WM: If I remember right, the city got involved because the lead paint hazards are in the city. I think it was a risk management issue.There are other programs available. State, Fed, County. Why does the city need to get involved?
WM: We are "duplicating" because the feds were doing bupkis. Also because their rules were being interpreted as requiring that housing come down. It was in our own self-interest to try to impact that mentality.Lead abatement is still a federal function, the HUD office is handling it why are we duplicating?
WM: The lead abatement push here came out of Phillips neighborhood. Particularly important was the testimony of Dr. Lydia Caros at the Indian Health Board who was finding lead poisoned kids every time she turned around. (Their parents were bringing them in describing a general lassitude in the kids.)There are requirements that neighborhood groups and individuals be hired as lead workers. Plans for supervision, training, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, and POST PROGRAM PLACEMENT of workers are required.
Phillips was/is also a place where people need jobs. It made perfect sense, knowing how many houses in Phillips had lead paint problems, to create jobs for Phillips residents. I remember sitting at the table discussing this. There were going to be six positions--the first six positions to do lead abatement in Phillips. I could have had one of the six jobs. I declined, knowing that already in my 40s, being up and down ladders and yanking windows, running around in a go to Mars suit, etc. was not my idea of a good time.
Originally lead problems were "discovered" by either English or French doctors who were observing lead paint symptoms in adult house painters. It follows, therefore, that no one should do lead paint removal as a career to stay in for life. It is also a good idea to train people who have done the actual grunt work to become supervisors as the program grew. (Six lead removers were not going to be enough to get much done in a neighborhood of 17,000+ souls and no more than a dozen or two new houses.)
It's really a disservice to rail at what has grown up to be a big effort without understanding the context in which it grew up. The children presenting symptoms to Dr. Caros lived in rental housing. Their families also had histories of whole clans of people who had "always" lived in rental housing from birth to death. Their kids' baby sitters, family and friends and home based day care providers all lived in rental housing as well. Since we had about $20 to cover all the costs, it made sense to put the money where the problem was most often observed. That landlords were not at the table, or that when they were their posture was contentious--as was that of families who were dealing with lead poisoned children,--is another story. It was those of us who were neither experiencing the effects of lead poisoning or owning any property, who guided the effort. As a result of my part in the lead poisoning effort in Phillips (I testified at the state hearing and listened hard to families about what and how they experienced life with lead poisoned family members) I was fired from People of Phillips. I joyfully became a gruntled ex-employee. I left POP with a blueprint of how to do lead poisoning abatement that centered on embracing the needs of families. I'm real proud of my part in bringing resources to Phillips to protect children and families from further lead poisoning. I did it in five months--the fasted one I ever did. I amazed myself that time. I'm proud to know Karen Clark who brought the legislature to bear on the issue. And Judy Adams, and Steve Compton who printed so much in the Alley newspaper. And Dr. Caros and the other doctors. And People of Phillips Exec. Dir. who let me do my work and tried, unsuccessfully, to defend me to the board.
WizardMarks, Central
________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible.
________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
