City Housing Bonds-Feedback Needed

On November 2, 2010 citizens of the City of Charlotte will vote on a $15 million bond issue to provide affordable and well-maintained housing for low and moderate income families.
As part of our observance of the holiday of Sukkot, when the Jewish people were homeless in the desert, we are encouraging congregants to educate themselves about this ballot initiative and to tell us what you think about the housing bond issue on the November 2 ballot.
If you would like, please contribute to the Temple dialogue on the bond issue here in the President’s blog.
To help with this complex issue, here is some pertinent information. Much of it is organized on our website. Click here for information sources on the proposed bond issue and why the Temple is involved. On this page, you will find our resolution in support of Affordable Housing…here is the first part of it:

On April 6, 2010, the Temple Beth El Board approved a resolution authorizing the Temple to advocate for issues of affordable housing in the Charlotte community, stating in part:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Temple Beth El, its leaders and its members advocate achieving better results by addressing underlying causes of homelessness rather than only treating its symptoms.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Temple Beth El, its leadership and its members help the community by speaking out in public forums and supporting local housing policies that appropriately address the need for affordable housing throughout our community.

Click here for the full text of the TBE resolution.

Other information sources on the proposed bond issue include:
Charlotte Observer 8/27/2010 (www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/08/27/1646045/debt-worries-may-hurt-bond-votes.html)
Charlotte Business Journal 6/4/2010 (charlotte.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/06/07/story13.html)
Charlotte Post 5/27/2010 (www.thecharlottepost.com/index.php?src=news&srctype=detail&category=News&refno=2656)
Channel 14 5/27/2010 (charlotte.news14.com/content/local_news/charlotte/626356/homeless-advocates-push-for-more-money-for-housing)
Chamber of Commerce (www.voteyesforbonds.com)

To volunteer on the Temple’s affordable housing committee, please contact Judy Seldin-Cohen at judyseldin@yahoo.com.

Please comment on this issue to help us understand what you think. Social Action and Social Justice are foundational values at Temple Beth El. We want to hear from you as we continue to stay engaged in these important issues.