2020 will bring big changes to Salinas' skyline as new affordable housing, a police station, a library, a homeless shelter and more are slated toopen.

The projects have been in the works for years and are spread throughout Salinas, including Chinatown.

Here areseveral big projects scheduled to open in 2020:

The new Moon Gate Plaza located in Chinatown is under construction in on Dec. 21, 2019.(Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

The exterior work on the MoonGate Plaza affordable housing complex in Chinatown is done, said Betsy Wilson, director of special projects at MidPen Housing, which is developing the project.

It will offer 88 unitsfor low-income tenants, with half of them reserved for those referred by health officials, she said.MidPen is waiting on some final work on elevators and then approval from inspectors.

"Just as soon as that's done, we're going to be ramping up to moving people in," she said.

MidPen has received more than 800 applications 23 had been approved as of last week, Wilson said.Most of the units are studios.

Workers in early 2018 beganbuilding the complex, which will also dedicate five apartments for artists.

The new Moon Gate Plaza located in Chinatown is under construction in on Dec. 21, 2019.(Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

State and federal tax credits provided the lion's share of the $38.9 million price tag.The city donated the property, valued at about $500,000, and $2.5 million.

The project also has space for storefronts and retail on the ground floor.

Wilson said she hopes MoonGate will be ready for tenants to start moving in by the end of January. She doesn't expect to have all the rooms filled until all applications are finished, which may take several months.

MidPen currently isn't building any other housing complexes in Salinas, Wilson said.

More: Affordable housing props could mean $55M for Monterey County

"This is... our first community in Salinas," she said. "... We continue to look for opportunities but there are a lot of constraints, the primary one being a lack of local funding."

Indeed, Salinas has an enormous affordable housing crunch and is well short of its 2023 goal of 2,229 homes being built, according to the Monterey Bay Econoomic Partnership.

855 E. Laurel Drive, the planned site of a new Salinas homeless shelter.(Photo: Joe Szydlowski, The Californian)

Salinas will be getting a new homeless shelter, expected to be completed by December 2020, at 855 E. Laurel Drive.

The 16,000-square-foot facilitywill have 100 beds and a fully functional kitchen, according to Monterey County. The board of supervisors in November awarded the $5,760,231 contract to Avila Construction, which is expected to begin work in January, according to a staff report.

It will also replace the current homeless shelter, which is housed in a repurposed modular at 111 W. Alisal Street.

But the East Laurel Drive locationprompted protests and galvanized Creekbridge residents to oppose the location.

They lobbied the Salinas city council to oppose the project, which is a joint effort by the city and the county, over concerns about it attracting crime and drug use to their neighborhoods.

City officials said it was the only site that had all the necessary traits and was publicly owned. In addition, it is close to Natividad for medical emergencies.

The location of the planned homeless shelter at 855 E. Laurel Drive.(Photo: PROVIDED/MONTEREY COUNTY)

Ultimately, the project moved forward. The county is handling the construction side, including awarding the bids.

About $6 million in state funds are paying for the project, with Salinas and Monterey County sharingthe remaining costs, most of which arefor professional services, testing, inspections and permitting, according to the county's Resource Management Agency.

More: UPDATE: Salinas council votes to move forward with homeless shelter near Natividad

More: New homeless shelter moves forward for Salinas

More: Creekbridge group protests proposed year-round homeless shelter site in Salinas

The old Rabobank building on Main Street, Dec. 21, 2019 (Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

Oldtown's Rabobank building will be transformed in 2020 into around 50 apartments.

The historic building's six floors of office space will be retooled into studio apartments, said Brad Slama, the owner and developer.

Workers spent 2019 tearing out the old office-space and will build the apartments this year.

He's hoping to have them ready by the end of the year for tenants and already has a wait list with 40 applicants.

The old Rabobank building in Main Street on Dec. 21, 2019 (Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

The renters will also have a rooftop terrace, he said. If they were on the market today, he'd expect the rent to be about $1,200 per month.

The apartments will also be pet friendly, he said.

The new Salinas Police Service Headquarters located between E. Alisal and John Street on Dec. 21, 2019.(Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

The most expensive addition to Salinas' skyline will be the new, $56 million Salinas police station at 312 E. Alisal St.

"We're on-time with the original construction schedule," said Cmdr. Stanley Cooper, who is overseeing the project for the police department.

The exterior is done, and workers are now focused on the interior, such as putting down carpet and tile and finishing up plumbing and electrical work.

"They're probably 80, 85 percent complete right now," he said.

The building's design also includes space for expansion.

"You dont build a new building to meet todays needs, you build it to meet future needs," he said.

The current police station, built in 1958, accommodated a much smaller police force, he said.

The new Salinas Police Service Headquarters located between E. Alisal and John Street on Dec. 21, 2019.(Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

"The building is literally falling apart," he said. "We've had a number of electrical, plumbing (issues) and roof leaks. It's well past its viable state."

The new facility will have a more spacious lobby and a community room open to the public. In addition, offenders needing to register will enter through a separate door.

It will also have a separate steel structure for storage.

The project is also coming in under budget, Cooper said, and it's expected to be occupied in March.

City officials broke ground on the new station in 2018.

More: Five things to know about your new $56M Salinas police station

More: Salinas Public Safety Center projected to open 2019

The new El Gabilan Library/Biblioteca on Dec. 21, 2019/ (Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

North Salinas' new library is nearly open, said Kristan Lundquist, Library and Community Services director for the city.

The project to replace the original 3,500 square feet of library space with a 21,000-square-foot, two-story library is on budget and on-time, she said.

Workers are finishing up the exterior and Lundquist plans to move in sometime in February.Funds donated by nearby residents also helped with the ambiance outside.

The new facility will feature a community room, an amphitheater, a children's discovery area with hands-on activities and a second floor for adults.

"The whole bottom floor is focused on youth, and we have some designated adult-use space as well," she said.

It will share parking with the allUSCredit Union, which paid $1.4 million in lease dues up front as seed money for the library, Lundquist said.

The total cost is about $21 million. The library has already received its temporary certificate of occupancy.

At the end of January, Salinas will close its temporary library at Northridge Mall.

"We're working now, in the process of planning our grand opening celebration," she said. "It'll be a day full of activities."

More: City breaks ground on new, much larger El Gabilan Library

More: New Salinas police headquarters, El Gabilan Library projects moving forward

More: As El Gabilan Library prepares to temporarily close, it's ready to party

The old municipal pool center located in Sherwood Park on Dec. 21, 2019. (Photo: David Rodriguez/The Salinas Californian)

The long-delayed Sherwood Community Center is close to opening.

The $3 million rehab for the former municipal swimming pool should be finished within three months, said Megan Hunter, director of community development for the city.

