City Council Sets Wheels in Motion for Database of Accessible Apartments

Tuesday's City Council meeting was a long and arduous day. Waiting for agenda item #10, heard after 11 a.m. was just the beginning.

I arrived at 8:15 and gathered with my ADAPT friends down in the cafeteria after signing up to speak. One thing I learned being in health care is arrive early and expect everything to take longer than you think it should. That's the only way to be prepared.

I have to give kudos to Mayor Cook on his patience and flexibility when Desert ADAPT appears, meaning there were alot of speakers signed up and he really gave us all a fair shake and a chance to speak. I DO wish, tho, that when he anticipates a showing of ADAPT or other people with disabilities or the elderly on certain agenda items that the agenda item be heard earlier. It takes a tremendous toll on some to wait hours and hours for the item to come up. I had to leave with my patient around 2:30, after we both spoke, as we both needed to eat and take care of other business.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to stay and rebut a few items that Tom Bohannon brought up, but I did so later in the comment section on the article by Newspaper Tree about the action by Desert ADAPT last Thursday at Festival and Mesa streets.

My points in that comment were these:

- How come Tom Bohannon, for 16 years, accepted the 5% rule and did nothing about it, especially if it supposedly hurt his business so much? Now when there's a real need for apartments and the demand is there, economics are at an all-time low, Mr. Bohannon wants to put the squeeze on the city to build fewer accessible apartments- even though he already would be getting tax breaks? It's like the guy selling ice or water during Hurricane Katrina for over-inflated prices! And then he threatens to take his business elsewhere?!!!

- Tom Bohannon is a businessman, right? He's in the business to make money. I think he's doing okay living up there on Cherry Hill. But instead of training his staff to tap into their pool of complexes he owns and manages for an accessible apartment for myself and my client when I was looking at his property The Pointe, which had no accessible apartments at the time I looked 5 years ago, he would rather ask the city to lower their standard for accessible apartments and take tax breaks. Sounds kinda lazy and greedy to me. He hid behind the law that says he doesn't have to do squat for transition if the building was built before 1993. My rebut was- aren't you going to eventually remodel these apartments? Can't you convert or retrofit some to be more accessible? Or at the very least, show me properties that ARE accessible? I hate it when businesses hide behind the "I don't have to, I'm not bound by law to care" excuse. You're leaving out a large part of the community when you don't remodel your bathroom to be accessible and welcoming to the disabled/elderly community, when your aisles are too full of merchandise and a wheelchair can't get through etc- that all screams "you're not important enough to me and my business"!

- My last point was a business proposal I made to Tom Bohannon. I basically said let me take over your PR and do some damage control cause what he's been doing just ain't working. I have good contacts in the disabled community, let's sort out all this disorganization and work on getting disabled and elderly into your apartments. This isn't rocket science. I am good at organizing, as a matter of fact, in my past life when I was married my husband and I had our own business and that was to look at small businesses and streamline and condense almost every aspect of that business. We re-trained sales staff, hired staff, did data entry, picked apart every expense and looked for ways to save money etc. Some jobs took a year or more, and when they got computers that was a whole other way to streamline the business and they called us back to do that.
Anyway- I offered to work with Tom Bohannon in a field that I have a vested interest in and we all would have benefitted- Tom would change his image in the disabled community as a man that cares, he'd make money, I'd have more money coming in and the disabled community would have more choices in apartments as they'd be advertised specifically for them and not given away at a discount to non-disabled. All I asked for was an apartment and a small stipend for my work. But Tom Bohannon has not bothered to answer yet. At first my proposal was in jest, tongue-in-cheek, but then I was like heck- this could work!

Anyway- council DID bring up some good points about getting a database together by Volar and the Apartment Association- shoulda been done years ago!

Representative Acosta brought up a good point, too, that many people may be disabled and may not feel comfortable to speak up about their disability and that many disabilities are not seen on the outside, such as heart patients, people with arthritis etc. And there was alot of confusion about how to legally place the disabled and elderly in accessible apartments that are intended for their use without stepping on toes and outright asking if they are disabled or the nature of the disability.

