The Return of Governor Pawlowski

Last year when cities all over Pennsylvania were clamoring for the type of development occurring in Allentown, and with Governor Corbett's dismal polling numbers, a Pawlowski run made sense, at least to Ed Pawlowski. With campaign contribution reports due at the end of the month, this blog believes that Governor Pawlowski will return to being a mayor. Unless a number of very deep pockets came forward, Ed's viability as a candidate will have waned. His campaign manager, Mike Fleck, has given no indication to the contrary in a recent local television show. Although the imported office jobs will increase the lunch traffic for downtown eateries, the sought after dinner crowd will not materialize. Despite Obama's speeches, the economy remains impaired. Locations which do not have Allentown's perceived grime and crime, such as the Promenade Mall, could not support more than a couple upscale restaurants. Much hype has gone into the Transformation of center city. The suburban middle class people populating the artist renderings will not turn into real people on the street. Let's hope for the sake of  Pawlowski's career plans that he finds another ticket to ride out of town, before the new arena becomes a white elephant.

Code Blue Warming Center

The Lehigh Valley Council of Churches has decided to open a code blue warming center in Alliance Hall, at 6th and Chew Streets. That's wonderful, but their email blast announcing the service is very disturbing

You have most likely seen press coverage concerning the plight of the homeless during this recent spell of dangerously cold weather. We have chosen not to participate in public debates about how "others" should solve this problem, particularly since the Conference has for the past decade been doing the heavy lifting when it comes to stabilizing the lives of "the least of these, my brothers and sisters" without the need for shining a media spotlight on that work. Instead of being divisive and derisive, we joined with partners who are problem solvers. Our initial plan is to open the Alliance Hall gym only when needed for emergency Code Blue weather conditions. Funding for this initiative is not guaranteed. Staffing details have not been determined.

 If they had been lifting as much as they think, such a center  would already exist. It's particularly offensive to refer to those who illuminated the problem as divisive and derisive. I keep thinking of Diane Teti's comment that nobody owns the homeless. Apparently, the established charitable institutions think that only they should be credited with good deeds.

The Homeless and The Odd Couple

Yesterday, I praised those advocates campaigning for the homeless. In eight days their efforts resulted in another shelter venue for the homeless, the YMCA, opening it's doors. More importingly, they motivated some elected officials, from both the city and county, to visit Safe Haven at St. Pauls. I also noted the about face taken by the city, which has been slow poking on this issue for eight years. The ink had barely dryed on the memo about adequate shelter space already being available, when Pawlowski announced that the YMCA would be joining the shelter options. But this post is about the man who joined Pawlowski, Tom Muller. When the advocates for the homeless pleaded with City Council last week, Muller sat quietly in the back of the room, studying the situation. This Wednesday evening one of the advocates, Rich Fegley, found County Commissioner Scott Ott sitting on the floor in St. Paul's basement, conversing with a homeless man. Ott has a background in lay ministry. Tom Muller apparently has a heart. Although these two men opposed each other this past November for County Executive, and see the mission of the county much differently, their mutual concern could have a positive result for the homeless.

The Homeless Get Another Shelter

It's not too often that activists prevail in Allentown, I can attest to that. The community owes a debt of gratitude to Diane Teti, Dale Smith, Chris Cocca, Rich Fegley, Reverend Richard Baumann and others for making Pawlowski see the error of his ways. Only yesterday City Hall said that the shelter situation was under control, but by today we learn that the YMCA will be providing shelter on weekdays, during code blue weather. What changed Pawlowski's mind?

UPDATE: Rich Fegley gave an impassioned speech to the County Commmissioners about Safe Haven and the homeless Wednesday evening. He was rewarded later that evening when he learned that three of the commissioners, Ott, Scheller and Mazziotti went to the shelter themselves, after the meeting.

Soups On At St. Pauls

In conjunction with The Lehigh Valley Conference of Churches, lunch is served three times a week at St. Pauls. According to Reverend Richard Baumann, We treat them as people, not just simply give them food. In some sense, this is a place where people can get something to eat and are also treated with some degree of respect. Baumann arranges for some of the nurses in the parish to attend the lunches, which gives the lunch guests an opportunity to ask some health related questions. Recently, Pastor Baumann has been in the news for providing basic shelter from the cold for the homeless. Over the years I've know Baumann as an advocate for the neighborhood. About ten years ago he spoke up for the neighbors who were concerned about losing the neighborhood parking lot, to the Zawarski townhouse project. He also advocated for the merchants and residents who were displaced by the arena. Although the church may be one of the oldest in the city, Baumann makes sure that it's mission stays relevant to the times.

ADDENDUM: On Tuesday evening Julio Guridy visited Safe Haven, which is the basement of St. Pauls, and The Rescue Mission, which has a $multi-million dollar budget. He was shocked at the lack of facilities at the church, but impressed with the Mission. What he doesn't seem to understand is that although the Mission may have room for a few guests from St. Paul, it cannot, and will not accommodate all of them. In this sub-zero weather there is nothing more important than being inside, even if it's on the floor of a church basement.

Allentown Locks Out The Homeless

One week after an emotional presentation to City Council about the life and death situation facing the homeless, Allentown has released an official reply. In regard to the Rescue Mission requirement of needing a police voucher, the city supported that policy; We cannot support and will not support totally unregulated environments... The official city letter also stated that St. Paul's Church is attracting out of the area homeless by their lax rules. It's strange how the Pawlowski administration can support no identification needed to vote, and the rights of immigrants, but believe that only Allentonians with proper ID are entitled not to freeze to death. Furthermore, the letter states the adequacy of existing programs and it's Commission to handle the situation. Last year the city distributed $185,000 in CDBG to organizations that work with longterm solutions to homelessness, but failed to provide an open door shelter from the cold. Advocates for the homeless, including Diane Teti, Dale Smith and Reverend Richard Baumann appealed to Council only because the existing agencies were failing to solve the problem. The City's reply, We cannot support a competing interest group at odds with the methods of the Commission. They went on to say, The idea is not just to get people out of the cold, it is to get them on a path to permanent housing, which requires case management from experienced professionals.  We veteran students of the bureaucracy are not surprised, even if the homeless advocates are dumbstruck. A week has passed, all local media reported the story, and nothing has changed. As I type this report the snow is falling, the wind is howling and the wind chill is expected to dip below zero tonight.

UPDATE: I used to attend the CDBG meeting in council chambers to watch the various non-profits clamor like baby birds for worms. The City would weigh their application, decide who's been good or bad, and make allocations. I have written before about the Rescue Mission, not my favorite organization. Recently, I had an opportunity to speak with Reverend Baumann about shelter being provided by St. Paul's Church. Baumann and St. Paul's have only reluctantly joined the homeless business. It's not a $3.5 million dollar enterprise like the Rescue Mission. It's not a CDBG funded organization with paid employees. It's a man, a church floor and a shoestring budget. This is what the City refers to as a competing interest? Diane Teti once said that nobody owns the homeless, but apparently the City thinks that it does.

Bernie O'Hare also reports on Allentown's reply