Workers have filled in the swimming pool as well as replaced windows and degraded wood, she said. Some of the space has been converted to office space and a new HVAC system was installed.

That HVAC system caused one delay because the city didn't have funding for it at the time.

Community Development Block Grants are funding the renovations, Hunter said.

It will have gym space for basketball and volleyball. In addition, it will have classroom space.

More: When will Salinas' new recreation center open?

This artist's rendering shows the interior of the planned Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System Center, which is expected to be open for the Spring 2021 class.(Photo: PROVIDED/HARTNELL COLLEGE)

Hartnell College is adding a 24,000-square-foot facility for its Nursing and Health Sciences students, said Scott Faust, director of communications and marketing at the college, in a press release.

The community college broke ground Dec. 12 on the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System Center, named after the hospital and medical services organization that donated $3 million to the college.

Work will take place in 2020 with the opening scheduled in time for the Spring 2021 class, he said.

The facility will help train students of registered nursing, vocational nursing, respiratory careand emergency medical technicians in addition to other programs. It will also include a student health clinic.

The college's governing board chose Salinas contractor Tombleson Co., which placed a $21.42 million bid.

While Salinas Valley Memorial donated $3 million to the health sciences at Hartnell, the voter-passed Measure T 2016 ballot measure is paying for the construction.

Hartnell is also building two South County projects: A16,750-square-foot multipurpose education center in Soledad and a 12,500-square-foot expansion of its King City Education Center.

Both projects are planned to open for the 2021 Spring semester. A third education center in Castroville is expected to break ground in the summer.

Joe Szydlowski is a multimedia journalist for the Salinas Californian who covers local government, crime and cannabis. Follow him on Twitter attwitter.com/JoeSzyd_Salinas. He can be reached at 235-2360. Help support The Californian's work:https://bit.ly/2Qo298J

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Housing, homeless shelter and more: What's coming to Salinas in 2020 - The Californian

Behind the Scenes at CFP Championship, Super Bowl LIII, NBA All-Star, NCAA Final Four, NFL Draft, Indy 500, and U.S. Open

Following on the heels of a year that saw both the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics Games and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, one might have expected the 2019 sports-production calendar to be a bit quieter. As this year draws to a close, its clear that that could not be farther from the truth. Broadcast networks and digital distribution platforms alike were busy from January on, upping the production ante on every event from the College Football Playoff National Championship Game to the Super Bowl to the Indianapolis 500 and more. In addition, 2019 saw the U.S. Womens National Soccer Team once again emerge victorious at the FIFA Womens World Cup.

Here is a look back at many of the events where SVG was onsite, including both traditional tournaments like the NCAA Mens Basketball Final Four and the US Open, as well as esports tournaments like Overwatch League Finals and the ESL One New York. Read on and remember the new technologies and production workflows that were introduced this year, and most importantly the people behind the scenes who brought these productions and many more to life. Also check out PART 2 and PART 3 of Road Warriors.

Levis Stadium, Santa Clara, CAJanuary 7

At the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship, ESPN once again went all-in for the big game, deploying more than 310 cameras to cover all the action at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, and providing 17 viewing options via the MegaCast over 11 TV and radio networks and via the ESPN app.

The thing that makes this event is the volume and magnitude of what we put behind it but also the time frame, said John LaChance, director, remote production operations, ESPN, prior to the January 7 game. [There are] other marquee events, which stand alone, but, with the volume and viewer enhancements being done here in a 72-hour window to get everything installed, this event [is] in a unique classification. Trying to integrate everything into place was a herculean effort.

The core of ESPNs production efforts were done out of Game Creek Videos 79 A and B units with Nitro A and B handling game submix, EVS overflow, 360 replay, robo ops, and tape release. ESPNs team that created 17 MegaCast offerings was onsite, housed in Nitro and Game Creeks Edit 3 and Edit 4 trailers and TVTruck.tvs Sophie HD. Game Creek Videos Yogi, meanwhile, was on hand for studio operations, and Maverick was also in the compound. All told, 70 transmission paths (50 outbound, 20 inbound) flowed through the compound, and 40 miles of fiber and cable was deployed to supplement what already exists at Levis Stadium.

Also on hand was Fletcher, which provided robotics; BSI, which handled wired pylons and RF audio and video; 3G, which was in charge of the line-to-gain PylonCam and the first-and-10marker camera; Vicareo, with the Ref Cams; and CAT Entertainment, for UPS and power. SMT was on board for the 1st & Ten lines; PSSI, for uplink; Bexel, for RF audio and other gear; and Illumination Dynamics, for lighting. Ken Kerschbaumer

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GAFebruary 3

Super Bowl LIII is in the books and, for the production team at CBS Sports, it was the culmination of years of work, site visits, and planning. As usual, it was a massive effort and provided plenty of innovation, including a one-of-a-kind show open that featured an impressive technical undertaking.

Out in the truck compound, NEPs SSCBS A, B, C, and D units were at the center of the effort. The A unit housed game production, game graphics, and goalpostrobo-camera operation. The B unit had game audio and IPG distribution headend; the C unit housed the majority of EVS game replay operators, ChyronHego operations, and SMT first-down-line operations. The D unit, meanwhile, handled tease edits.

Game Creek Videos Encore A unit was on hand for additional game video, pre/postgame audio and video, and 8K operations; the B unit handled pre/postproduction, graphics, and C360 operations. The C unit was home to pre/post EVS, the Sony server operators who worked with the Fletcher-provided HDC-4800 4K cameras, and 8K operators.

F&F Productions GTX17 handled tape-release production, backup production, additional game EVS, and additional game video, and GTX18B was home to comms, Pico replay operators, a second pylon operator, augmented-reality operations, and EA Sports.

Game Creek Edit 3, 4, and B-5 also played key roles. Edit 3 handled ingests, game and pre/post editing, color tease, game After Effects operations, and MAM. Edit 4 housed pre/post After Effects, pre/post Duets, and graphics management. And B-5 was home to pan-bar robotic operations and all other Fletcher robos except for those on the goalposts, which were handled in NEP SSCBS A.

NEPs TX/ESU trailer was onsite for router distribution, transmission control, and distribution to the world feed, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, halftime show, and all other outside vendors. And the AVS RF truck managed all RF cameras for game and pre/post as well as camera-feed distribution to SSCBS B, Encore A, and video-paint control in those trucks. KK

Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NCFebruary 17

The 2019 NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte, NC, ushered in the use of Skycam as a production tool deployed to cover game action. It was used first on Friday for the Rising Stars game at the Spectrum Center and then during last nights Skills Challenge. For the main event, Skycam coverage was not only integrated into the main broadcast on TNT but was also available as the main camera in an alternative broadcast available on TBS.

