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Newcomers get blamed for many things they have nothing to do with. The latest I heard was, "The animal shelters are at full capacity because of all the people moving here." Really? The fact is, every county in Northeast Tennessee would be shrinking if we didn't have newcomers. They're not flooding our market, they're barely mitigating our population loss. Think about it. You don't want to live in an area with a declining population. That means economic stagnation. Just ask the rustbelt cities of the north. Yes, there are nagging national problems like higher house prices caused by higher interest rates, higher materials and labor costs, higher transportation costs, and so on, but those are not caused by newcomers moving to our area. Those problems would exist even without newcomers. It's ok to be angry about the national situation, but don't misdirect it at newcomers.

Support systems for America’s homeless populations have fallen short in recent years, as proper health care services have not received adequate attention or funding to solve the growing homelessness crisis. Learn more about Bo Aucoin, a student in our M.A. Counseling program, who has experienced these hardships firsthand and understands the life-changing power of proper care and support. https://ow.ly/Fb5850SQgHA

Humane Canada’s national petition for pet-inclusive housing closes at 10am EST tomorrow morning… Have you added your name yet? So, how you can help create a more compassionate housing system? Use your voice today: https://lnkd.in/g5_RJN_H Did you know that a lack of pet-inclusive housing is a leading cause of animals being surrendered to shelters across the country?  More than 60% of Canadian households have cats and dogs, which means that many of us are facing a silent but growing crisis. Join over 18,900 Canadians in signing and sharing the petition with your network. Pet-inclusive housing reduces stress and loneliness for tenants, lowers turnover rates for landlords, and enhances social connections in communities.  

I often write about community 👨👩👧👦 Community is more than people in a geography. It could be those who share common interests, idea, bonds. Community is people. And community is voluntary -- you may fit the criteria... but your participation is optional. The strength of a community can be magnified when stressed. Much like a workout 🏋️♀️stresses the body, but can make one stronger. Recent storms hit the Houston area. After a week, some are still without power. Some have home damage. In Jersey Village -- and I'm sure in other places -- our community got stronger when put to this challenge. Neighbors checked on and helped neighbors. We shared generators. We offered charging stations. Those with power offered our homes & space to friends & fam without. We provided freezer space for those in need. We tried to keep life normal for each other's kids who were out of school for several days. We visited local restaurants who missed a day (and lost perishables) due to power issues. We picked-up yards, helping move downed trees & branches so they could be picked-up. We communicated: face to face, through facebook, and with the local government. We recognized our limitations, but showed appreciation for the level of effort. When at our most helpless -- and when power is out of your control, you ARE helpless -- people became most helpful. That is community. That is community getting stronger.

The #GrenfellTower tragedy, when it unfolded, I remember it was during #Ramadan June 14, 2017, and in the peak of the summer heat it will remain a dark chapter in British history. The fire claimed 72 lives, forever changing the lives of the #survivors and the wider #community. In the aftermath, like many others, we at Sisters Forum stepped in to offer #support. We, along with various organisations, #volunteered by distributing warm food and essential supplies to the displaced families, helping them through this painful time. The #solidarity we witnessed during and the overwhelming #community support brought moments of comfort, but the devastation left by the fire was undeniable. This week, the investigation #report into the #Grenfell Tower was released on Wednesday. The report exposed critical failures in the building’s #firesafety, including the use of flammable #cladding and inadequate #fire escape routes. It also highlighted a lack of #oversight, with regulatory failings that contributed to the tragedy. These findings stress the need for urgent action and nationwide reforms to prevent similar disasters in the future. In response to these findings, London Borough of Newham, where I now focus on housing, has committed to improving #housing #standards across the borough. We have approved a five-year Residential Building Safety Strategy focused on high-rise buildings, ensuring compliance with the new Building Safety Act 2022. This strategy will implement regular #safety checks, fire safety upgrades, and constant #monitoring to #protect the residents of high-rise buildings in Newham. The lessons learned from #Grenfell have shaped our approach to #housing, and our priority is ensuring that no one has to fear for their #safety in their own home. By addressing these issues and enforcing stringent safety standards, we are committed to ensuring that a #tragedy like Grenfell never happens again in Newham or anywhere else.

