Des Moines's southside is not handicap accessible

I just moved into housing that has disabled & elderly people, the problem is the hazardous city bus stops for those who live where I do. There is no real sidewalks on Fleur Drive,plenty of traffic lights the disabled cannot use. There is plenty of traffic faster then a wheel chair or walker. Wattrous Ave. is the same only without traffic lights and no handicap accessible sidewalks, there is none and no where to load a wheel chair except on the street. The run around I get is the city bus company says it is the city and the city says it is the bus company who needs to handle this. I have three numbers I can call to file complaints and have the city audited to see if any money was given them to add sidewalks. I see in the paper that certain roads are being fixed. Why not fix the non existant sidewalks on Fleur & Wattrous Ave ???????
As far as loading the wheel chair goes, I am a paying customer who happens to be in a wheel chair. I get loaded out in the street,it is like taking my life in my own hands because of the bus company's record of hitting people. There were 7 serious accidents pedestrian vs. city bus this past 2 years.
I am an A.C.L.U. member and an N.A.A.C.P. supporter,I can and will be calling the Federal Access Board and H.U.D. and the U.S. Dept of Justice due to all these agencies ability to file a complaint and investigation. I know I am boning up on what I need to know before I get the online classes to get a degree.
I am not just speaking up for myself,I am speaking up for all the disabled & elderly where I live .

Iowa has done it again when it comes to housing the ill & elderly females

I saw in the paper the other day another female who is elderly and uses a motorized wheel chair isn't being helped.I am disabled and in a motorized wheel chair and at this point sick.The elderly woman is living in a storage unit with the Iowa's blessing.Instead of helping her get in an assisted living unit or disabled housing the head of Iowa's Dept.of Human Services has his head in the sand. My son who is an adult has seen first hand how women are treated in Iowa.Whether trying to get in an office in the State House or those who are ill.My son says it is a shame Iowa has gone to the dogs.The woman is staying in the storage unit like the one I rented for my belongings until I need to move them one more time.I obviously am not a woman with problems making decisions like the head of the Iowa Dept of Human Services likes to imply as an excuse to not help the woman in the storage unit or any woman in the same shoes. Are you the next woman the Dept.of Human Services refuses to help ? There are alot of people who are going to be out on the streets due to foreclosure.I predict some of them will be in the need of services, assisted living,a home health care nurse or disabled housing,will there be enough to go around ? People who are 30 to 55 have no place to get help,Iowa has this attitude that people that age do not have serious health issues. Does Iowa need an attitude adjustment after someone speaks up or goes online ?
As for housing,the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency needs to look into Melvin Canfields dealings with them over the property he rents out to their clients.His property is substandard to say the least,it rains inside due to bad pipes.He prefers to rent to druggies & drunks.I guess it is because he has a reason,when he kicks them out he gets to keep the deposit,right ?Someone like myself who paid him 5 1/2 years on time or early and didn't bring in his kind of people.Those like me are the wrong kind of renters.He used to rib me about hob knobbing with the snobs because I went tp State House functions and have memberships to some well known groups.We can say the A.C.L.U. and the N.A.A.C.P. and more.Now we know why Mel said what he did !!!

Nowhere for motorized wheelchairs

The city of Des Moines has no place for those of us who need a place to stay.There is no one who helps those of us who are 30 to 55 yrs. of age.I have been calling the past 8 weeks to get into disabled housing or assisted living.There was no place open,there was a 3 month to a 6 month waiting period.Who knows when their health is going to finish bottoming out ? I'd say no one knows when this will happen,even if some without health issues think they can tell. Walk a mile in a disabled persons shoes before you decide how things happen.
The city of Des Moines can seem to find money on a publication tooting their own horn and lay off people who perform city services.There is the Gateway Park art display if you can ,they found money for that.Yet,they cannot help the disabled who have been displaced find accessible housing.Let alone get more built so there is a place.
I have told City Hall if they cannot put something in I would start a web site for the three adult households.It would be cheaper rent and household bills.When I first mentioned this the reaction was don't do that by some city officials.The officers would have to learn how to deal with this. I know alot of officers and I am sure they won't have a problem with this.