People are enjoying the unique angles Skycam gives, said Chris Brown, director of technical operations, Turner Sports (pictured here along with Senior Technical Manager Pete Rintelman) . Its similar to what it brought to football coverage in that you can have a sense of the space between players.

Skycam deployment began with the answer to a key question: how can it be used but not be distracting to players or, more important, actually get hit by a basketball in play? Helping to answer those concerns was the use of shot data from Second Spectrum, which tracks the height of every shot taken during NBA games. As long as the Skycam stays above that height (approximately 28 ft.), it should steer clear of any balls in flight.

Also new this year was the use of NEPs EN1 as the production unit for the All-Star Game. NEP refurbished the EN1 C unit, and the layout allowed the Turner production team to consolidate replay and super-slo-mo operations; in previous All-Star events, they needed to be split apart.

Game coverage relied on approximately 40 cameras, with the major addition of a robotic camera on a large crane behind the basket. An important part of the weekend was the use of RF cameras, and AVS was on hand with two RF Steadicams and two RF handheld cameras.

NEPs SS16 was used for the halftime show. NCPX returned for All-Star Saturday and was also used to produce the live alternative broadcast that aired on TBS (the main broadcast, produced out of EN1, was seen on TNT). KK

U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MNApril 5-8

The 2019 NCAA Mens Basketball Final Four in Minneapolis was another massive video operation with two full production compounds (one inside the bowels of U.S. Bank Stadium and another outside in a parking lot), more than 50 cameras in the bowl of the stadium, and more than 400 CBS staffers alone on site to pull everything together.

Its our typical Final Four circus that rolls into town, said Patty Power, EVP of Operations and Engineering for CBS Sports, during the tournament. Its all working as it should be. Everything is solid.

While there wasnt much thats new technologically, there were still plenty of fun production staples that have become expected at an event like this, including a SkyCam and RailCam, a robotic camera that slides on a track on the floor along the near sideline. Theres also been a new set of robos installed on the baskets behind the glass of the backboards to add an extra, unique look.

Thirty five cameras in the stadium worked the game coverage while another 13 were dedicated to studio programming. CBS and Turner had two different sets, each in the student sections behind each of the baskets that served as home for pregame and halftime coverage throughout Saturday and Monday evening.

The biggest challenges of this years venue were lighting and finding the right camera angles in such a massive bowl for basketball. A lot of work went into the blacking out of open glass features of the stadium, including on the roof and along the front entrance gates. Last years Final Four at the Alamodome served as a much more intimate atmosphere for basketball, in comparison, so much of the prep in the days leading up to tip off this year have been dedicated to calibrating cameras and juggling positions to get the most ideal angles for a basketball television broadcast in a non-basketball facility.

Down inside the main production compound, Game Creek Videos 79 was the primary game support vehicle, while NEPs Supershooter 22 ran studio shoulder programming. Brandon Costa

Lower Broadway, Nashville, TNApril 25-27

In its 40th consecutive year coveringtheevent, ESPN assembled its largest NFL Draft productiontodate in Nashville. With dual primetime telecasts on ESPN and ABC forthefirst time, plus a cavalcade of onsite studio shows, ESPNs NFL Draft footprint was bigger than ever. In addition, both ESPNs traditional Draft telecast andtheABCsCollege GameDay-styletelecast were produced in 1080p forthefirst time.

This year is by far our biggest Draft production ever, said Steve Carter, senior operations manager, ESPN, duringtheNFL Draft. Wehave seven mobile units, five sets, and over 60 cameras including eight RF cameras betweenthemain Draft [on ESPN], ABC, and all our other shows out here. Plus, boththeDraft [telecasts] are being produced in 1080p. Even thoughweve got all these shows going on here,weve builttheinfrastructure andtheinterconnectiontobe abletohandle it all pretty seamlessly.Insidethecompound, NEPs EN1 and ND1 seven mobile in total were tightly integrated, allowing any source (video, audio, comms, etc.) from throughoutESPNs Broadway setuptobe accessed from anywhere.

Meanwhile, NFL Media fully embracedtheNashville scene attheDraft, bookending Lower Broadway with a pair of NFL Network sets located ontheDraft Main Stage and attachedtothelegendary Tootsies Orchid Lounge honky-tonk bar. Whilethedowntown streetside locations made for breathtaking on-air visuals,theconfined space on Lower Broadway also presented plenty of challenges fortheNFL Media team.

We always try to tell the story of the city and give viewers the feel of being here at the Draft, said Dave Shaw, VP Production, NFL Media, in Nashville (pictured here). Broadway truly highlights the fabric of Nashville its always crowded and hopping with music everywhere until 3 a.m. Of course, we wanted to be right in the middle of all that, so we knew we needed to find a way to make this work. The biggest challenge has been the limitations in terms of space here on Broadway, but I think we were able to handle that really well.

Game Creek Videos Encore served as hometoNFL Medias Draft production, whiletheNFL NetworksRed Carpet ShowandGood Morning Footballshows were at-home productions run out of NFL Medias Culver City, CA, broadcast center. Jason Dachman

Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, INMay 26

When Memorial Day Weekend rolls around in the U.S., racing fans know what time it is. At the world-renowned Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 33 drivers revved their engines and embarked on a mechanical sprint towards history in the 103rd Indianapolis 500. The weekend also marked a massive milestone for the team at NBC Sports, who take over as the host broadcaster this year, bringing The Greatest Spectacle in Racing to homes across America for the very first time.

NBC deployed an impressive arsenal of live video technology to give this years race a truly elite on-air look. Much of it was made possible by working alongside the racetracks experienced in-house operations unit, IMS Productions.

From the engineering and operational side, it has been a success working directly with IMS Productions, said Ken Goss, SVP, Remote Operations and Production Planning, NBC Sports Group, speaking before the race. Theyve been great partners, and they did a terrific job [with helping us] converge all of our operations here. Were looking forward to our first Indy 500 and are happy to forge a strong, ongoing partnership with IMS Productions.

A whopping 80 cameras were scattered across the sprawling 560-acre campus, highlighted by a grouping of five Sony HDC-4300s at 6X super-slow motion. These high-speed cameras were located on the cars right side at Turns 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Inside the operational nucleus, five trucks supplied by IMS Productions housed a fair number of the 200 staffers onsite. The main race coverage operated in IMSPs HD-3 and HD-5 mobile production units. HD-3 was built around a Grass Valley Kayenne K Frame 5M/E switcher, while HD-5 featured Grass Valleys Kayenne K Frame 8M/E switcher. The main race telecast also had 103 iso record channels at its disposal and a full slate of replay equipment from EVS: four 12-channel servers with ChannelMAX and 10 eight-channel XT3 servers, two with SpotBox and two with IPDirector. Kristian Hernandez

Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CAJune 13-16

This years U.S. Open featured great shots from the drone patrolling the Pebble Beach Golf Links coastline as well as shots from four robotic hard cameras that were able to capture the action from new angles.

