Come speak up for PHAR’s goals for the City of Charlottesville and the funding required to make it happen! Join PHAR members and supporters as we chime in on budgeting for the City of Charlottesville! Feel free to speak, or just show up and show support.
DON’T FORGET to wear your PHAR T-Shirt!
Here’s what we want:
1. Support and improve public housing communities –
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Expand support for the Nursing Clinics at Westhaven and Crescent Halls to better serve residents and provide a living wage with benefits to employees.
- Continue supporting PHAR and our efforts to organize residents, including the PHAR Internship Program ($50,000 is needed).
- Increase funding for Community Policing in public housing neighborhoods
2. Increase programs for low-income youth –
- Provide High quality after-school programs in the South First Street and 6th Street community centers.
- Expand support for Helping Young People Evolve (HYPE) Boxing Club.
- Provide computers at South First Street and 6th Street community centers.
3. Expand re-entry opportunities for ex-offenders –
- Add at least 10-15 positions for the “Home to Work” program to provide work experience for ex-felons.
We want these things to happen but remember- it all starts with the money! Tell your own views on these matters, share your personal experience and why these things need funding, or check out these great reasons for supporting PHAR’s agenda for the City:
- We are not asking for a lot of funds compared to the overall budget.
- It is time for Council to pay more attention to the needs of public housing residents.
- Support and Improve public housing communities.
- PHAR is necessary to express the concerns and needs of public housing residents.
- Resident input is required by the government, don’t limit our ability to speak or organize.
- The Internship program has helped dozens of residents to organize around community issues and improves our housing communities, as well as providing residents with marketable skills and education about job-hunting and stable employment.
- PHAR’s grant request requires “level funding,” meaning it is not an increase from past years.
Consider also:
- Nursing Clinics at Westhaven and Crescent Halls are vital to a healthy community.
- Employees should be compensated for their hard work and dedication.
- We don’t want a police state in our neighborhoods but we do need safety- community policing is effective in creating safe neighborhoods and builds community.
- Increase programs for low-income youth-Charlottesville does not offer enough affordable activities for young people.
- South 1st Street and 6th Street Community Centers after school programming will help parents and kids alike.
- Computer skills and access should be available to all people, this helps with educational achievement and future employment opportunities.
- HYPE has proven to be a popular activity for young people; it builds discipline and self worth.
- Charlottesville is a “City of Second Chances” lets make that a reality for ex-offenders
- Ex-Offenders have a very difficult time finding work which can lead to loss of dignity, re-offense, broken families, and impoverished neighborhoods.
- The “Home to Work” program has been a success in the pilot stage, Council should commit to expanding it!