To me, that's a no-brainer. You don't have to ask someone what their ailments are (or aren't)- you can find out their needs by offering the amenities you have. If you are talking to a prospective client looking for an apartment and they have a cane you can offer that you have apartments that have walk-in or roll-in showers- these are amenities that should be celebrated, not shyed away from, and then you can go on and say "or would you prefer having a tub to soak in? We all love baths blah blah blah". TALK to the people, find out about them, show an interest. Yes, there's always going to be someone that might be offended, no one likes the stigma that as we age our needs may change and we are looked at as frail etc, but the majority of us aren't in Ironman competitions in our 40s, 50s, 60s etc ok? Let's be real. This is just one example of ways to try and meet the needs of the disabled/elderly- every case will be different. And all you can do is your best. Maybe a heart patient that looks fit, no cane, doesn't let you know an accessible apartment would be easier on them, for example. You don't want to question every person to find out if they may need an accessible apartment, and actually what I've seen for the most part is that the disabled/elderly community that has started or is in touch with the reality of their needs will be more than forthcoming with their requirements.

The six month hold on this agenda item to get organized and compile the database of accessible apartments is a good start but I don't believe we will truly see the need vs # of units available until guidelines are set and implemented on the advertising end of this issue. And that may take another 6 months or more to gather and decipher information found from that. I also suggest that the apartments do a survey of their tenants in accessible units and ask if they are meeting their needs or if they are even using those amenities. I'm sure that won't go over too good with some tenants that are taking advantage of accessible units at a discount, but you know what? I'd rather piss off that kind of tenant than deny a disabled person an accessible unit because JoeBlow Idontcare wants to save a few bucks.

Just my opinion.

New or Old City Hall Leak?

While at city hall yesterday I was killing time talking with Lisa Turner while we waited for the "desk lady" to bring the signup sheet for the agenda.

I like alot of the common sense Ms. Turner has and admire that she can pretty much get her point across without pages of notes. Me, I'm a dork. I spoke on agenda item 10 yesterday, the one about the city possibly changing the building code so developers won't have to build 5 p/100 accessible apartments but just 2. I even lost my place at one time in my pages of notes, but that was my fault, I didn't want to keep repeating points that others made before me so I shortened my comments. More on that in another post.

Anyway, during a lull I wandered by the windows and looked down at the front of city hall. I noticed one of the concrete planters had an awful lot of water accumulated in it and there was a sprinkler head bubbling just over the water line.

Probably about 2 inches or more accumulated in there.

I went down and took a few pics of this and this morning I emailed building maintenance and informed them of this problem.

I know things break, but because the trees and vegetation were quite lush in that planter I wonder how long this has been going on unchecked?

I'm waiting to see how long this takes to be repaired, and will update you when I hear back from them.

Free Speech vs Lack of Respect for our President

What's all this baloney goin' on now about the President supposedly wanting to "indoctrinate" our schoolchildren?

People who don't agree with some things the President has done or is doing, even though the burden falls on many others besides the President for the implementation, are now spreading the infection that we don't have to show any kind of respect to our President?

What does that tell our children?

They're so afraid the President is going to try and slip in subliminal messages and propoganda and that one speech will magically turn their kids into raving rebels of the Left! Are people really that ignorant?

Doesn't indoctrination need a series of actions, studies, disciplines to meet it's end result?

Parents have always held the key to their children's successes. Unfortunately, over half our children do not live in a two-parent household. Many of those do not have the proper supervision, so the streets or tv or gangs are taking the place of those parents.

It takes a village to raise a child. Ever heard that saying? It's true. It takes mentors of every sort to help shape our children and parents need to tap into that resource, with a watchful eye of course. It takes good teachers, a trusted church, extended family and friends, and neighbors. But the parents are the ultimate sayers in how the kids are raised.

We all have the right of free speech and to question our government. But instilling a fear into your children of our own President is taking that right really far! And it's downright disrespectful.

Children do not have the capacity of reason an adult has (sometimes that's a good thing!). They will not fully understand the nuances and depth of why they have to sit out of class while the rest of their classmates gets to participate in hearing and talking about the President's speech. All alot will know is that Mommy and Daddy said they don't have to listen to the President. WOW! What a learning experience!

As a child in the 60s and 70s I remember us schoolchildren participating in school activities that included a mock vote for our President, Nixon vs McGovern. For weeks we held debates and walked around the schoolyard with our signs trying to woo more people to our side. It was participation and discussion.

Let me say that again, louder...

We were allowed to PARTICIPATE and DISCUSS pros and cons of our candidates.

Our parents thought it was a good thing and didn't make us sit out. They embraced different opinions and they were conducted with decorum and respect. Not that we didn't get passionate at times.

So, why now is it an "us vs them" attitude and if you don't believe what I believe then I don't have to show you any respect and I will not participate?

I am clueless on this new attitude.

Some people are taking their rights way out of context and no one benefits or wins. It promotes closed-mindedness and perpetuates fears vs reasoning or debating.

Kinda anti-free speech!

