FW: Task Force Topic: Safe and Caring Boarding Homes (4)
Cosima Colvin
Thanks to Lola for bringing this to our attention! It is obviously a subject of great concern to Beacon Hill and, I would assume, many other Neighborhood Associations. I hope that as many people as possible attend the last community input forum being held on Monday, December 10th. Unfortunately for BH, this is the evening of our annual holiday party, but I think we should still have a Board representative attend (I volunteer). The December 17th meeting is also important. Please note that the mtg requires an RSVP.
Cosima
-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Lola Rodriguez
Sent: Dec 5, 2012 9:12 AM
To: Cosima Colvin , BoardDir Jack Finger , BoardDir John Karlis , BoardPres Everett Ives , BoardDir John Karlis , BoardTres Cosima-backup
Subject: FW: Task Force Topic: Safe and Caring Boarding Homes (4)
RSVP to yhalv...@yahoo.com
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Hello,
The Mental Health Task Force meeting this month is Monday, December 17, 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 404 N. Alamo (free parking in church spaces off Ave. E). The city's new boarding home ordinance will be the main focus.
Topic: Safe and Caring Boarding Homes
Featured Speaker: Assistant City City Manager David Ellison
Also Speaking: James Johnson, Owner and Operator of a Licensed Boarding Home Complex
"They're like family," Johnson said of his residents with mental illness. Johnson lives at the complex himself.
Background: Boarding homes play an important role in the safety net for people with serious mental illness. A fire in August at a boarding home killed 4 people with serious mental illness, sparking community interest in the City of San Antonio assuming a role in ensuring the safety of boarding home residents. The city stepped up to the challenge by going into a process of gathering community input for a proposed ordinance.
Facts: Several city community forums have been held. One more is scheduled. It will be:
Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 at 6 p.m.
Location -- Thomas Edison High School, 701 Santa Monica
The San Antonio City Council is expected to consider and possibly take action on the proposed boarding homes ordinance at its Thursday, Dec.13, 2012, meeting. Ellison asked in an e-mail that Task Force participants be invited to both the final community forum and the City Council meeting.
"We would greatly appreciate as much feedback from your network and anyone else prior to the City Council December 13 meeting," Assistant City Manager David Ellison said in his e-mail.
"If the proposed ordinance is adopted, San Antonio will become only the third city in Texas, and one of only a few in the nation, to implement a boarding homes ordinance. The proposed ordinance focuses on the safety and upkeep of buildings and properties where boarding home residents choose to live. . . . The proposed ordinance addresses several key areas affecting boarding homes and their owners/operators including fire codes, health codes, building codes and zoning requirements." Source: City Press Release
There is a special part of the City Website designed to share information on this topic. It includes a copy of the draft ordinance. See: http://www.sanantonio.gov/boardinghomesordinance
To see an Express News article on the fire, go to: http://www.mysanantonio.com/local_news/article/Fatal-fire-site-lacked-permit-3797465.php#photo-3336395
Other meeting details: A complimentary lunch will be served, thanks to sponsors and Hospitality/Logistics Coordinator Carmen Ortiz and her team of volunteers. Feel free to bring fliers and brochures for the literature table. If you wish to have fliers distributed at the meeting, bring 100 copies and notify Carmen Ortiz at carme...@earthlink.net
Please RSVP for our Dec. 17 meeting by noon Thursday, December 13, by e-mailing Yolanda Ortega at yhalv...@yahoo.com.
Sincerely,
Yolanda Ortega, Chair
Mental Health Task Force of Bexar County
Cosima