There are few courses as good as this one to use drone technology, said Mike Davies, SVP, technical and field operations, Fox Sports, speaking at the tournament. There are so many active holes along the coastline, and director Steve Beim has done a great job directing the drones and doing some cool things. Drone technology has come of age here at the U.S. Open.

Last years U.S. Open at Shinnecock saw two developments in compound layout that have carried over to this year. First, space constraints required some of the personnel and operations (such as camera and audio support) to be moved to a Technology Tent located closer to the course. But another change was to move beyond a compound full of office trailers lined up next to each other.

Instead, under the direction of Fox Sports Brad Cheney, VP, field operations and engineering, and Sarita Meinking, director, field operations, multiple trailers were combined, literally eliminating the walls between the operations, production, digital, PR, and other departments.

There were three key partners for Fox Sports. Game Creek Video provided the production facilities; CP Communications, fiber and RF infrastructures; and Filmwerks, handled power needs.

The core of Fox Sports U.S. Open coverage was mobile units from Game Creek Video, specifically Encore A, B, and C, which have been at the center of all five of the networks U.S. Open broadcasts.

Pride A and B were also onsite, handling audio submix, super-slo-mo replay, graphics, HDR-video support, engineering, and an emergency production area. KK

NOTE: This Road Warriors article appears in the 2020 SVG Mobile Production Yearbook. CLICK HERE to read the digital version of the full publication now!

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Road Warriors 2019, Part 1: The Top Sports-Production Highlights of the Year - Sports Video Group

As homelessness surged to crisis levels in California in 2019, so did the violent attacks on people living in tents and on sidewalks and the political and law enforcement efforts to keep homeless encampments off the streets.

Physical assaults and criminalization efforts combined have made 2019 a particularly grim and terrifying year for many Californians struggling to survive without a roof over their head.

They are trying to shove us underneath the carpet, and its just not fair, said Shanna Couper Orona, 46, who is currently living out of an RV in San Francisco. San Francisco is supposed to be progressive, a place where you love everyone, take care of everyone But theyve turned their backs on us just because were unhoused. They are leaving us with nothing.

In a state with the worlds fifth largest economy, an IPO tech boom and some of the richest people on earth, Californias severe affordable housing shortage has become what advocates describe as a moral failing and public health emergency.

Los Angeles experienced a 16% increase in homelessness this year, with a total of 36,000 people now homeless across the city, including 27,000 without shelter. San Franciscos homeless count surged 17% to more than 8,000 people. There was a 42% increase in San Jose, a 47% increase in Oakland, a 52% increase in Sacramento county and increases in the Central Valley agricultural region and wealthy suburbs of Orange county.

There were patterns across cities: huge numbers of people experiencing homelessness for the first time, evictions and unaffordable rents leading people to the streets, families and seniors increasingly homeless, and higher rates of the homeless not getting shelter.

Homeless people are everywhere now, and they are becoming more and more desperate, said Stephen Cue Jn-Marie, an LA pastor who was formerly homeless and now works with people living on Skid Row, known for its massive encampments. All of these people are human beings. We need to respond to this as if its an earthquake.

The growing visibility has led to an increase in complaints, news coverage focused on housed people who reside near encampments, and intense media attention on the rare cases of violence perpetuated by people living on the streets.

Communities have largely declined to treat the crisis like a natural disaster that demands humanitarian aid. In many places, what followed instead was a backlash, and in some cases overt attacks.

There were at least eight incidents in LA where people threw flammable liquids or makeshift explosives at homeless people or their tents this year, according to authorities and the Los Angeles Times.

A 62-year-old beloved musicians tent was set on fire in Skid Row in August, killing him in what police say was an intentional killing. That month, two men also allegedly threw a firework at an encampment, causing a blaze that grew into a major brush fire just outside of the city. One of the men arrested was the son of a local chamber of commerce president. Police said this fire was intentional. In a separate attack, a molotov cocktail destroyed tents and donations.

In San Francisco, a man was caught on video appearing to dump a bucket of water on a homeless woman and her belongings on the sidewalk in June. Witnesses said it seemed to be a deliberate attack.

Three months later, San Franciscans who said they were upset with homeless people in their neighborhood paid to install two-dozen knee-high boulders along a sidewalk in an effort to stop them from living on the streets.

In neighboring Oakland, a resident recently put up an unauthorized concrete barrier in the middle of the street to deter homeless people from parking RVs. A real estate developer taunted homeless people by shouting free money at them and offering to pay them to leave their encampment in Oakland.

Residents repeatedly organized against proposed homeless shelters in their neighborhoods, most notably in a wealthy San Francisco area where locals crowdfunded $70,000 to hire an attorney to fight a shelter project.

A lot of it is brought out by this fear of the other as if their homeless neighbors are not neighbors at all, or not even people for that matter, said TJ Johnston, who is currently staying in shelters in San Francisco and is an editor with Street Sheet, a local homelessness publication. Hearing wealthy residents complain this year was like watching angry online comment sections come to life, he said: Its very dehumanizing to be looked upon as a nuisance.

As the crisis has worsened, local governments have spent billions to create new housing and provide services, but the scale of the response has been inadequate. Cities have increasingly looked to law enforcement and legal maneuvers to tackle the problem.

Those political efforts to further criminalize the homeless in turn have sparked intense anger and fear among the homeless population and their advocates.

LA leaders fought to ban people from sleeping on streets and sidewalks throughout the city. In Lancaster, a desert city north of LA, the mayor has pushed a proposal to ban groups that provide food to homeless people and suggested people should buy firearms to protect themselves from violent people on the streets.

This month, in a case closely watched by many west coast cities, the US supreme court dealt a victory to homeless advocates by allowing an existing ruling to stand that states governments cannot ban people from living on the street if they dont offer enough shelter beds.

Officials in Oakland have proposed a new policy to cite homeless people in parks while some have suggested setting up a shelter in a defunct jail. Law enforcement leaders in Bakersfield in the Central Valley pushed a plan to throw homeless people in jail for misdemeanor offenses. A state taskforce has also suggested a similar system of forcibly placing homeless people into shelters.

These efforts ignore the overwhelming evidence that criminalization and locking people up are costly and harmful responses that fail to fix the crisis, said Eve Garrow, homelessness policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.

Theres a dangerous and disturbing movement in California to address homelessness not by expanding access to safe, affordable and permanent housing but by jailing people, she said. Its a terrifying prospect of a world in which we segregate, incarcerate and restrict the civil liberties of people just because they have disabilities and they are too poor to afford a home in our skyrocketing private rental market.

