An opportunity for cooperation by Hal Heiner
Our community has come together in the past to dramatically improve people's lives. In a historic educational partnership, Metro College was created with UPS, University of Louisville and city government to open up college for thousands of Louisvillians that otherwise may have been unable to advance their education.
Today, three important institutions, Wayside Christian Mission, the Jefferson Community & Technical College (JCTC) and metro government have another opportunity to showcase Louisville's greatness. Wayside's purchase of a newly renovated hotel at Second and Broadway offers the opportunity of using affordable housing, proximity to jobs, workforce training and in-house child care to powerfully help women attain their financial independence. By working together we can build this next important partnership.
Wayside's master plan revitalizes a failed hotel into a transitional housing community for women and children facing homelessness. This plan, which will incorporate retail, non-profit offices, community events, college housing and social services, is well-researched to address community concerns and has proven successful in other cities, even in New York City's Time Square.
The solutions to poverty and family homelessness are interlocked with education, transportation, child care and access to better jobs. Wayside is adjacent to JCTC, located on the Broadway mass transit line and near downtown jobs. These advantages, along with Wayside's ability to host on-site child care, make this location an unbeatable spot for helping women by increasing their education while keeping families intact. We should invite Jefferson County Public Schools, JCTC and our city's social service and job placement agencies to offer their services inside the Wayside hotel to help women move from poverty to work.
Jefferson Community & Technical College is an important leader in this discussion and their education mission needs room to expand. Wayside is willing to make 70 percent of its 3-acre site available for JCTC expansion. Let's find a way to combine the goals of both organizations into a solution producing more than either can imagine.
We need a collaborative effort fostered by metro government to bring together Wayside, JCTC, metro regulators and social services to complement, not hinder, this important mission. Hiding homelessness is never a solution. It is time for our city to show vision, compassion and strong leadership by bringing all parties together to embrace this challenge and opportunity.
By supporting Wayside and its mission of compassion, we can show the nation why we are the greatest city. We can be both the greatest in providing an effective transition out of homelessness and in the expansion of our community college system. Please join me in speaking up by contacting your Metro Council member, the mayor and everyone involved. We can make this work for everyone.
Hal Heiner is a Louisville Metro councilman. He is seeking the Republican nomination for mayor in 2010.
Today, three important institutions, Wayside Christian Mission, the Jefferson Community & Technical College (JCTC) and metro government have another opportunity to showcase Louisville's greatness. Wayside's purchase of a newly renovated hotel at Second and Broadway offers the opportunity of using affordable housing, proximity to jobs, workforce training and in-house child care to powerfully help women attain their financial independence. By working together we can build this next important partnership.
Wayside's master plan revitalizes a failed hotel into a transitional housing community for women and children facing homelessness. This plan, which will incorporate retail, non-profit offices, community events, college housing and social services, is well-researched to address community concerns and has proven successful in other cities, even in New York City's Time Square.
The solutions to poverty and family homelessness are interlocked with education, transportation, child care and access to better jobs. Wayside is adjacent to JCTC, located on the Broadway mass transit line and near downtown jobs. These advantages, along with Wayside's ability to host on-site child care, make this location an unbeatable spot for helping women by increasing their education while keeping families intact. We should invite Jefferson County Public Schools, JCTC and our city's social service and job placement agencies to offer their services inside the Wayside hotel to help women move from poverty to work.
Jefferson Community & Technical College is an important leader in this discussion and their education mission needs room to expand. Wayside is willing to make 70 percent of its 3-acre site available for JCTC expansion. Let's find a way to combine the goals of both organizations into a solution producing more than either can imagine.
We need a collaborative effort fostered by metro government to bring together Wayside, JCTC, metro regulators and social services to complement, not hinder, this important mission. Hiding homelessness is never a solution. It is time for our city to show vision, compassion and strong leadership by bringing all parties together to embrace this challenge and opportunity.
By supporting Wayside and its mission of compassion, we can show the nation why we are the greatest city. We can be both the greatest in providing an effective transition out of homelessness and in the expansion of our community college system. Please join me in speaking up by contacting your Metro Council member, the mayor and everyone involved. We can make this work for everyone.
Hal Heiner is a Louisville Metro councilman. He is seeking the Republican nomination for mayor in 2010.
posted by Tim Moseley at 6:27 PM
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