[Vision2020] discrimination and zoning (was say what?)

Fri Sep 21 06:43:07 PDT 2007

Donovan,

The ordinance that defines the numbers of unrelated people who may
live together in a home in a low density residential
neighborhood applies to all people regardless of race.  Minority
status has nothing to do with numbers of people living in a house.  

For the most part, age, likewise, is not impacted.  Nor are single
moms affected.  My elderly mother is related to me, just as a
single mom's children are related to her.  The ordinance addresses
UNrelated people living together.

Finally, my understanding is that group homes of unrelated, disabled
or elderly people are exempted from the law.  If my understanding is
correct, and I don't have the citation handy, the state code allows
(up to eight) elderly or disabled people to live in a group home as a
family unit WITHOUT a Conditional Use Permit. This is as per Idaho
code.  Perhaps one of the City's legal eagles could fill you in on
the specifics if you wantmore information on that.

Bruce

-----Original message-----
From: Donovan Arnold donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:52:33 -0700
To: keely emerinemix kjajmix1 at msn.com, lfalen lfalen at turbonet.com, Tom
Ivie the_ivies3 at yahoo.com, Moscow Vision 2020 vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] discrimination and zoning (was say what?)

> Keely,
> 
> Sorry you are confused, but nobody is unaware of the current
restrictions on occupancy. Your argument seems to be that the limiting
of the occupancy is OK because it is the law, without looking at the
validity of the reasons for establishing the law, and ignoring the
injustices it causes as well as the restrictions on private property
rights. 
> 
> The quickest way to eliminate minorities, elderly, single moms, and
group homes for the disabled from being located in your upper class
white neighborhood withoutexpressly prohibiting it in your
neighborhood charter would be to prevent renting out homes and
limiting the number of inhabitants for each unit, which if what the
city council has done. 
> 
> It is obvious, that the only way many group homes, many minorities,
single moms, and the retired living on limited income can afford to
live in middle class neighbors would be if they shared the rent with
several other occupants in a rented home. 
> 
> The reason for this law is to remove the five or six college
students living in a neighborhood because many of them are not
respectful or do not fit in with their family friendly neighbors. Home
owners don't like that. I can understand that. But this law is
discriminatory and keeps out lower income people that are a value to
the community and add much needed diversity to the otherwise wealthy
WASP family values neighborhoods. 
> 
> I think better enforcement of current laws are in order.
However,Moscow is a college town. And while some student tear up the
place, remember without the students Moscow would be a tiny poor
farming town called Hog Heaven. They are the bread and butter for
everyone on the Palouse. 
> 
> Best,
> 
> Donovan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> keely emerinemix wrote:
> .hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { FONT-SIZE:
10pt; FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma } Noise IS covered under an ordinance; other
forms of illegal behavior under others. And the number of people,
whether contemplative monks or hard-partying college boys, also is
covered under ordinance. Has been for at least 15 years. That's
because -- and it really IS this simple -- renting to non-family
members constitutes running a business, one that the City has long
decided is unlawful in areas zoned not for business, but for
single-family homes. 
> 
> Period.
> 
> Rocket scienceneed not be employed here, but I would invite doubters
to remember the preschool lessons of "obey rules" and "break rules" if
they're further confused.
> 
> keely
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:38:43 -0700
> > From: lfalen at turbonet.com
> > To: donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com; the_ivies3 at yahoo.com;
vision2020 at moscow.com
> > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Say What? Discrimination
> > 
> > It seems to me that controlling the number people that live in a
house is a round about way of getting at the "stated problem"
> > If noise is the problem regulate that. If parking is a problem
regulate that. The only problem I see with the number of people living
in one house would be a potential safety problem.
> > Roger
> > -----Original message-----
> > From: Donovan Arnolddonovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
> > Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 19:57:07 -0700
> > To: Tom Ivie the_ivies3 at yahoo.com, Moscow Vision 2020
vision2020 at moscow.com
> > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Say What? Discrimination
> > 
> > > Tom Ivie,
> > > 
> > > Lowering the number of occupants per housing unit by law
increases demand for more apartments and housing units, driving the
cost up. With rents up even more, renters are further soaked again by
limiting the number of people they can split rent with. 
> > > 
> > > Moscow is a college town. Students cannot afford much more that
$300 piece for rent. IF Moscow raises its rents, the number of