Fears and unfounded stereotypes about people experiencing homelessness seem to be driving these policy pushes to jail those in need, she said.

The Trump administration has created further anxiety by repeatedly suggesting he might pursue some kind of police crackdown in California to clear the streets of encampments.

The president has used the crisis to attack Democratic leaders in the state, and has complained about homeless people in LA and San Francisco taking up space on the best highways, our best streets, our best entrances to buildings where people in those buildings pay tremendous taxes, where they went to those locations because of the prestige.

Its a huge concern are they just going to take people to jail? said Kat Doherty, an LA woman who became homeless this year and is living at a shelter at Skid Row. Trumps talk has terrified her and others, she said. Its horrendous. It sounds like a death camp situation.

With the president promoting criminalization, it could inspire some anti-Trump Democrats in California to push back, said Jennifer Friedenbach, the executive director for the Coalition on Homelessness in San Francisco. Theres some hopefulness that it will force the local municipalities to shift in opposition to Trump and talk about how criminalization doesnt work.

But some are not optimistic about 2020, especially since the crisis is on track to continue escalating, with people falling into homelessness at rates that far outpace governments ability to find housing for those on the street.

Conditions are going to get worse and the responses are going to get worse, said Jn-Marie.

If the political attacks continue next year, some said they hoped to see more communities fighting to stand up for the homeless.

I want people to give a fuck and help. Dont just ignore it, Orona said. Just because were unhoused doesnt mean were not San Francisco residents. We still have a heartbeat. We still buy food. We still exist.

See original here:
Theyve turned their backs on us: California's homeless crisis grows in numbers and violence - The Guardian

The damage outdoor air pollution is doing to our planet and our health has never been more apparent, and you could be forgiven for thinking you're safer indoors. Sadly, you're not.

Although the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations (EFA) estimates we spend up to 90% of our time indoors, levels of air pollutants inside homes and workplaces may be up to 10 times higher than outdoors.

Such pollution is caused by many things, including chemicals used for cleaning or decorating, heating, cooking, building materials, tobacco smoke, house dust mites and pet dander. And it can be exacerbated by poor ventilation, room temperature, damp, condensation, and pollution that has come indoors from outside.

Indoor air quality is crucial for human health, and particularly important for vulnerable groups, such as babies, children and the elderly, as well as people living with respiratory and allergic diseases.

Dr Nick Hopkinson, medical director at the British Lung Foundation (blf.org.uk), says: "Everyone knows outdoor air pollution poses a serious risk to health, but people often overlook the impact of air quality within our own homes. Smoking and any other source of smoke, as well as fumes from chemicals used for cleaning, can contribute to lung disease, and one of the major problems is for people in cold, damp homes where mould can grow."

So, what can you do to improve the air quality in your home?

1. Reduce the use of cleaning and decorating products

Some home cleaning and decorating products, including detergents, furniture polish, air fresheners, carpet and oven cleaners, paint, varnish and glue, can contain chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), like acetone, xylene and formaldehyde, which evaporate into the air when used or sometimes even stored, says the BLF. Products labelled allergy-friendly tend to have lower VOC levels, so try using those, or even just use a damp cloth if possible. Try to use solid or liquid cleaning products, rather than sprays, as when sprays get into the air, they can be breathed in more easily and can get further down your airways.

"Overuse of cleaning products should be avoided," advises Hopkinson, who says more rigorous research is needed before there's certainty about the effects of breathing in chemicals in homes, although about half of studies suggest being exposed to them increases the risk of developing allergies or asthma.

2. Ban tobacco smoke

If anyone smokes in your home, tiny particles from tobacco smoke can drift throughout the house and remain at harmful levels for up to five hours, says the BLF. If you smoke at home, smoke outside, close the door behind you and move away from the house. Or, even better, quit!

3. Ensure good ventilation

Always open a window when cleaning or decorating to ensure there's plenty of ventilation, so any pollution can escape outside. Allergy UK (allergyuk.org) points out that house dust mites need moisture, and ventilation will reduce humidity. Generally opening windows, particularly in the bedroom, will ensure good air flow throughout the house, and help expel pollution created in the home by heating and cooking. "Keeping homes as well ventilated as possible to reduce the build-up of moisture from bathing and drying laundry can help," says Hopkinson.

4. Purify your air

Allergy UK says running an air purifier continually, as per the manufacturer's instructions, can help to reduce/remove airborne allergens such as house dust mites, mould spores, dander, VOCs and smoke.

5. Keep floors and furniture clean

Pollutants like house dust mites and pet dander can settle on floors and furniture, so Allergy UK recommends carpets are kept clean using a vacuum with efficient pick up and filtration, hard floor surfaces are washed with hot, soapy water, and soft furnishings are washed regularly on a hot wash cycle.

6. Make your tile grouting water-resistant

In kitchens and bathrooms, Allergy UK recommends householders use water-resistant grouting for tiled areas, applied flush with the work surface to eliminate any chances of mould, which can cause respiratory problems.

7. Ventilate when cooking and heating

Cookers, heaters, stoves and open fires can release pollutants into your home, warns the BLF. They can release particulate matter (PM) - microscopic particles of dust and dirt in the air - and gases including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide. Even when you cook with gas or electricity, tiny easily-inhaled particles are released, particularly when cooking with gas, which can release carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and oxides of nitrogen.

To keep such pollution to a minimum, make sure the house is well-ventilated and gas heaters and cookers have a flue, chimney, or other vent that releases the polluted air outside.

8. Sweep chimneys regularly

Burning wood and coal in a stove or on an open fire releases particulate matter. The BLF says this can irritate your nose and throat, giving you a cough or breathing problems. Studies show smoke from wood heating enters neighbouring homes, too. If you must burn coal or wood, says the BLF, make sure the chimneys are inspected and swept regularly by a HETAS-qualified sweep. Avoid buying a wood-burning stove or using an open fire if someone in your household has a lung condition. Install alarms for both smoke and carbon monoxide, and check the batteries regularly.

9. Service your tech

Dangerous, and potentially lethal, amounts of invisible and odourless carbon monoxide can be produced if cooking and heating appliances are faulty. The BLF advises householders to ensure such appliances are regularly maintained by a certified engineer. Install extractor fans over gas stoves and ranges, and always use them.

10. Use pea shingle for plants

Cover houseplant soil in plant pots with pea shingle, to stop mould settling and forming, suggests Allergy UK.

11. Be careful with candles and incense

Candles and incense sticks emit particles and other pollutants when they burn. According to the BLF, incense sticks emit more than 100 times the number of fine particles than a candle does. However, while one candle in a room can substantially increase the particle concentration in the air while it's burning, over a 24-hour period, the increase is minimal. Scented candles emit small amounts of formaldehyde and VOCs but if only used occasionally, they're unlikely to pose much of a health risk.

