Agenda - Columbia Borough Council Work Session - September 1, 2020

Download the 58-page council packet HERE.

Scenes from a protest - Green Dreamz marches on borough hall to raise awareness of social justice and racial inequality

Green Dreamz members and others marched from Locust Street Park to Columbia Borough Hall Tuesday evening to raise awareness and force change on issues such as social justice, racial inequality, and police brutality, among others. According to its website, the organization is:

"A Civil Rights Organization rooted in Lancaster. We are founded off of love and fighting against injustice and inequality. We are set to uplift, inspire, and rebuild communities for people of color through education and support! With physical demonstrations, including protests, marches, as well as events for and with the community. The funds donated to Green Dreamz will be used for supplying the community with food and resources, as-well as any necessities we will need for this revolution. This is just the beginning of the fight for change. The mission of Green Dreamz is to plant the seed of hope in a system built to destroy those of color.

"The black man needs the white man to free him from his fears. The white man needs the black man to free him from his guilt." -D.R. Martin Luther king Jr."

The Green Dreamz gathering begins at Locust Street park.

Participants march towards borough hall.

A counter-protester walks behind.

Green Dreamz at borough hall.

Green Dreamz at borough hall (3rd Street side).

 Some ask why they are protesting in Columbia.  Here's one reason:

The comment above was posted on facebook recently by a Columbia resident 
and appears to be in reaction to 
recent protests in town. 
The comment pleads for us all to stand together, yet there are still 
whites-only clubs in Columbia - as evidenced by comments from other Columbians. 
The above comment also urges us to say WE ARE....COLUMBIA!!!!!!
But who is WE?
How can there be a "WE" when Columbia is still not inclusive in all respects?


As the following comments show, Columbia still has work to do:

Some of Columbia's "ruling elite" belong to these clubs and yet say nothing.
"Silence is Compliance."

Green Dreamz brings another peaceful protest to Columbia to raise awareness about social concerns

As it has done several times over the past few months, civil rights organization Green Dreamz brought protest to Columbia Tuesday afternoon. The organization wants to raise awareness and force change on issues such as social justice, racial inequality, and police brutality, among others. Under the watchful eye of borough police and overhead drones, the group of about 30 participants gathered at Locust Street Park before marching to the municipal building for an hour of loud and forceful demonstration.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

CANCELED: August 26, 2020 Zoning Hearing Board Meeting

Get your bingo card at the library to play Book Bingo for Grownups

Book Bingo for Grownups begins September 1st! Stop by the library for your Bingo card. Read five books in a row - BINGO! You'll be entered for some great prizes from local merchants!!

People who have not been convicted of a crime can still have charges following them years later

Did you know? People who haven’t even been convicted of a crime can have old criminal charges following them around — keeping them from job and housing opportunities.

Clean Slate can help. Learn more at mycleanslatepa.com.

What would $1800 more a year do for you and your family? Columbia school director endorses affordable housing

by Robert Misciagna-

activist, school director, progressive

What would $1800 more a year do for you and your family? That is how much many Lancaster County residents could save if we achieved affordable housing for all.

In America today, housing is expensive. Economists recommend that every family budget 30% of their income for housing. In the year 2020, that is simply an unrealistic expectation. Nearly half of Americans spend more than 30% of their income to put a roof over their head. 18 million spend more than half of their paycheck just for shelter.

In Pennsylvania, with our state minimum wage of $7.25/hr, if you want to find yourself a one-bedroom apartment, and have it considered affordable, you have to work 86 hours a week. If you want a two-bedroom apartment, and don’t want to work more than 40 hours a week, you better be making more than $19/hr. Otherwise, be prepared to spend an even larger chunk of your income on housing, or to put in significant overtime.

The fact is, the cost of housing has risen consistently while wages have not. It is time to do something about it. Housing is just one expense of existing. For every extra dollar families spend on housing, that is less money they have for groceries, healthcare, transportation, and education. When rent is as costly as it is, it often forces families to choose between one necessity or another. Regardless of which expenses families deem to be the most urgent, there are almost always unforeseen consequences to that decision.

We must create policy that reflects what we already know: that America’s long-term prosperity hinges on our citizen’s ability to house themselves, feed their children, and care for their loved ones. Only then will we experience growth, and thrive the way we all want to. America must be a leader in providing affordable housing for our citizens, and in doing so, will allow our communities to prosper. The less money that individuals spend on survival, the more they can invest in their communities, contribute to small businesses, and put towards bettering themselves. Affordability yields growth fiscally, socially, and in education.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to rising housing costs. Whether it be the cost of land and development, increased demand, restrictive and exclusionary zoning practices, stagnant or decreasing federal/state housing subsidies, price gouging, creditors’ refusal to fund projects, or many other problems, the consequences are almost always forced upon working people.

Furthermore, even when housing was more affordable than it is today, past housing policies have been used to segregate communities. After explicit housing segregation, the system adapted. Banks used redlining to work around the law and achieve the same results. After that, those in power reinvented segregation yet again. The restriction of multifamily rental units to specific towns or neighborhoods has been maintained to protect wealthier white neighborhoods from financially distressed, Black and Brown communities and their presence. These policies can be described as the government version of a racist dog-whistle. These practices deny poor communities, often communities of color, the right to send their children to quality schools, have access to well-maintained public parks, or adequate health and safety services. At the same time, underprivileged communities are over-policed, under-funded, and looked down upon. As we revisit housing, we must consciously remove these racist and classist aspects of our system permanently.

Affordable housing has always been needed, but recent conditions have made the issue increasingly urgent. Due to the economic fallout of coronavirus, an eviction crisis looms over our country, and could possibly displace millions of Americans in the coming months.

The last time that we were faced with such intimidating housing prospects was in the collapse of the housing bubble in 2008, when the banks were bailed out with trillions in taxpayer dollars and low interest loans, as they foreclosed on the homes of more than 9 million americans. Today, millions of Americans, no doubt many of whom lost their homes over a decade ago, are reportedly unable to pay their next rent or mortgage payment. Currently, estimates predict that up to 40 million Americans will be evicted from their homes before this is over.

As federal and state protections for tenants and against evictions expire, much of the responsibility now falls on state governments and municipalities to ensure that their citizens have a roof over their head and a bed to sleep in.

It is these realities that require our governments to implement, and invest in affordable housing policies. Our society requires a holistic approach. No single regulation or grant program will solve the problem. In order to combat the rising costs in all aspects of housing, we must rebuild our housing system from scratch. While there are many reforms that require investment, there are others that require little to no new funding. Any and all changes are important if we are to provide our people with a roof over their head. Let me clarify— a roof over their head that doesn’t cost so much that they have to choose between or deny themselves of other necessities. For that to become a reality, we need inclusionary zoning practices. We need housing trust funds and revolving housing loan funds. We need to look at public and municipal housing. We need to repeal ordinances and zoning rules that prevent affordable housing from being built. Loosen density and height regulations to reasonable levels. There is no reason our society cannot provide permanent supportive housing to veterans, and the physically and mentally disabled. Shelter should not force people into, nor prevent them from moving out of poverty. And that is exactly what our system does.

When housing is affordable, it benefits everyone. In the richest nation on Earth, no man, woman, or child should go without a bed to sleep in. Expect more from your elected officials. Expect them to fight for housing for all.