students returning to UI will reduce because they cannot afford to
live in the city with no jobs and unaffordable housing. Many of them
will elect elsewhere to attend like BSU, Albertson, NNU, ISU, LCSC or
the new junior college in Nampa. But this is agood move for the
socialists agenda of destroying the Moscow economy through relentless
unneeded government regulation. 
> > > 
> > > Best,
> > > 
> > > Donovan
> > > 
> > > Tom Ivie wrote:
> > > Doesn't it include a CUP process? As I understand it, and I
could be wrong, lowering the number brings Moscow more in-line with
the codified number that the majority of cities our size use. 
> > > 
> > > Donovan Arnold wrote: "These three people [(Pall, Ament and
Lamar)] feel that counting unrelated people in a
> > > dwelling will solve noise and parking problems in residential
> > > neighborhoods."
> > > 
> > > Mr. Busch is correct on this point. I think counting the number
of unrelated people is discriminatory. When I worked at Inclusion
Norththere were often several people with disabilities living in one
home because they cannot afford their own place on a $660 a month SSI
check, especially in a city like Moscow. There are many poor,
disabled, and elderly people that MUST live together in one dwelling
for economic survival. This code is a raw deal for those that are in
need of affordable housing. Another example of elitist socialists
trying to make everyone live like them regardless of their financial
situations. The City Council members are saying, "Let them eat cake",
or in this case, let them live in an apartment with only two people if
they can only afford to live in an apartment with four others. 
> > > 
> > > And on the other side of the coin, a family of two adults with
two teenagers can be very noisy and make life for their neighbors
intolerable. Why not limit how many teenagers can live in one
household, or how many babies a single mom can have? It would be just
as unfair.
> > > 
> > > An unjust law, clearly invented by people living in nice homes
with secure incomes. I hope the newly elected city council will
reverse this piece of discrimination. 
> > > 
> > > If Moscow would allow for the building of affordable housing for
what people actually earn in Moscow we would not have 5 students or 5
people on SSI living in one housing unit. And BTW, Moscow has more
people per housing unit then any other city in the state according the
BLS. 
> > > 
> > > Best,
> > > 
> > > Donovan
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Tom Hansen wrote:
> > > In a letter to the editor of the Lewiston Tribune, published
today
> > > (September 16, 2007), Steve Busch suggests that "enforcing
existing law
> > > [Moscow Zoning Code] is all that isnecessary."
> > > 
> > > -----------------------------------------------------------
> > > 
> > > Comments made in a letter to the editor authored by local
attorney Jack
> > > Porter and published in the Sept. 12 Lewiston Tribune cannot be
ignored. On
> > > Sept. 4, the current city council voted 3-2 to change Moscow's
city code in
> > > an attempt to deal with a real problem. 
> > > 
> > > Unfortunately, the majority (Pall, Ament and Lamar) threw the
baby out with
> > > the bath water. These three people feel that counting unrelated
people in a
> > > dwelling will solve noise and parking problems in residential
neighborhoods.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > The Greater Moscow Alliance feel enforcing existing law is all
that is
> > > necessary. We said so in a letter presented to thecouncil on
Sept. 10 (to
> > > see a copy visit www.greatermoscow.org). Mr. Porter thinks this
is evidence
> > > the GMA is insensitive to Moscow citizens' cherished life style.
Nothing
> > > could be further from the truth. GMA is working hard to educate
the public
> > > about issues and candidates. 
> > > 
> > > I urge all Moscow voters to ask candidates for city council
tough questions.
> > > Listen carefully to the answers and vote your conscience.
> > > 
> > > Steve Busch
> > > President
> > > Greater Moscow Alliance
> > > Moscow
> > > 
> > > -----------------------------------------------------------
> > > 
> > > Questions, Mr. Busch: How often, and how selective, should
enforcement of
> > > zoning codes be enforced? Instead of amending thecurrent code ad
nauseam
> > > and allowing for conditional use permits every time somebody
violates
> > > "existing law", should we draw the proverbial line in the sand,
much like
> > > the Raven, strongly proclaim "Ne'er more", and further demand
that those
> > > entities that are currently in violation of the zoning code move
elsewhere?
> > > 
> > > Reminder, folks!
> > > http://tinyurl.com/36ghxk
> > > 
> > > Seeya round town, Moscow.
> > > 
> > > Tom Hansen
> > > Moscow, Idaho
> > > 
> > > "We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The
college
> > > students are not very active in local elections (thank
goodness!)."
> > > 
> > > - Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
> > > 
> >> 
> > > 
> > > =======================================================
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> > > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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> > > 
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> > > 
> > > 
> > > Tom & Liz Ivie 
> > > ---------------------------------
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