Sunday, January 15, 2017

Veteran Homelessness: Conway Residence

The John and Jill Ker Conway Residence on North Capitol Street, Washington, DC


Today's post is about an important milestone in the fight to end veteran homelessness and expand affordable housing options in the nation's capitol.

On Thursday, January 12th, 2017 in the city of Washington, DC, 10 blocks due north of the US Capitol and a 10-minute walk from Union Station, I had the great pleasure of attending the ribbon cutting ceremony and official opening at the Conway Residence. I was the invited guest of a good friend who is now working with Community Solutions, co-developer of the residence.

This outstanding achievement is at the center of a Venn diagram of special interests:
  • Architecture and urban planning; 
  • Military service and veterans affairs; and 
  • Public administration and government. 

I was thrilled to attend, see my old friend again, and meet some fascinating new people. I was impressed as I listened to the remarks made by organizers and developers, new residents, officials from federal and local government, and financiers. In addition to hearing the comments by officials and residents at the ceremony, I was also able to take a tour of the facility and environs. I write to share my experience on the day and to raise awareness about this important and impactful work.

This is the first in a planned series of posts. Soon, I will publish a photo-journal of my experience. Photos are often wonderful souvenirs but to convert photos into effective motivators requires context. So that will be a separate post. I would also like to develop a stand-alone post on the metrics being used by Community Solutions to under-gird their surprising claim that ZERO homelessness among veterans is achievable. I had a brief conversation with  Roseanne Haggerty of Community Solutions on this question, and that deserves special treatment. Meanwhile, for those of you interested in learning more about the Conway Residence, I will conclude this initial post with 6 quotes from various sources which describe the intent, development, and impact of this project.

1. From the home page of Community Solutions
At Community Solutions, we work toward a future without homelessness, in which poverty never follows families beyond a single generation.

2. From the Community Solutions blog post about the 2014 ground breaking ceremony for Conway Residence
Good design can turn a house or apartment into a home, but too often, homeless and low income populations miss out on well-designed, high-quality housing. We're determined to change that.

3. From an Architect Magazine article about the design and construction of a new DC residence featuring permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless Veterans.
After breaking ground in 2014, the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence with permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans and for households that make less than 60 percent of the area median income opened this week. Designed by Washington, D.C.-based firm, Sorg Architects, the 14-story structure features 124 efficiency units with a gym, conference room, and ground-floor retail space.

4. From a report on Permanent Supportive Housing and featuring the Conway Residence by National Homeless Organization
This report examines one housing development which is nearing completion to help address these needs, the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence located on North Capitol Street in Washington, DC. This 124-unit complex includes 60 Permanent Supportive Housing apartments for formerly homeless veterans, 17 apartments reserved to tenants referred by the District’s Department of Behavioral Health, and 47 apartments available for other low-income residents making 60% or less of area median income. Once operational, it will be the largest Permanent Supportive Housing development in the District dedicated to serving veterans struggling with homelessness


5. From the Washington Post article about homeless vets in DC getting a new home to call their own

The first of its kind in the city, it was constructed with a combination of federal, city, private and nonprofit funds. The $33 million building houses 124 one-bedroom efficiency apartments, including 64 additional affordable and low-income units. The veterans pay 30 percent of their income as rent and have on-site supportive services such as social workers, job and education counseling, and mental health specialists. Their average age is 62, and their services are coordinated by case managers who work directly with the D.C. Veterans Administration Medical Center staff.


6. This article about the ribbon cutting ceremony appeared on DC Housing's website.  
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald and District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser joined advocates and housing professionals to open the John and Jill Ker Conway Residence, an architecturally striking apartment building with 60 units of permanent supportive housing for veterans exiting homelessness and 64 affordable and low-income units. The 124-unit mixed income building is among the first of its kind in the country to have full-time, onsite VA case managers. The soaring structure represents an unusual effort to bring outstanding architecture and design to housing for low-income and homeless populations.

