All posts in the topic Communication Problems & Problem Properties (Short link)
Summary
- There are 2 posts — by 2 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by Carol Ann Pass at Sep 07 19:41 UTC
Conflict is often creative and constructive, but this one may haverun out of
fertilizer and be left with just the Poop.
This discussion has become something like what Terry explored in her RNC story
on "Minneapolis Mirror". The peaceful demonstrators were not the problem and
the good police officers were not the problem. Two sides who might share common
interests, but speaking two different languages they are in conflict.
Bill has for years protested the lack of public safety afforded to Impacted
neighborhoods. Kevin is fighting for his own "Impacted Neighborhood" So why
should they be in conflict? The main focus of their interestes would seem to be
mutual. Unfortunately, those important issuesare not presently their focus.
They have been lead to conflict with each other rather than aiming that energy
at theirSHARED problem.
Similar to the poor Whites and Blacks of the old South they have been pitted
against each other and because of their conflict with each other they lose
sight of their true goal of a safer, better Minneapolis. They lose sight of
putting the blame where it belongs, on the political "leaders" who are actually
the problem.
Bill, because he so closely identifies with EVERY "Landlord", feels personally
insulted when ANYONE says anything negative about even slumlords. In his fervor
for anti-DFL politics Bill seems to attack anyone who does not agree with him
as being one of the DFL panderers. Even those who have been far more effective
and active in their opposition to corrupt, conflict of interest, politics as
usual.
Bill, I have one thing to say to you. Unless you are defending a slumlord, we
are ON YOUR SIDE. Some of us on this Issues-List are also "rental property
providers". Some of those opposed to slumlords are possibly more "conservative"
than you. What we have in common is that we want a better, safer Minneapolis
for all people.
Kevin seemingly can not abide by Bill's defense of problem property owners who
contribute to the blight and crime in his community. I do KNOW the feeling,
even if I am a "Rental Provider". And Kevin, believe it or not there are those
among Bill's group that are also good property owners, that share every concern
you have. Bill probably does screen his tenants. May well do a very good job
with his property, I do not know but have not heard anything different. I DO
KNOW that as far as criminals and criminal activity is concerned, Bill has been
fighting for attention to this problem for at least the ten or twelve years I
have known him.
Though I must admit that I am worried about Bill when he says he does not know
me and may never have met me. Since I appeared on his group's television show
"meetings" so often that I was accused of being a part of, and even a leader,
of that group. Just for the record I never was. I decided not to be a part when
they refused to even consider a code of professional ethics for "Rental
Property Providers". NO group can start to be considered "professionals"
without adherence to a basic code of ethical conduct. But hat is a different
issue that should be ignored for now.
What we all need to do is either sit down, or stand around, and talk about our
shared interests and what the REAL problems are for Minneapolis' Impacted
Neighborhoods. Also talk about what efforts we can share in to address those
problems. Block Clubs, Neighborhood organizations, and ethical property owners
are on the same side. All are valuable parts of a community. Each should be
fighting to get rid of problem properties and problem people fromTHEIR
community. The real problems that each facesseems to bea Minneapolis
bureaucracy and political machine that has NO interest in addressing the shared
needs of THEIR community.
Otherwise we are like a bunch of seagulls fighting over a dead carp on the
beach while the politicians are setting behind their "Wall", watching the show
while sipping white wine and eating smoked salmon.
We do not have to kiss and make up, but we can put away the arguments about the
shade it should be painted until we have a roof built to keep the rain off of
our shared heads. Perhaps the next stop on the "Heart of the City's" North-side
tour would be a good place start. I believe the suggestions of the ladies is to
have it be at, or near, 26th and Penn Avenue. And the date is approaching.