12. Watch your radon risk

Radon is a natural colourless and odourless radioactive gas that comes from rocks and soil. The radon level in air outside is very low, but it can be higher inside poorly-ventilated buildings, and high levels can cause lung cancer. The higher the level of radon, and the longer you're exposed, the greater the risk, warns the BLF. Indoor radon often varies from building to building. If your home is affected, UKradon (ukradon.org/information/reducelevels) has a tool to help you decide if you need to reduce the level and how - methods include creating a sump pit under the house, or introducing special types of ventilation.

Read more:
12 ways to improve the air quality in your home - MyLondon

Welcome to the year that was in fashion, where flames were hot (pun intended) anddenim disasters were frequent.

Style queens Dame Helen Mirren and Cate Blanchett continuedto rule the red carpet in 2019, while newcomers Elle Fanning and Timothee Chalametmanaged to steal the spotlight (for all the right reasons) on more than a few occasions.

Zendayararely set a foot wrong this year, while Sarah Paulson and the Game of Thrones ladies sure knew how to keep things interesting.

At the other end of the style spectrum was Rita Ora, whose fashion choices continued to baffle us here at Best & Worst, and Halsey, who seemed to be a regular on our "worst" list.

AP, GETTY IMAGES

Miley Cryus and Cate Blanchett earned our praise this year. We weren't so fond of most of Kim Kardashian's looks.

READ MORE:* Best & worst dressed celebrities of the week* Best & worst dressed celebrities of the week* Best & worst dressed celebrities of the week

It also hasn't been the bestyear fashion-wise for Kim K, and don't even get us started on some of Shailene Woodley's shockers.

Without further ado, here's a look back of some of the year's biggest hits and misses. And we'll see you right back here next week for yet another year of Best & Worst...

BEST

THE GOOD: It's only January, but we're already picking Sarah Paulson in Prada as one of our best dressed of the year. It's striking, unusual, and an example of someone taking a fashion risk, which is ultimately what we're all here for (else things get a bit staid). A hot pink gown with green flames roaring up the skirt = the definition of fashion ferocity, and we love that her jacket is faux fur, and that she went for a super simple hair and makeup look. Love her, love the look. Fast fact: the coat designer isHiraeth, which is a vegan fashion line headed up by actress Rooney Mara. A woman of many talents, then.

THE GOOD:Bow down: I'm calling that this is a best dressed of the year. Top ten. Helen Mirren reigns supreme in this custom Badgley Mischka gown and opera coat.It's all so glorious: the colour sings on her, and the bulbous taffeta sleeves on the coat are given space to do all the heavy lifting thanks to the sleek dress underneath. And it's all perfectly complemented by that purple JudithLieberclutch and turquoise David Webb statement necklace (eat your heart out CountessLuann).

THE GOOD: We just had to give a special shout-out to Julia Roberts and this Stella McCartney get-up. In a Golden Globesred carpet awash with glitter, jewel-toned gowns, and voluminous skirts, this tailored pants, tulle bodice, and dramatic train combo was a refreshing palate cleanser. Sure, there were gowns aplenty also worth remembering from the night (Lady Gaga, Lupita, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge were particular highlights, to name just a few) but this understated, supremely chic, and fiercely refined little number was a stand-out moment for us.

THE GOOD: Livening up the royal family dress code this week was the Duchess of Sussex, who looked resplendent in two exceptionally vibrant hues for an outing this week. While Harry was sombre in winter greys and navys, the mum-to-be brightened up a January morning in a purple Babaton for Aritzia dress underneath a contrasting scarlet Sentaler coat. It sounds like it'd be a touch too much in theory, but in reality it only serves to up the royal's glow (as well as sending out the all-important message that pregnant women shouldn't feel any pressure to blend into the background). More of this pure-fun fashion in 2019, please.

THE GOOD:Yes, this Dior look is directional:ElleFanning looks like she's time travelled straight from the era in which the cover of women's fashion magazines were still sketches, rather than photos. But, she's clearly having fun, and so we're full on Fanning-girling. It's definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but this outfit manages to make photos of a woman walking down a red carpet look like a well-crafted high-end editorial fashion shoot, we'd call that a win.

THE GOOD: This isn't going to be for everyone, but it's a big, bold fashion moment, and we love it. Miley Cyrus is promoting a Valentine's Day rom com, and so really, this frilly red Valentino is perfect for the occasion. She's like a really couture version of the dancing red dress flamenco emoji - quite the inspiration. It's a weird mix of sheer and frou-frou, and kind of looks like maxi dress negligee, yes, but somehow it all works - and wacky whimsy suits Ms Cyrus.

THE GOOD: Selma Blair, in Ralph & Russo, is a true triumph. Hercapedand paneled pastel dress is gorgeous in its own right, but when you consider this is the star's first public outing since her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, the whole thing takes on a different tone. That cane is there for a reason. Blairtearedup on the red carpet, explaining onInstagramthat in the midst of her illness, the Vanity Fair party was a "streak of light". Fitting, then, that she looks so elegant, strong and striking.

THE GOOD: We've said it before, and we'll say it again - Zendaya Coleman is a style icon (and she's only 22). Not everyone could pull off a jumpsuit with arms that pay homage to the Cookie Time monster, but she can. This organza-tastic David Koma suit is chic and fierce all rolled into one: it's defiantly modern, delightfully strange and daringly ruffly. We love it, love her.

THE GOOD: Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner has been at this for a while, and you can tell. This Louis Vuitton gown is not what you'd call a starter dress. It's stately and sculptural, and not exactly youthful. I can imagine Meryl Streep looking amazing in this. However, so too does Turner. She's got the presence and the height to carry this simplified scifi (or is that Dynasty?) gown off. The red lip and sleek, centre-parted hair are the perfect accompaniments.

THE GOOD: Gwendoline Christie is on fire. In the very best of ways. This Iris van Herpen dress is part gown, part performance art, but it's full fabulous. Move over fire crotch (literally) Melisandre, this butterfly goddess is going to sashay her way straight to King's Landing domination. Slay girl, sashay and slay.

THE GOOD:Ms Blake Livelyannounced she was with child via this red carpet experience: popping a cute announcement on Facebook is one thing, but turning up to a premiere looking impossibly chic in a sparkly Retrofete lemon yellow dress is a truly A-list way of telling the world you're up the duff. Her curly hair is goals, and we love how she's dressed in yellow for aPikachumovie premiere, and even has a wee Pikachu symbol in her nail art. Cute. What's not cute, however, is Ryan's denim waistcoat: he's cute (we would), but the sleeveless denim is simply too reminiscent of NSync in the days before Justin started straightening his hair.