Part One: Veteran Homelessness: Conway Residence
Part Two: Veteran Homelessness: Conway Residence Photo Journal TBP
Part Three: Veteran Homelessness: Conway Residence Getting to Zero TBP


Please join us in supporting this and all efforts to end homelessness among veterans! And, as always, thank you for reading PhilosFX. Comments welcome!

Friday, January 6, 2017

Twelve Beers of Christmas: Day 12

On the 12th and final Day of Christmas
(Which is also Epiphany)
My BeerPal gave to me


DRUM ROLL PLEASE





Dancing with the Devil Triple IPA
And an auburn-haired mermaid in a bottle


All of this goes back to a really great gift idea: the Twelve Beers of Christmas
As always, thank you for reading PhilosFX! 

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Twelve Beers of Christmas: Day 11

On the 11th day of Christmas
My BeerPal gave to me




Double good, Double Jack Double IPA
An out of this world Imperial IPA
As an Imperial IPA, you can't handle The Truth IIPA 
Destruction, demolition, ravage, and Ruination
An extravagantly hopped West Coast DIPA
The purest bliss of Pure Hoppiness
CALLING INDIA PALE ALE!
A spiny, bitter-tasting, crab-eating fish
A spiny, grapefruit-flavored, crab-eating fish
Fresh brewed fresh hops in my fresh belly
And an auburn-haired mermaid in a bottle

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Twelve Beers of Christmas: Day 10

On the 10th day of Christmas
My BeerPal gave to me





An out of this world Imperial IPA
As an Imperial IPA, you can't handle The Truth IIPA 
Destruction, demolition, ravage, and Ruination
An extravagantly hopped West Coast DIPA
The purest bliss of Pure Hoppiness
CALLING INDIA PALE ALE!
A spiny, bitter-tasting, crab-eating fish
A spiny, grapefruit-flavored, crab-eating fish
Fresh brewed fresh hops in my fresh belly
And an auburn-haired mermaid in a bottle

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Twelve Beers of Christmas: Day 9

On the 9th day of Christmas
My BeerPal gave to me





As an Imperial IPA, you can't handle The Truth IIPA 
Destruction, demolition, ravage, and Ruination
An extravagantly hopped West Coast DIPA
The purest bliss of Pure Hoppiness
CALLING INDIA PALE ALE!
A spiny, bitter-tasting, crab-eating fish
A spiny, grapefruit-flavored, crab-eating fish
Fresh brewed fresh hops in my fresh belly
And an auburn-haired mermaid in a bottle

Monday, January 2, 2017

Twelve Beers of Christmas: Day 8

On the 8th Day of Christmas
My BeerPal gave to me





Destruction, demolition, ravage, and Ruination
An extravagantly hopped West Coast DIPA
The purest bliss of Pure Hoppiness
CALLING INDIA PALE ALE!
A spiny, bitter-tasting, crab-eating fish
A spiny, grapefruit-flavored, crab-eating fish
Fresh brewed fresh hops in my fresh belly
And an auburn-haired mermaid in a bottle

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Five Questions for Crossing the Threshold

This year, instead of writing New Year's Resolutions, I opted to follow an approach advocated by Parker J. Palmer, a Quaker elder, educator, activist, and founder of the Center for Courage & Renewal.





Parker describes his approach like this: he first pondered the Anne Hillman poem (below), and then he identified some questions or wonderings which the had poem evoked in him. After identifying five such wonderings, he decided to follow Rainer Maria Rilke’s famous advice about "living the questions." He wrote out responses to each of those wonderings.

Parker claims his responses inspired new growth and direction in his life in a way that typical resolutions never did. Parker implied that this approach works because it gets after the all-important "why" question. Most resolutions focus on the "what" or the "how" (lose weight, exercise more, sleep better, pay off debt, get the new job, take the trip, etc.). Such resolutions typically fail because they don't connect to purpose--to "why."

