self-Organized Camps to Tiny House Villages by Andrew Heben. It is available for around $16 from Amazon, and you can find it by clicking here. Yes, indeed, there is a "Tiny House" Movement in this country, and I hope we can do some of this in SLO County.

First, let's  take a look at the many different implementations that of "tiny home villages" that are out there now.