THE GOOD:Vanessa Hudgens looks like a Sevillan princess in this study in polka dots and layers by Carolina Herrera. The red lip and scarlet nails, the simple centre-part hairdo - everything about this is on point. The dress could veer into Flamenco costume territory, but it doesn't because the bodice fits so perfectly and the ruffles are very tasteful (it was a good design decision to start the ruffles at mid thigh rather than at the hip, as it makes the skirt sleek rather than swamping). Ole!

THE GOOD:Have you been on the internet this week? If not, I admire your self restraint and your logged-off lifestyle, but if so, you will have seen these pictures of Timothee Chalamet in Haider Ackermann.It's an instantly iconic fit. An ivory tux with a cinched waist would have been newsworthy in itself, but when you add in that silk top underneath and some of the finest Chelsea boots I've ever seen, it's on another level. Chalamet doesn't work with a stylist. This is all him. Very, very good work.

THE GOOD:It hasn't escaped my notice that this is essentially a fancy duvet cover, or maybe a very lush curtain. Jennifer Lopez looks a bit like that thing women do after sex in movies, where they strip the bed and swan around in a sheet so as to avoid being naked on camera. Has anyone ever done that in real life?If so, there's no way they looked as good as Lopez does in this Reem Acra. Sophisticated, luxurious, unexpected. This is vaguely 1960s and definitely brilliant. Even if I hadn't just seenHustlers, I'd love it.

THE GOOD:Bow down.If Beale Street Could Talkstar KiKiLaynelooks like an alien queen from the year 2120, or at least, what people thought the year 2120 might look like in 1962.Her hair is not what you'd call subtle, but her skin is glowing, her Gucci gown fits her like a dream, and the overall impression is one of elegance and command. This is bananas, but in the best possible way. Gucci dressed just about everyone at thisLACMAgala, because they co-hosted it, but not all fared as well asLayne. To be fair, most of us have never looked even 10 per cent this good in our lives. Stunning.

THE GOOD:Here's Cate Blanchett, always a red carpet highlight, in Armani Prive. She looks like a good witch, like a Christmas ornament from the 1950s.Such is Blanchett's power that I'm barely even noticing the slightly dishwater-y mint colour. There's probably about four people on the planet who could glow in this hue, but she's one of them.

THE GOOD:This lavenderGiambattistaValligown might not be everyone's cup of tea (or coffee, whatever your preference) but there's no denying that Margot Robbie is pulling it off with aplomb. The floral waistband stops it from being too plain while the tiered skirt is ultra romantic; there'sfrou, but not frou-frou.It's chock full of whimsy without feeling toohippyish- if SofiaCoppolawas making a modern day remake ofA Midsummer Night's Dream, this is totally what we could imagine Titania wearing.

WORST

THE BAD:Here are Gigi and BellaHadiddressed as if they are a new Marvel superhero and super villain. Gigi's Emilia Wicksteadjumpsuit is very close to being something that Jane Fonda could make look fabulous, but it's just a little too cape adjacent. Bella, meanwhile, is wearing somethingBritneywould have worn back when she was dating JT. Or, in fact, that Ms Fonda would have worn back when people still regularly called her Hanoi Jane. It's actually a look from Rosetta Getty's 2019 collection. We do love a throwback, but we're not ready for this level of bootleg to make a return.

THE BAD:We are crossing every single appendage in order to wish that this type of jumpsuit doesn't become a thing and begin to take over high street stores. We do not want to see people struggling down Willis Street in these,havingto surreptitiously pull at their crotch every few seconds (the kind of moment when it's really rude to stare, but also kind of impossible not to).It's part bike short, part wrap dress, part Victorian puff sleeve, and it's simply not a shape that will make any woman look comfortable. This particular design is by Russian brandDalood. Its wearer,ChrissyTeigen, has the kind of body most of us would need to be on permanent juice fasts to achieve. We shudder to think what our torsos would look like if attacked by this clingy chartreuse.

THE BAD:No,ShaileneWoodley hasn't rifled through fabric offcuts at hernana'shouse to fashion a chic Dennis the Menace Halloween costume. She is in fact wearing hot off the catwalk Prada resort 2020. It's likeBCBGMaxazriameets Canterbury rugby jerseys: not a naturalmashup.

THE BAD:Words cannot describe how much I detest this top-to-toe denim look on KimKardashianWest - but that kind of defeats the point of this column, so I'll lay my disgust out as best I can. This full Burberry look screams early 2000s pirate, except the only thing she's plundered is a Levi's outlet store.This is right up there with Justin andBritney's2001 denim on denim crime, butKardashian'sversion is bordering on a full-on assault (on my eyeballs) thanks to those bum-cupping boots. I'd need a catheter installed before spending an evening in them. When evenKanyecan barelymake eye contact out of seeming embarrassment, you know you've done a bad, bad thing.

THE BAD: DearElenaPerminova, your very expensive Balmain dress actually just looks like a pink Post-It note you know, the skinny kind you use to mark a spot on a page. We're all for a 'statementlewk', but can you imagine trying to navigate life with this stiff pink foot-long rectangle jutting out from your LBD? "Thwack" "Oh, sorry, don't mind me, that's just my skirt's skirting board best you walk to my left to avoid any further bruising."

THE BAD: Should I ever meet Rita Ora, I will ask what the noble fabric of denim ever did to her to deserve treatment such as this. It's a level of disrespect that I just can't allow. I saw a tweet the other day referencing FloRidaand T Pain's iconic 2008 hit Low which changed the lyrics to "Shawtyhad them apple bottom jeans, boots with the jeans, the whole club was looking at jeans". Who could have expected it to come to life like this? Those boots are in fact wearing jeans. Also, there is no need for a fleece denim trench coat to exist, or for your denim shirt tails to hang below your denim skirt. Too much of a good thing.

THE BAD:I am, admittedly, not what you'd call aSwifty. But even her most devoted fans would be forced to admit Taylor Swift has looked better. Has she offendedDonatella? Was the new album not to her taste? I can't thinkwhy else Versace would put someone so famous in something this unflattering. That print and shoulder pad combo is pretty ageing.Add in the dated, too-styled hair and Swift looks like she's all dressed up for bingo night. Not the one.

THE BAD: Kim Kardashian's chest looks like a piece of Mickey Mouse merch in this vintage Versace dress. The rest of the dress is inoffensive, but the fact is, it simply doesn't fit across her lovely lady lumps. Hey, we've all been there - you stumble across a cute little op shop, and inside find a gem of a 40s tea dress that's almost perfect, but just pulls and puckers in all the wrong places. But, thing is KK, you've just gotta let it go: put that dress down and move on. Do not employ double sided tape and do your darndest to squeeze yourself into it.

