City of Fresno spent $ 13,106,534 for 64 unit apartment for Homeless, ($ 190,000 per unit) Crooks!

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14. There are incredible people in Fresno, they just aren't in charge

http://fresnoalliance.com/wordpress/?p=8688


Eco Village Project and Dakota EcoGardenJoin Forces to House Fresno’s Homeless



I'm just post the 1st few paragraphs of the article:


The Eco Village project began as the brainchild of celebrated local architect Arthur Dyson. Dyson’s original idea was to create green, sustainable eco housing that would provide the homeless with an uplifting, dignified, harmonious and aesthetically pleasing living environment. The original concept involved creating communities of people with similar skills living and working together.

Perceiving an immediate need, however, in 2009, the original board (Dyson, Gerry Bill, Mike Rhodes, Dixie Salazar, Bill and Marla Hartman, Al Williams and Cynthia Greene) pooled their resources to develop a homeless drop-in center. This project, for many reasons, did not come to fruition; however, Cynthia Greene, who was formerly homeless, was able, with the group’s help, to buy the property, with the plan of helping her homeless friends.

After going through a few organizational changes, the board (currently consisting of Dyson, Bill, Salazar, Nancy Waidtlow, Alicia Andrade and Bev Fitzpatrick) has shifted its concentration to the Eco Village Project, which has a mission to provide safe, sanitary and dignified housing for the homeless in an environmentally sustainable manner. In 2010, the Eco Village Project, through Bill and Salazar’s efforts received 501(c)(3) status.

With a meandering pathway of housing units, arboreal landscaping, an organic garden and personal garden spaces around each individual unit, the Eco Village will promote a healthy, peaceful and enriching environment. Each dwelling will be approximately 110 square feet, with geothermal and convection cooling and solar heating. Other features will include rainwater catching and gray-water recycling systems. Communal aspects such as kitchens, laundry, showers, bathrooms, dining areas and workshops will foster an atmosphere of cooperation and a sense of investment in a shared living space.

Each village will have an economic and self-sustaining component such as an organic garden, solar chimney production, bicycle and auto repair, carpentry or sewing and garment repair and reconstruction. These aspects of the project will promote self-fulfillment and renewal to help the homeless transition into longer-term living situations, as well as eventual permanent housing. Mentoring and apprenticeship will be integral to the project, as well as community involvement.

Fresno State and Fresno Pacific University will work closely with the Eco Village residents in providing vital counseling and tutoring for the residents. Tree Fresno will assist in providing a park-like setting for the residents and surrounding neighbors.