As neighborhoods we were " engaged in the process" and look where it got us. We were called names, labeled troublemakers and at one point told not to contact officials, chastized for being engaged! Discouraged doesn't begin to cover the feelings some of us have. Try disillusioned. Most of us had no idea the sale and subsequent green lighting of this project was happening. We had high, if cautious, hopes that if presented rationally the many cons of having a 200 + shelter on State St. and the VPN would prevail. But no, the project was a go from moment it was conceived- what transpired after a placating gesture, a slight of hand if you will, by City Planners and the Mayor to appease those of us against this move. Apparently, they believed that since this is the economiclly lowest part of Boise we are also ignorant. They must have been clapping themselves on the back for their creativity in their duplicitous ways. A building was bought for this endeavor without the proper channels, without the proper Zoning, without due diligence. Yet it will be the home of a 200+ shelter with the possibility of future growth such as a soup kitchen. State street was also due to be under the City's Urban Renewal plan. Millions have been spent on the roads. Around 2016 conceptual plans were introduced to the citizens of what the area would look like once completed. It was to be Northwest Boise's introduction to the city. But yet again, this area isn't the North End, nor Downtown. The plans fell through for only 2 intersections have been widened with further projects on hold, the money apparenetly going elsewhere (Riverside Urban Renewal where they ousted the shelter?). So as an introduction to Boise on the NW end of town we will have a homeless shelter front and center added to a Veterans home and other low income housing in the area. It's a little hard to get excited about being engaged in any process in this city when you see what has happened with the IFS move and the dropped Urban Renewal State Street project when you realize your end of town is only good enough as an after thought.
As neighborhoods we were " engaged in the process" and look where it got us. We were called names, labeled troublemakers and at one point told not to contact officials, chastized for being engaged! Discouraged doesn't begin to cover the feelings some of us have. Try disillusioned. Most of us had no idea the sale and subsequent green lighting of this project was happening. We had high, if cautious, hopes that if presented rationally the many cons of having a 200 + shelter on State St. and the VPN would prevail. But no, the project was a go from moment it was conceived- what transpired after a placating gesture, a slight of hand if you will, by City Planners and the Mayor to appease those of us against this move. Apparently, they believed that since this is the economiclly lowest part of Boise we are also ignorant. They must have been clapping themselves on the back for their creativity in their duplicitous ways. A building was bought for this endeavor without the proper channels, without the proper Zoning, without due diligence. Yet it will be the home of a 200+ shelter with the possibility of future growth such as a soup kitchen. State street was also due to be under the City's Urban Renewal plan. Millions have been spent on the roads. Around 2016 conceptual plans were introduced to the citizens of what the area would look like once completed. It was to be Northwest Boise's introduction to the city. But yet again, this area isn't the North End, nor Downtown. The plans fell through for only 2 intersections have been widened with further projects on hold, the money apparenetly going elsewhere (Riverside Urban Renewal where they ousted the shelter?). So as an introduction to Boise on the NW end of town we will have a homeless shelter front and center added to a Veterans home and other low income housing in the area. It's a little hard to get excited about being engaged in any process in this city when you see what has happened with the IFS move and the dropped Urban Renewal State Street project when you realize your end of town is only good enough as an after thought.