HUD: No religious service in NC subsidized housing

The mostly elderly and disabled residents of a North Carolina subsidized housing community are questioning a federal policy that won't allow them to use common spaces for religious activities.

The News & Record of Greensboro reported Friday that the authority that operates the subsidized Elm Tower community near Greensboro has appealed to Housing and Urban Development Department.

The housing authority notified residents a few weeks ago that gathering for religious activities in common areas of the buildings would no longer be allowed.

A spokeswoman for the housing authority said the practice violates a federal policy that forbids organizations receiving HUD funds from engaging in religious activities.

Source and More:
http://www.thesunnews.com/564/story/1031695.html

I have forwarded this to all of the proper CHA staff that it needs to go for review in case we here in Columbia who are under the Columbia Housing Authority have to go through this too.

And thank you Phil Steinhaus for finding "The Rest of the Story".
http://www.thesunnews.com/564/story/103810...ylink=mirelated
HUD: Church services allowed in NC public housing

The Associated Press

The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department says religious services are allowed in public housing, such as Elm Towers in High Point, where officials had shut down such services.

The News & Record of Greensboro reports the High Point Housing Authority recently ended the volunteer-run services in Elm Towers' community room, saying HUD policy didn't allow them.

Joseph J. Phillips of HUD's Atlanta regional office said religious groups generally are given the same access as nonreligious groups. He says the authority was told by telephone of HUD's policy interpretation Tuesday and will receive it in writing.

Robert Jackson says he's missed having church services at Elm Towers. He says no longer drives and can't be away from home long because he of his medicine.

City Rec Program Is A Lifeline For Disabled

As chair of CARE@Paquin, a not-for-profit group formed to support the city’s recreation program for people with disabilities, I would like to commend and thank City Manager Bill Watkins for his budget recommendation to continue funding this program at the current level.

Housed at Paquin Tower because of its central location, accessibility and proximity to a large number of Columbians with disabilities, this program is a lifeline to many Columbians with special needs.

The program is funded in large part with $76,000 from the city budget, a minuscule portion of its budget. It does so much more than provide fun activities for low-income residents with disabilities. It includes a variety of essential services that meet day-to-day needs. Further, it plays a tremendous role in meeting the health care needs of hundreds of Columbians, saving our city and state long-run health care dollars.

Sean Spence
1106B E. Broadway

Source and More:
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/a...e-for-disabled/

Discussing Sidewalk Repairs

For some Columbia residents, cracks in the concrete on sidewalks mean more than just an unsightly front yard; they can also mean inconvenience and injury.

Ron Brammer rides his wheelchair all around Columbia. In the winter, he rides less, but year-round he uses it to get to the grocery store and other shops and commitments. But the sidewalks around Paquin Towers, where he lives, don't make it easy; he hits many cracks and bumps and instead rides on the street sometimes for a smoother trip. Once, a crack in the sidewalk led to his wheelchair tipping over and him falling to the ground.

"I had a crack that threw me out of my wheelchair and threw me on the ground," Brammer said. "I busted my wheelchair, lost my cell phone, I had a hard time finding my cell phone so I could make a call. Phyllis Black, who also lives in Paquin Towers, had a similar experience when she hit a pothole while in her wheelchair.

"It sent me airborne out of my chair," Black said.

Because of these unsafe conditions, city of Columbia officials have made plans to fix the sidewalks. Columbia Public Works made plans to fix sidewalks along Walnut Street, Paquin Street, Anthony Street, College Avenue and Broadway, and presented them at a public meeting on Aug. 18, held at Paquin Towers.

Columbia residents were invited to come view the plans and discuss potential additions or revisions. Public Works presented diagrams that showed the area that would be affected, with damaged spots marked. Attendees were asked to submit written comments as well. Public Works will accept comments until a public hearing with the Columbia city council. After that hearing, council will give directions to Public Works about how they should proceed with projects, and Public Works can then make construction arrangements and begin repairs.

Money for construction comes from a Community Development Block Grant and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Reported by: Erica Zucco

Source and More:
http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/ba8a4513-c0a8-2f11-0063-9bd94c70b769/301d2b14-80ce-0971-00db-fb4ce4ecad33

Parking Enforcement Along Paquin Street, Finally something gets done

Well it looks like somebody is finally listening to numerous complaints about the way and style students and others are parking along Paquin Street.

The old style they had was a cluster screw of zig zagged parking that was not enforced nor any parking spaces marked out from one end of the street to the other.

Now it looks like this morning we have somebody out there painting parking spots on the North Side of Paquin Street from College Ave to Mathews. This creates a straight shot on that stretch of street where students would park on both sides even though signage clearly defines where to and where not to park. (college kids cannot read these days)

Then at Mathews there is a Traffic Calmer at Paquin Tower on the North side of the Street.

Now starting at Waghn on the South Side of the street all of the way to Hitt Street there are marked parking spots leaving the North Side a straight shot to Hitt Street.

This is better because at the West End of the parking garage people would try to park on both sides of the street thus creating often times a impassable street.

I hope it works out better than it was and that City Officials will fine tune it as needed along with Parking Enforcement writing more tickets to the parking offenders who cannot obviously read the signs in front of their faces.

Added Note: I had complained about this through emails to Columbia City Council,Paul Sturtz,the Traffic Engineer,CFD,CPD.the ambulance services,street maintenance and anybody else I could think of that this effected and it is nice to see something getting done or at least tried to be worked on. I know alot of other people including CHA complained as well.

Persistence pays off.