Dear Neighbors,
Last week we received the good news that the shelter on 5th Street will soon be emptied as current male residents move to a new facility elsewhere in the city. If previous conversations were accurate, the Handy site on 5th St will be renovated in anticipation of women returning to it.
This will provide not only better accommodations for unhoused residents, male and female, it will also provide needed breathing space for Chinatown to better plan its future.
I want to be encouraging of everyone attending this Tuesday’s ANC meeting as well as the BID stakeholders meeting. If you cannot attend, I hope you’ll reply all to communicate with our representatives in city government that the community MUST be involved and briefed on planning BEFORE decisions are made. We have an opportunity to: (1) ensure safe, clean streets for all… (2) establish new and positive relations with our unhoused female neighbors when they return. We must remain communicative and remind city leaders that our votes depend on this process working. (3) This will help the East end of Chinatown, but we need to be supportive of our neighbors closer to the Chinatown Gate whose challenges will likely remain. While the owners of the arena will likely exert immense pressure at the highest levels of government, it’s important for all of us to be involved for a safe and compassionate home for all.
In addition to folks taking part in the ANC and BID process, I want to remind everyone that my door is always open to listen, to brainstorm and generally to get to know neighbors better. Please never hesitate to reach me by email at smmogpriest@gmail.com
Your neighbor,
Father Vincent De Rosa
Pastor
St. Mary Mother of God Catholic Church
親愛的鄰居們，
上週我們收到一個好消息，隨著目前的男性居民搬到本市其他地方的新設施，第五街的庇護所很快就會被清空。如果之前的對話是準確的，第五街的Handy 場所將進行翻新，以迎接女性居民回歸。
這不僅將為男性和女性露宿者提供更好的住宿，還將為唐人街提供所需的喘息空間，以便更好地規劃其未來。
我想鼓勵大家參加本週二的ANC會議以及BID利益相關者會議。如果您不能參加，我希望您能回覆大家，跟我們市政府的代表溝通，要求他們在做出決定之前，必須邀請社區參與，且向大家簡要介紹規劃。 我們有機會：（1）確保所有人擁有安全、乾淨的街道......（2）在我們無家可歸的女性鄰居回來時，與他們建立新的積極關係。 我們必須保持溝通，並提醒城市主管人，我們的投票取決於這個過程的運作。 （3）這將有助於唐人街的東區，但我們需要支援貼近唐人街拱門的鄰居，他們的挑戰可能會繼續存在。 雖然體育舘的業主可能會在政府最高層施加巨大壓力，但對我們所有人來說，參與建設一個為所有人提供安全和富有同情心的家是很重要的。
除了參加ANC和BID過程之外，我想提醒大家，我的大門總是敞開著，為了傾聽、集思廣益、並更好地瞭解鄰居。歡迎隨時透過電子郵件smmogpriest@gmail.com與我聯絡賜教。
你的鄰居，
Father Vincent De Rosa 羅文生神父
天主聖母瑪利亞教堂主任