We had a good conversation with the new owner last night after Dinner.
Which, by the way, was a zoo. Definitely the largest number of people ever. You'd think we were advertising. Mind you, last night's Dinner was provided by the local Rotary club, so they may have told people.
I got a bit panicked when I saw the dessert they'd brought, and the number of people sitting at the tables. So I called a baker I know and she pulled all of her date squares from the shelf and put them in boxes. I drove over and got them. Put them on the tray with the cookies.
People love date squares. "Ooo, date squares!" "Hey, they got date squares!" "Date squares?" "I want some date squares!" "Look, date squares!" "Get me a date square!"
Exclamation marks all over the place! And crumbs!
Once we'd eaten, we went to the front of the main building to meet with MH. He's a nice guy, but all business. He says he's done 'restorations' like this before, and his father (who is his business partner) strongly feels that 'social housing' can be a functional part of what they are trying to build at the Motel.
So that's good.
Their priority is to get the restaurant end of things up and running and to sell wedding receptions, banquets and that sort of thing. Most of which don't happen on Wednesdays, so we're OK for the foreseeable future.
So that's good.
He's willing to let our group have some office space on the grounds so we can connect more immediately with the people we're working alongside.
So that's good.
His team, while they're finishing hauling away the 35 dumpsters of garbage (at $500 - $1000 each) left behind by the previous owners, are starting to 'turn over' the residents' rooms. Which means identifying what needs to be done - basic plumbing repairs, rewiring, replastering, painting - while beginning to reroof the middle section which has been uninhabitable for several years.
Which is good.
They've provided supplies - paint, plaster - to guys who want to fix their own rooms.
Which is even better.
He sees no reason why the property can't be divided visually in such a way that the affluent partiers can't enjoy their special occasions without the distraction of the residential component. (I worded that sentence very carefully. I'm terribly pleased with how it turned out.)
Which is also good, since it makes the long-term prospects of housing there much more hopeful.
One thing he's asked us to look out for is beds and bedding. OK, two things. Whatever.
He's not willing to buy everybody a new bed and won't provide furniture to the Motelians, but beds are needed. So we're asking community and church people to provide some.
Don't know how many, yet, but probably a bunch.
So things are going in a hopeful direction.
With the new management, residents seem to be less fearful, and so far they like the new owner. Drug traffic seems to be down with all of the activity and a greater degree of vigilance on the part of the work crew and owner.
Our new NFP corporation (did I mention that?) has received a grant that will allow us to hire someone to work 20 hours a week for the rest of the year, connecting people in need of resources or advocacy with what they need - ID, health care, transportation, other housing.
For me, the highlight of the meeting was hearing MH say that his goal for the Motel is to see the day when "child protective services won't automatically take away a kid because they live here."
Sounds good to me.
Exclamation mark!
r
Which, by the way, was a zoo. Definitely the largest number of people ever. You'd think we were advertising. Mind you, last night's Dinner was provided by the local Rotary club, so they may have told people.
I got a bit panicked when I saw the dessert they'd brought, and the number of people sitting at the tables. So I called a baker I know and she pulled all of her date squares from the shelf and put them in boxes. I drove over and got them. Put them on the tray with the cookies.
People love date squares. "Ooo, date squares!" "Hey, they got date squares!" "Date squares?" "I want some date squares!" "Look, date squares!" "Get me a date square!"
Exclamation marks all over the place! And crumbs!
Once we'd eaten, we went to the front of the main building to meet with MH. He's a nice guy, but all business. He says he's done 'restorations' like this before, and his father (who is his business partner) strongly feels that 'social housing' can be a functional part of what they are trying to build at the Motel.
So that's good.
Their priority is to get the restaurant end of things up and running and to sell wedding receptions, banquets and that sort of thing. Most of which don't happen on Wednesdays, so we're OK for the foreseeable future.
So that's good.
He's willing to let our group have some office space on the grounds so we can connect more immediately with the people we're working alongside.
So that's good.
His team, while they're finishing hauling away the 35 dumpsters of garbage (at $500 - $1000 each) left behind by the previous owners, are starting to 'turn over' the residents' rooms. Which means identifying what needs to be done - basic plumbing repairs, rewiring, replastering, painting - while beginning to reroof the middle section which has been uninhabitable for several years.
Which is good.
They've provided supplies - paint, plaster - to guys who want to fix their own rooms.
Which is even better.
He sees no reason why the property can't be divided visually in such a way that the affluent partiers can't enjoy their special occasions without the distraction of the residential component. (I worded that sentence very carefully. I'm terribly pleased with how it turned out.)
Which is also good, since it makes the long-term prospects of housing there much more hopeful.
One thing he's asked us to look out for is beds and bedding. OK, two things. Whatever.
He's not willing to buy everybody a new bed and won't provide furniture to the Motelians, but beds are needed. So we're asking community and church people to provide some.
Don't know how many, yet, but probably a bunch.
So things are going in a hopeful direction.
With the new management, residents seem to be less fearful, and so far they like the new owner. Drug traffic seems to be down with all of the activity and a greater degree of vigilance on the part of the work crew and owner.
Our new NFP corporation (did I mention that?) has received a grant that will allow us to hire someone to work 20 hours a week for the rest of the year, connecting people in need of resources or advocacy with what they need - ID, health care, transportation, other housing.
For me, the highlight of the meeting was hearing MH say that his goal for the Motel is to see the day when "child protective services won't automatically take away a kid because they live here."
Sounds good to me.
Exclamation mark!
r
Comments