Tuesday Tips! Theme: Voting Sometimes when funding becomes tight, park agencies must become adaptable. Using funding mechanisms that are creative and different to keep providing adequate services are needed. For example, the Puente Hills Habitat Authority has Measure PH on the ballot on the western side of the hills. If this ballot measure is passed, it will create a Community Facilities District that will help fund important ranger services that lead to better emergency response times, faster removal of homeless encampments, more restoration work, and interpretive programs for students. We urge a Yes vote on LA County’s Measure PH. #Parks #Nature #YesonMeasurePH #ParkFunding #Conservation

What happens when things don’t go as planned in a transitional housing program? This episode dives into a structured, compassionate approach to resident ejections for community well-being. Join us as we walk through real examples and best practices to ensure a respectful, supportive exit plan that preserves dignity. #TransitionalHousing #CommunitySupport #ResidentEjection #CompassionateExit #HousingProgram #SupportiveHousing #LifeTransitions #Short

But if new homes can operate with 30% less water than they once did, would that lessen future shortages and provide the state some breathing room? Possibly. But it’s not likely to do much, according to Kat Weismiller, acting head of the water supply planning section at the Colorado Water Conservation Board, because the scale of development is small. “We look at a range of drivers, including social values, around water conservation and development to understand future water demands. While the new development at Sterling Ranch is innovative and sets an important example for how we can develop new communities in a water-efficient way, at this time, the scale of this type of development is fairly limited and it would be unlikely to meaningfully shift the way we forecast water needs at the state level or entirely close the gap,” she said. Kat Weismiller Colorado Water Conservation Board Jerd Smith and Water Education Colorado educational and informative article on how water works and what we can do to support this precious resource. Kudos to developers like Sterling Ranch Development Company for designing and building homes and communities that are more water efficient and reliable. Another water management tool to evaluate and consider for new home developments and communities are #decentralized #graywater #waterrecycling systems/solutions. Get even more out of the water you use and stop flushing toilets with potable water. Water Technology like this is gaining traction in Europe, Middle East, Canada and states like Florida and California. Given the ongoing water stress across the #coloradoriverbasin why not promote the long term value of this type of water technology. Water savings range from 25% to 45% via this type of water tech. 🏡 🚰 🛁 🚿 🚽 🏘️ The State of Colorado passed HB24 1362 measure to incentivize #graywater use and it was approved by Jared Polis on May 29th, 2024. Hope this helps! Water Really Matters:) 💧 💧 💧 ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ Earth Finance, Inc. Will Sarni Hydraloop Melissa Lubitz Tom Bobst Ian Iringan Aspen Skiing Company Auden Schendler Brett Little Jennifer Castenson Peggy Smedley Joshua Posner Michele Van Quathem Amy Kremen Lori Lockett Janet Holmes, GRI, AHWD, GREEN, PSA, RENE, RSPS, SRES Sinelabs PropTechPros Ciara M. Monfort Companies Region of Waterloo Bob Langlois Carolynn Leaman Leslie Dean Barrett - President - BARR Group Enterprises Delaney Dill Two Arrows Atlas Real Estate redT Homes Richard Kaleb Z. Denver Water Mike Hormell RainStick Cascade Water Products Ltd #drought #climatechange #climateeducation #watereducation #greywater #surfacewater #rain #snow #homebuilders #homebuyers #ecofriendly

Today, MSP’s mobile outreach is on-site at a larger encampment outside the downtown area, preparing residents to work with Siloam Mission’s M.O.S.T. team on a mindful cleanup. Main Street Project has been visiting this encampment all summer, supporting those living unsheltered with support towards housing and basic needs and with regular light clean up around their living area. Yet, without regular pick-up from the city (such as with residential garbage pick-up), the job is too big and has those living at the camp relying too much on neighboring dumpsters - which shouldn’t be used in the first place. Here’s where the City’s Encampment Garbage Clean Up Initiative comes in. MSP flagged this site with our working group for extra clean-up support. The job was approved, and a date was set. Throughout the week, MSP has been letting residents know that a mindful clean-up was scheduled for today and that they should start readying the camp to remove more items all at once. MSP staff helped residents with final prep this morning before Siloam Mission’s MOST clean-up team arrived. This last contact ensures that there aren’t any surprises and that anyone with discomfort regarding strangers being present at the camp can receive some support. Siloam’s crew is removing all unneeded items to freshen things up and improve the area for campers, the environment, people walking by, and neighbouring residents. We love to be a part of this amazing and mindful community collaboration. 💛 Our mindful approach to encampment clean-ups aligns with the principles we outlined in our previous post, Garbage Clean-up Initiative, as part of our educational series A Human Rights Approach to Homelessness. By working collaboratively with our partners, we’re committed to supporting the garbage clean-up initiative in encampments while respecting the dignity and rights of all individuals. Check out the full post to learn more about our mindful clean-up initiatives: https://ow.ly/YhxY50T4joZ #MSPBuildingStability #Winnipeg #Manitoba

After a century of indiscriminate fire suppression policies, we've been left with overgrown landscapes that act like tinderboxes for much more catastrophic #wildfires. Unfortunately, a disproportionate amount of funding still goes toward fire suppression. Many communities simply don't have enough money left over to fund the necessary #prevention and #preparedness activities. Here are some thoughts on how we can get more out of preventative efforts like #prescribedburns: https://lnkd.in/gD4899mN