[imc-st.louis] Draft Platform on Housing Policy

[Don Fitz]

Draft Platform on Housing Policy

Please come to the Gateway Green Alliance meeting 7 pm Wed Nov 19, 08 at 
3026 Cherokee [at Minnesota] when we will be discussing finalization of 
the draft platform on Housing Policy.  We still need an introductory 
statement summarizing what the City has NOT done.

*Green Party of St. Louis*

*Draft Platform on Housing Policy*

Recommended by the November 15, 2008 Elston K. McCowan for Mayor 
Campaign Meeting

[This is a draft and *not* the final platform, which will appear on the 
web.]

The Green Party supports the creation of a City of St. Louis Housing 
Public Policy that creates intergovernmental and community partnerships 
(including faith-based) to develop, rehabilitate, construct and make 
energy efficient housing for its citizens.  The Green Party supports 
continued construction of public housing and creation of project-based 
Section 8 rental housing through strong citizen participation and 
adequate strategies to eliminate homelessness and to help support 
working families in danger of mortgage foreclosure.


The Green Party advocates:

·       Eliminating corruption, waste and mismanagement in the St. Louis 
Housing Authority and the abatement of Lead Based Paint in the St. Louis 
Housing Authority and other buildings in the city. 

·       Developing neighborhood housing and Community Development 
Associations, to provide recommendations and advice to the mayor. 

·       Providing an adequate property disposition program to secure and 
make safe empty vacant buildings and provide training in housing 
inspection for citizens on Federal Housing Quality Standards and 
eliminate corruption waste and mismanagement in the St. Louis Housing 
Inspection Department.

We propose the creation of a Housing Task Force to explore innovative 
solutions and recommendations for the reform of Housing Policy locally 
and nationally.  Listed below are the key points to our platform:

1. Support a moratorium on home foreclosures, evictions, utility 
shut-offs and demolition of pubic housing.

2. Develop manufactured housing factories to construct affordable housing.

3. Support community partnerships (including faith-based) housing 
initiatives that support affordable housing for senior citizens, 
disabled and homeless family population.

4. Develop City of St. Louis Housing Task Force Commission comprised of 
community, social, civic, university, business and housing experts to 
make recommendations to the mayor on a housing strategic plan for the 
City of St. Louis in conjunction with the city housing agency and St. 
Louis Housing Authority.

5. Support sale and development of neighborhood city owned vacant lots 
to create urban gardening and affordable housing development.

6. Increase the number of temporary housing shelters for the homeless 
with good hygiene.

7. Promote and fund rehabilitation of vacant existing housing, 
multi-family and single family housing, while emphasizing energy 
efficiency, solar power and design and construction to address the needs 
of large families who are low and very low income.

8. Support and reinforce strong housing counseling.

9. Develop public policy to support public trust housing, emphasizing 
computer interconnection, training and easy access.

10. Reduce undo harassment by code violation inspectors and create 
financial support, counseling and technical assistance to homeowners.

11. Provide assistance and innovative technologies such as the creation 
of windmill energy to assist moderate and low income housing residents 
with their utilities.