Unitarian
Universalist
Affordable
Housing
Partnership

UUAHP STEERING COMMITTEE
Meeting Minutes, Nov. 6, 2003

Attending: Nan Corliss, Barbara Weatherhead, Connie Metcalf, Mary Wilson, Bob Aderhold, Ron Dueltgen

Convener: Bob Aderhold

THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 7:00 PM AT FIRST UNITARTIAN SOCIETY

Minutes of the October meeting were discussed and approved.

The Treasurer (Ron) reported that FUS currently shows $125.05 more in our account than the previous report, for a total of $7009.28. The source of the extra funds is being investigated. Nan reported that UCM had sent a check for about $350 to FUS in early October that is earmarked for UUAHP and is to be used for next summer's Habitat build(s).

Announcements

Bob A. reported on the MICAH breakfast meeting on Nov. 6. It was a very successful, well-attended fundraising kickoff event.

MUUSJA will hold a meeting on Sunday, Nov. 16, 3:00 PM at First Universalist Church. Joy Sorenson Navarre, Executive Director of Minneapolis MICAH will speak on organizing social action.

Mary Wilson spoke about the Unity Church task force regarding their Portland Ave. building. A report is expected next week that will list options for the property, not recommendations. The building needs extensive repair, nearly $200,000, to bring it to a state where Unity would feel comfortable as responsible landlords.

UUAHP Near Term Strategy
The group discussed a near-term strategy to capitalize on and expand Minneapolis MICAH's Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY) campaign. For our purposes, the material developed so far would have to be expanded in scope to include the entire metro area, as opposed to its current Minneapolis focus. Nan reported that Habitat recently had four sites blocked by neighborhood groups, underscoring the need for a YIMBY campaign. She will gather more information and report at a future meeting.
The group agreed that the following are among the steps needed for a successful campaign:
1. Education - raising awareness; communicating the need; how to speak at meetings and what to do as an attendee.
2. Research - where projects are being sited, identifying UU activists who live near there.
3. Communication - where and when are the local meetings; creating Action Alert lists from congregational volunteers; notices in Sunday bulletins; showing up at meetings.
4. We need to build our own PowerPoint show based on the Mpls MICAH presentation.
5. We need to establish a communications system that puts UUAHP in contact with other organizations so we can mobilize our people at emerging difficult siting areas. As a specific example, Connie told of the efforts by Catholic Charities to build affordable units in Fridley. She will provide more information next meeting.

In addition, further work is needed on appropriate level of resources, timing of our initiative, designing a pilot program, and designing a scaled approach to its introduction. Bob, Ron, Barbara, Nan and Jo volunteered to meet on Monday, November 17, 7:00 PM at FUS to do additional planning and brainstorming about the UUAHP campaign.

Barbara will call Joan Pearson to ask for a copy of the MICAH presentation.
Ron will contact Jo H. to find out more about the mapping software that may be available through AMS.

We postponed a discussion of longer-term planning issues until our December meeting. That discussion will include revisiting our vision in the context of our relationship with MUUSJA and identifying strategies to implement our vision, such as staffing, leadership development, and broadening our base of activists.

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Dueltgen