Curtesy of the City Council

If you've been wondering where I've been,my health has been doing what it always does.I am battling several serious health problems that require several surgeries.
I have had to look at disabled housing or assisted living due to my health as usual.There are no units that do not have a waiting list.A person never knows when their health is going to get to the point they have to move to disabled housing fast.Waiting lists are ok for those who do not have health concerns & surgeries to get set up and put in there a heart attack and a motorized wheelchair.Trying to juggle several surgeons & doctors and two new doctors and look for housing in this situation is not good.I've called several places to see about housing to no avail and no place to get moved.My health has been bad since I was 25 years old,alot of people think this only happens when you are older and it doesn't.I have heard that there are homeless soldiers who are in a similar situation.It is all curtesy of the City Council and their beloved lofts & condos that no one can afford without bringing three adult households like I suggested before.I have been told by several at city hall they do not like the idea.I know it can work because it works for people in my situation but it would have to be set up a little different.Three adult households put some of your money back in your pocket,sharing the main household bills is why.If you divide the rent & electricity and etc. by three,the expense is cheaper. You just might end up in a nicer place,too.
I am a supporter of the officers here and alot of them know it.When I went to court for a legal name change - family change I tried to educate the officers I was around.
Most of them knew about the legal name change part but not the family change part or what happened in court or why. A few knew why as they know the former biological family and why I wanted out the legal way.I handled the court hearing and saved alot of money.
I know I am luckier then most around here as I went from having nothing but the kids,to making it as far as getting the audio & video studio and knowing how to use the equipment I have on my own.I took a preliminary college test last october and I am close to a law degree,self-taught.I got the results three days after I found out my total spine crashed.I was in a long term relationship with one of the best private investigator in Des Moines 11 1/2 years.He taught me what I know how to do when he was too busy to do it.I still have the souvineers of those years.He helped raise my son and the funny or eerie thing was they looked like father & son.My son has a clean record to this day. I think it is because of my life back then and who I let around my house and kids.

A room of ones own - Homeless in Des Moines& near homeless

City Council seems to think their secret is how critical the housing situation really is,and it never happens in their city. What do you do when you cannot afford the rent in your community or a mortgage payment during a high rate of foreclosure ? What if a charity group came in and offered huts/hooches and you did not know about building permits ? What if that charity group had the right idea but was not aware of how the Housers (mentioned on this web site) put the first ones in.Yes,it happens in Des Moines Iowa and has been this way a long time. Go to the Village Voice and go to the news section and put in the search,Homelessnessness and look for House Rules,it gives you the history of the huts / hooches.As I mentioned Vince Aletti sometimes writes for the Village Voice,I have the same last name as most of you know.He is listed under arts if you are interested.Are tents at a camp site safer then the huts/hoochs,in the Iowa winter the answer is no.What gives the City Council & Mayor the priviledge of telling residents how to handle their situation ? I believe there are alot of adults they think they have control of.However,I am disabled and I am an A.C.L.U. member and an NAACP card carrying supporter and card carrying member of Poeple for the American Way and I am an independent female.Mark Godwin,city legal does not like these facts,we have discussed this along time ago.I believe it was after I called the General Accounting Office in Wash,DC,or the top dogs.I called there to ask if I could have the Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency books audited. I have a federal phone book thanks to a friend in Wash DC.How much can I do around here ?

Questionable conduct ?????

It is no wonder the homeless & near homeless has been a part of Des Moines a long time. It did not just start yesterday,folks and you could be the next one on the streets or at a shelter to keep from freezing to death on the streets.
The City of Des Moines has been talking about cuts in service, they gave a list of those who need to expect to be laid off.It seems like they may try to make cuts at the Police Dept. and fire Dept. as well.What do I know ? There was the $3 million to renovate the Vets Auditorium - City Council does not seem to realize people live on the streets here.
I know there are people with disabilities,physical like mine and other disabilities on the street.I am lucky,I have family who set up my audio & video Studio so I have a handicap accessible place to be during the day.It is so I can get to my doctors & surgeons offices.Those who do not know me I've spent alot of my life in and out of surgery.I am still in and out,I had surgery Nov.13 and expect to be back in surgery in a couple of weeks again.It isn't over by a long shot to get me back in one piece.I know how hard it is to be disabled and have shoddy transportation,It is even worse for those on the streets with disabilities.
One more thing, I just saw alot of the City Council's favored lofts and condos on the local foreclosure list. Maybe some of those people need a hobby that could pay some of the bills or maybe it is too late for those condo & lofts owners.They got in over their heads.Three adult households might be able to make it here. I know mine is doing great,we had a 13 year anniversary since court made us a three adult family.

It's the New Year and the homeless huts are gone - What's next ?

The residents of Des Moines deserves a better city council then we have. City Council doesn't seem to have the decency to do what is right.The homeless huts are gone and due to that move a homeless,elderly man nearly froze to death after having to return to a tent.Why should anyone care ? It could be you out there next,a medical emergency or a chronic,serious medical problem could put you out of housing.Then there is the mortgage crisis,a foreclosure could put you on the streets.
When you have a city council who have the me - first or big businesses - first attitudes that has gotten out of hand recently,we have problems.It's a matter of time someone like me gives them a taste of their own medicine.However,Des Moines does have some residents who are foolish enough to believe that if they say something it won't matter or help. Every little bit of help the residents can do, helps.
It's winter and there's homeless and near homeless,some are elderly and disabled.When you add the mortgage crisis there are more people out in the cold,there is nothing certain about the miseries except it is out of control.
The mornings are freezing and some days too but we need to stop and think about the freezing nights and who is out there.