To go with Nikki's good white wine I think I will bring a few "Salmons" to put
on the grill. I have a great marinade for that also. Soy, of course, orange
juice, a touch of ginger, and twenty minutes on the grill. A sauce of ground
arugula and baby spinach really goes good with it. Of course it is really good
as finger food while sipping the wine. My less than"couth" chef of ason prefers
a cold beer with it (hard to get the ghetto out of the boy). Now doesn't that,
with a garnish of political accountability,sound better than arguing overwho
owns thedead carp.
Jim Graham,
Without conflict communication and novel synthesis of information cannot take
place. Conflict is the fertile soil in which creativity grows. - Gem
BUT --- "Sharp knives and sharp tongues should each be used carefully, to avoid
cuttingone's own throat."
Jim:
Great post. I only have read your last ending remarks here and will now
read the rest of the dialogue from the beginning of this thread, so I
don't know all the issues that went into this. HOWEVER, You guys and
Brad and I and a few others are some of the most vocal and have some of
the longest track records of both neighborhood advocacy coupled with
property ownership ('rental home providers') ( I like adding 'home' to
that, because many want us to be providing entrepreneurial space their
commercial business of drug sales and prostitution, not homes for
families. We are NOT commercial rental providers!
We started an organization called 'Minneapolis Organization of
Responsible Landlords' (It is registered with the Sec. of State, Minn)
Spells MORL. (We wanted MORAL, but couldn't find a word for the 'A') It
began as a piece of both humor and outrage. Our landlord group sent
heavy-duty letters to slumlords (and I don't put quotes around the word
slumlord, because this is a real term for real people, not a cute term).
These people were one of the key groups destroying our rental business
and still are. We were not only against them for neighborhood reasons,
but for business reasons. They make our affordable rental business
impossible, making it both dangerous and costly to run this kind of
business with even minimal profits. Because of them, a property owner
here at times cannot even afford maintenance. They run decent working
tenants out of Phillips and then property owners sometimes can only find
tenants who want to live in the area to take advantage of this
entrepreneurial activity and join the thriving drug sale business. You
know..."Location, location, location"!
MORL was started to put the rental home landlords behind getting rid of
the slumlords and to make it a business issue, as well as a neighborhood
safety issue. We also wanted to limit membership to those willing to have
standards of business conduct for PROPERTY OWNERS or Rental Home
Providers. If a property owner did not advertise as a zero-tolerance
building (and follow through to make it so), did not screen and did not
use the crime-free lease addendum, did not maintain appearance, did not
allow inspectors inside the building and respond to their requirements,
and did not take care of behavior problems quickly, they could not be a
member. We thought that membership could be a marketing tool, to be
placed on Craig's List or wherever and that tenants looking for that
would flock to those guarantees. They would also be free to EVALUATE
their landlords and have a place to complain other than inspections,
where their complaints would have a market impact, both positive and
negative. For this we wanted to run a web site.
Our assumption was that we were not hurting anyone by this kind of
advertising. We were just carving out and advertising a 'market niche'.
If you want safety, some property owner surveillance and behavioral
requirements on everyone in the building including yourself PLUS real
affordability, here's your new home! If you want access to markets and
commercial possibilities in the form of nearness to drug sale and
prostitution customers, then there are plenty of other property owners to
rent from, but do not expect to avoid the behavior of others who are
claiming the same commercial corners and do not complain if violence
comes looking for you.
Given the huge burden of maintaining the neighborhood organization and
the same people doing much of this, doing a lot with MORL has not
occurred. However, our letter writing campaign to various slumlords WAS
effective and many things that happened from it suggested that this tool
had amazing potential. The org. is still registered at the state and we
still have hopes of continuing and growing this activity. I do not think
it is mean-spirited or nasty. It is simply a recognition of a different
business plan and an appeal to a different clientele, much like the
difference between Urban Outfitters and Savers or Rainbow Foods and the
Coop. And there are a very large number of families needing affordable
housing, who wish to use their housing dollars to purchase safety for
their children at no extra cost. They deserve to be responded to and
treated as a 'market niche'.
Carol and Brad Pass,