"ACCESSIBLE APARTMENTS NOW! "

Participated in the action yesterday attended mostly by ADAPT/Pact people and other interested parties over at Festival and Mesa streets. ADAPT people never cease to amaze me with their strength and gumption!

This was to voice our concerns over the city possibly changing code to appease developers wanting to only build 2 handicap accessible apartments per 100 instead of the current code of 5.

I want to give a shout out to everyone that organized, participated and helped out in so many ways! Thanks for your strong direction and other support!

And a big thank you to the downtown businesses that donated cases of water for us! And thank you to the young gentleman that actually came and passed it out- I'm terrible with names so please forgive me!

I didn't get to take any pics as I was holding up a banner most of the time. And it almost looked as if it were going to rain, but we would have stayed anyway.

I received information from a Ft. Bliss public information office that there are about 80,000 disabled vets in El Paso County! (I hope I heard right on that number- I was pretty amazed at it!). And according to stats for the city there are about 60,000 disabled/elderly disabled in our area. I don't know if the two figures overlap. But these are astounding numbers!

Even if you take just the lower number of 60,000 disabled- that's just under 1/10th of our population! And builders just want to build 2 units per 100??? What's wrong with this picture? Do you know how many people are living in in-accessible housing because they can't find a vacancy in accessible apartments (let alone a shortage of houses handicap accessible)? Tea Partiers are shouting about their liberties and choices, but what do our disabled have? Very little- and the developers want to give them even less.

BYOH- Bring Your Own Healthcare

I really am having a hard time trying to start this piece.

There's so many nuances of importance that add to and affect my feelings on the health care reform issue, but I'm afraid to expound too much on some of them for fear of taking away from my overall point, and, of course, of rambling on a bit, which I can slide into easily.

So, I will trudge forward and hope that you all will follow with patience.

I was waiting at my bus stop for the 46 to arrive around 9:15 Wednesday morning to check out the Tea Party Express rally, I wanted to see for myself what was being said. Up pulled a supervisor's van instead of the bus. Seems 46 broke down with air pressure problems at around 7:30 a.m. I thought it was great I still had a ride to scope out the rally but then I also wondered how people in wheelchairs in the NE that were relying on a bus with a lift/ramp were going to get there? (A working bus DID meet us at NorthGate)

On the bus was a gentleman I had seen around the Walmart/Trans Mtn area. Maybe late 40s or early 50s, raggedy clothes, with his cane and his walker with a seat. I have spoken with him before while waiting for buses. I know some of his plight and that he is waiting for SS/Disability to kick in. In the meantime he resorts to panhandling, walking (if you wanna call it that) the rock median and asking for help from passersby. Now before you judge- I have never smelled alcohol on this man's breath nor does he seem to have other characteristics to imply other socially unacceptable problems, except that he doesn't have a job and is disabled. He was sitting on the bus praying with a dollar in his cupped hands- and it wasn't a quick one. He then took his package of 2 poptarts and was praying over that. It was quite a humbling site, and ironic, as I was heading to a group of people at the Tea Party that I feel don't want to be their brother's keeper.

I cried behind my sunglasses.

And I cried that I did not have any money to give him as I live paycheck to paycheck, literally. And this was right before payday. But that day I did not feel hopeless for him, in fact the opposite. He had someone on his side stronger than me and I felt it!

So I exited the bus right at Sue Young Park and started walking to the gathering. The parking lot was full of cars and no one got off the bus with me. I was met with people trying to sell me "Don't Tread on Me" flags and pieces of conversation- mainly of the nature breaking down to "us and them". But there were two "thems". Government and Democrats.

It was not "us Americans" plurally.

Cds, books and t-shirts were being sold, also. Nothing was free. Everything had a price. Go Capitalism! The new religion of the selfish! (just a smidgen of sarcasm) I looked around for someone possibly giving out water- none. I was amazed I didn't even see anyone SELLING water- what an opportunity missed! (I've never been to this park and didn't know if there was a water fountain somewhere)

I wasn't walking around with a mini flag, no buttons stating how American I am, no military affiliation colors worn- just me. A free American trying to understand another's point of view.

The thing is, there are many valid points made by some at these rallies. Unfortunately, alot of them are drowned out by the more vocal and radical. Some feel they need to be extreme or dramatic to make their point, which I feel is counter-productive. The fact that health care needs to be reformed is a strong enough point.

If we came together as united Americans we would have more numbers and a bigger impact, and then work out the finer details together.

Anyway, I'm walking around and listening. You could say my ears were perked. The signs that were being held up were everywhere, shouting out the words socialist! marxist! muslim! my money!

