Housing For All Calvert (HFAC)

Community Rally

January 22, 2006

at St. John Vianney Family Life Center

THANK YOU to all the people who attended the rally!

 

 

 

Rev. Kenneth Phelps from All Saints Episcopal Church welcomes guests.

"We have started a process. Today it starts. . This is just the beginning. We've taken the lid off."

 

Roberta Safer from the League of Women Voters
opens with intros.

 

Rev. Betsy Van Auker speaks on
"Why We Are Here".

 

 

 

Mr. Frank McPhillips explains "The Current Crisis and Trends in Housing".

Ms. Yemanja Krasnow from United Way puts a human face on the crisis and
introduces a representation of Calvert citizens who can't afford housing.

 

 

Citizens tell their stories.

 

A teacher. . .a speech pathologist. . .a mother. . .a pastor

Inspirational keynote address by Mr. Dana Jones, Chief Executive Officer United Planning Organization, Washington DC.

"For an economy to work, we need people at all levels. . .for all of us to do well we have to be committed to providing housing."

"If that young man is good enough to teach my children, he is good enough to be my neighbor".

 

Mr. Bob Poling explains HFAC proposals.

 

Ms.Kimberly MacKall on
"What We Can Do Together".

 

Father Peter Daly from St. John's Vianney and Rev. Phelps add closing remarks.

"We all have to hang together on this."

The committee members debrief the rally...a satisfying day!

This picture was taken by Delegate Sue Kullen who attended the rally.

 

 

Here are just a few of the comments that the rally participants wrote on their postcards to the County Commissioners:

"I am a native of this County and I am very disappointed of the unfairness the low income people receive in this County."

"Because of the lack of Affordable Housing, our children grow up and are educated here, yet they have to relocate in order to buy homes."

"There are several issues to address, even though Calvert County has put good effort toward this issue; there is a need for senior residents in family homes for care, transitional housing for those who can't afford to buy or rent due to low job income, and single room occupancy space for those who are inappropriate for other shelter. Let us put our hearts and minds together to resolve these issues."

"As a native of Calvert County, I feel that it's such a disgrace not to
be able to build or buy a house (affordable) in the County in which I resided in all of my life, but others come into the County and get a home overnight."

 

Special thanks to William Conway, Reflections Photography, for taking the rally pictures.