I tried Parker's approach, and I was floored by the powerful insights that I gleaned. I thought PhilosFX readers might also be moved by this novel technique, so I decided to share Parker's idea here. At some personal risk, I added my own responses to Parker's leading questions. My hope in sharing not only the process but also my own discovery is that my example will spark some of you to work through this vigorously. So let's give it a try. Read the poem, and then develop personal responses to the wonderings. Let's see what insights emerge as we prepare to cross the threshold into a new year.

We look with uncertainty
by Anne Hillman
We look with uncertainty
beyond the old choices for
clear-cut answers
to a softer, more permeable aliveness
which is every moment
at the brink of death;
for something new is being born in us
if we but let it.
We stand at a new doorway,
awaiting that which comes…
daring to be human creatures,
vulnerable to the beauty of existence.
Learning to love.

In bold blue text are the wonderings Hillman’s poem evoked in Parker. My responses are appended in light grey text but of course I'd like you to ignore them in favor of your own personal responses.

• How can I let go of my need for fixed answers in favor of aliveness?

I am analytical, skeptical, rational, and pragmatic. In contrast, Nature is glorious, mysterious, timeless, and unforgiving, I believe in my gifts. I also believe life is more than my gifts. I believe living out my questions involves pausing to recognize that life can be random, nature is uncertain, my attempts to bring order out of chaos may at times be quite futile, and that I will be more alive when I can release my need to control, and then be more present, more accepting, more like Nature herself. I will write in my gratitude journal daily. 

• What is my next challenge in daring to be human?

What does it mean to be fully human? What is blocking me from being the fullest realization of myself as an optimally functioning human? What can I do to overcome, bypass, or mitigate the obstacles? Doesn't "daring" to be human imply pushing out of and beyond my comfort zone? There is nothing daring about living the same old routine. For my next challenge, I need to deliberately take on experiences that force me beyond the analytical cocoon in which I've wrapped myself up.  I will go to the retirement home in my neighborhood and seek out a harmonica teacher.

• How can I open myself to the beauty of nature and human nature?

I see the pattern of my life. I awaken still tired, already late. I hustle from my condo cube to my car cube and--after a stressful commute--settle into my cubicle cube. I exchange time and talent for just enough treasure to pay for the upkeep on my various cubes. And the days, months, and years roll by. How often to I break out of the cube and wander in the forest or the park? When was the last time I caught my own food? I will learn how to fish, and catch me a nice bass.  

• Who or what do I need to learn to love next? And next? And next?

This is easy. I could start by loving myself for once. It is time for me to treat myself as if I actually like who I am and care about my own well-being. Like most analysts and logicians, I am hyper-critical. As an analyst, I naturally look for gaps and shortfalls. As a perfectionist, I often focus my most critical gaze at myself. I will lighten up on the harsh inner voice and replace the nagging with more supportive and positive self-talk. 

• What is the new creation that wants to be born in and through me?

I am at a point in life where my construction has provided me and those closest to me some shelter and even a bit of luxury. Now I must enter into a phase of helping and enabling others to design and build their own habitats. The new creation is a shift from me and mine to yours and ours. At this point, I must consider more of an outside perspective, an outward orientation, less hands-on and more helping hands, less competitive and more networked. I will go out of my way to be of service to others. 


Conclusion and Call to Action

As we prepare to cross the thresholds that lie before us, may this meditation inspire us to wonderings of our own! Let's make the time to explore those wonderings and document our answers. In this way, those things we resolve to change will be rooted in purpose, and thus more likely to succeed. Onwards and upwards!

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! And as always, thank you for reading PhilosFX.




H/T: I am a long-time fan of Krista Tippett and her rich, sophisticated, and ever-evolving program called On BeingParker Palmer's recent article for On Being was the inspiration for this post. 

Twelve Beers of Christmas: Day 7

On the 7th Day of Christmas
(Which is also New Year's Day)
My BeerPal gave to me





An extravagantly hopped West Coast DIPA
The purest bliss of Pure Hoppiness
CALLING INDIA PALE ALE!
A spiny, bitter-tasting, crab-eating fish
A spiny, grapefruit-flavored, crab-eating fish
Fresh brewed fresh hops in my fresh belly
And an auburn-haired mermaid in a bottle