It was getting quite hot and humid and I was looking forward to going home and having some cool water. A funny thought ran across my mind. What if I passed out right here in front of everyone from heat exhaustion or dehydration? Would any of these people help me up?

And I thought of the man on the bus, and now probably sweating out there in the street at Trans Mtn/Woodrow Bean, and I was hoping he had enough money for lunch.

And I wondered how long he'd have to be out there before the government powers that be and people that only see him as a beggar decided he was poor enough and sick enough to be worthy of help?

Some pics from the Tea Party Express rally today at Sue Young Park in the NE.

They pretty much speak for themselves and the rhetoric was pretty much what I expected.

I will add more commentary later tonight.

"Can I borrow a cup of sugar Tom Bohannon?"

Did anyone read the El Paso Times story on the city council agenda item coming up for consideration Tuesday on developers wanting to change building code and the disabled community's opposition?

I wouldn't have, as I don't read the EP Times- can't even get it delivered properly to my home, let alone their "investigative reporting" is quite lacking.

But a friend of mine called and told me about it so I looked it up online.

The EP Times wrote that Victor Torres, development services director, stated "he met with developers and that the 5% rule was one area identified as a barrier to building more apartments"

WHY DIDN'T VICTOR TORRES MEET WITH ANYONE FROM THE ELDERLY/DISABLED COMMUNITY AND GET THEIR SIDE? I'm sure ADAPT/Pact would have welcomed him in a discussion on accessible housing, let alone senior centers, Volar, Project Bravo etal.

The EP Times further writes "Under the city's existing ordinance, 5% of all ground floor apartments must offer roll-in showers for handicapped accessibility." said Bill Bennett, a city coordinator"

BILL BENNETT IS NOT JUST A NON-DESCRIPT CITY COORDINATOR AS STATED BY THE EP TIMES- BILL BENNETT IS THE ADA COORDINATOR!!!!! That's Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator. Hello?

"Apartment developer Tom Bohannon said there was not enough demand for the 5% rule to make sense.""Bohannon Development Corp. owns and manages 1,000 apartment units in El Paso. Of those, he said 50 are fully-equipped for disabled people, as required by city law, and 390 can easily be converted for that use." "Of those 440 units, I have 1 person in a wheelchair" he said."

SEE HOW TOM BOHANNON LIKES TO USE NUMBERS TO WORK IN HIS FAVOR??? REMEMBER- I WENT TO LOOK AT HIS APARTMENTS AT THE POINTE AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE UNITS AVAILABLE AND NO ONE EVER OFFERED TO CONVERT ONE FOR ME!!!! TOM BOHANNON ONLY HAS 1 PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR IN ALL HIS 1,000 APARTMENTS???? WHY DOESN'T TOM BOHANNON WANT PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS IN HIS UNITS??? WHAT DOES HE HAVE AGAINST THE DISABLED???? DOES THAT INCREASE HIS INSURANCE? OR ARE THE DISABLED A BLIGHT IN HIS EYES?

"Bohannon says it's tough to rent disabled-accessible units to non-disabled residents. He has to offer discounts to fill them up".

THIS STATEMENT SHOULD OUTRAGE US ALL!!! NOT ONLY IS BOHANNON NOT TRYING TO RENT THESE UNITS TO DISABLED PERSONS- HE WOULD RATHER GIVE A NON-DISABLED PERSON A DISCOUNT FOR LIVING IN AN ACCESSIBLE APARTMENT THAN RENT IT TO THE PEOPLE WHOSE USE IT IS INTENDED!!!! THIS IS WALKING A VERY FINE LINE OF DISCRIMINATION!!!

Now, not all disabled persons are in wheelchairs. Some are heart patients, the elderly with balance and other health issues, or any other disability that may not be apparent just from looking at the outside of a person. But Bohannon brought up wheelchairs for some reason. Is that how he compartmentalizes disabled persons? I already got into the argument in another post about affordability- but this looks more and more like not advertising to the disabled/elderly community and I can only come to the opinion that it is because he doesn't want to rent to that sector of our community. For whatever reasons- financial, personal, I don't know.

Either way- there is a need for accessible housing, and done in a fair way. Normally I'd say boycott the guy that doesn't want the disabled community in his apartments- but in this case I say to my disabled and elderly brothers and sisters- get your pens ready and let's all go apply for an apartment with Bohannon!!! Let's be his neighbor and long-term!!! Let's look him in the face everyday and say "I am here and I'm not going anywhere soon and can I borrow a cup of sugar?"

And ask him for a discount because we don't like the aesthetics of his accessible units.