THE BAD:Y'all, it looks like these are culottes. Sheer yet twee shorts. I am clutching my pearls. Dear Dior, Shailene Woodley deserves better. The stripes and polka dots are confusing, as is the see through mixed with the fussy retro shape. The whole thing looks like a Playboy Bunny outfit designed for Betty Draper. All the girl needs is some lining, and we'd be cooking with gas. Glass half full, she suits the retro hair - deliveringBarbarellarealness in the best of ways.

THE BAD:It pains me to have to put Gwendoline Christie on the lower end of the spectrum, as she's normally such a power dresser. But alas, it seems she confused her invite for this year's Emmys as an invite to a friend's fancy dress party - surely that's the reason she showed up asJoaquinPhoenix inGladiator? It's an incredible costume, yes, but not quite as incredible as an awards ceremony gown (although there's no denying she's carrying it off with real aplomb and regality). This would have really brightened up the final season ofGame of Thrones- and God knows the writers needed it - but it's a thumbs down on this occasion. It's by Gucci, by the way, which really explains a lot.

THE BAD:Who on the GuyLaRochedesign team decided we needed a holey, sheeny denim jumpsuit with an Elvis collar? This jumpsuit is actually discriminatory: anyone with a D cup and above would end up withunderboobflopping out of that gaping left torso hole.Now, CaraDelevingnecan make thequirkiestlooks work, but even she can't triumph over cheese grater cloth. The pointy white heels certainly don't help.

THE BAD:Halseyis, unfortunately, at it again. This week she's in PeterPilottorather than in costume, but the results are no better. Too many lengths, too many clashing patterns, too much eye makeup.This looks like a discarded Carrie Bradshaw outfit. If even Patricia Field would say, "You know what, I think that's a bit much," you know you've gone too far.

THE BAD:Winnie Harlow is beyond beautiful, but this Vivienne Westwood number looks like something a Disney princess would wear on her hen's night.Why would you have all that fabric and volume at the sides, and then so little covering the crotch that Harlow can't safely put an arm over her head? They can't all be winners, and this one certainly isn't.

Continued here:
Best & worst dressed celebrities of the year: A look back at 2019 - Stuff.co.nz

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) Philadelphia has issued a record 940 demolition permits this year. Officials say that's contributed to a large reduction in the number of buildings in the city that are classified as "imminently dangerous," but preservationists worry about what is being lost.

The city has cut the number of imminently dangerous buildings by more than half over the last four years from 240 at the beginning of the Kenney administration to, now, just over 100.

Department of Licenses and Inspections spokesperson Karen Guss says that's made the city safer.

"In a densely populated city like ours, having buildings in our communities that are threatening to come down at any time really is a public safety concern," Guss said.

Related: City Council leans toward funding preservation efforts for Philly's historic neighborhoods

She says the decrease is due to two factors.

One, L&I's budget for demolitions has grown so dangerous buildings can be taken down more quickly. And two, the building boom has increased the number of private demolitions.

"They can use that vacant lot that they create to put up new construction," she said.

But that creates a downside, according to Paul Steinke of the Preservation Alliance.

"In some cases, the buildings that are coming down could very well have been saved and repurposed but are giving way for new construction," Steinke said.

Steinke points to Jeweler's Row, part of which is under demolitiondespite being stable and historic.

The buildings never received the official local historic designation, which would have saved them. In fact, only a small fraction of the city's historic buildings have received official designation.

While Steinke agrees public safety comes first, he'd like to see some demolitions delayed so buildings could be evaluated for historic importance.

"This is a city that has 300 years of American architecture. It's an asset that many other cities don't have and we should not take that lightly," he added.

Follow this link:
Philly sets record for demolition permits this year - KYW Newsradio 1060

Standing beneath the smoke-drenched skies outside the Francis Drake Hotel on Christmas morning, Dominique Howell began to feel overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty.

Two days earlier, Howell, 32, learned that she was pregnant, and now the apartment that took her months to find was ablaze with flames shooting out the windows. No one could tell her when or if she could return to the building to grab her few belongings; or how she would find a new place with a poor credit score amid a severe shortage of affordable rental units.

I feel like a refugee, said Howell, who was busy sweeping the floors of a crowded room at Bethlehem Baptist Church in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday. She and more than 100 others evacuated from the hotel slept there Christmas night. Its hard to wrap my head around the fact that Ive lost everything and there is no plan for a better living situation.

Even before the flames ignited the Drake Hotel in a Christmas Day blaze, there was a state of crisis for people struggling to find affordable housing.

The countys population of homeless adults has surged 40% in the past year, and the housing crisis had grown so dire that Gov. Tim Walz had just announced a new public-private sector partnership to secure millions of dollars to expand the states emergency shelter capacity.

And then came the fire, destroying an aging building that served as the countys only overflow shelter for families with children experiencing homelessness.

Fire crews finally vanquished the blaze at 416 S. 10th St. midday Thursday, but not before the city of Minneapolis used its emergency authority to order the demolition of part of the hotel, which opened in 1926.

Overnight, a crisis worsens

Overnight, a vital piece of the emergency shelter system a facility that, at its peak, housed 133 families who might otherwise be sleeping in the streets was gone, and city and county officials were scrambling to find new transitional housing within an already overstretched system.

The 111 people who evacuated from the Drake spent the night on cots in the assembly hall at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Half were children.

The Red Cross spoke with two other facilities that offered to help people in the longer-term and was working Thursday to determine which one would be the best fit, said regional CEO Phil Hansen.

It is still unclear, however, how the county will find new transitional housing to replace the Drake, which was considered the shelter of last resort for parents with children experiencing homelessness.

Most of the large shelters in the Twin Cities metro area, such as the Higher Ground Shelter and Salvation Armys Harbor Light Center, accommodate single adults and do not accept families.

About noon Thursday, children at the shelter were still running around in their pajamas, filled with nervous energy.

This persistent homelessness and the issue of housing becomes starkly real here, Walz said after walking amid the cots and talking to displaced residents at the church. We knew it was out there. Its always around us. But a lot of times, without these tragedies, it may not come home to people the same way.

Mike Herzing, who oversees safety and stability issues for Hennepin County Human Services, said staff had already begun assessing peoples needs.

In the short term, theyll try to work within the countys family shelter system.

The Drake served as the overflow, he said. As our family shelters filled up, the Drake was there to accept people who had no other places to go.

People at the church have been asking when they can return to the Drake Hotel to get their belongings.

But the eastern half is too dangerous to leave standing, according to the city.

Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Director David Frank said he was on the site with others from the city and made the determination for a partial demolition based on what they could see from the outside.

The eastern roof of the three-story building collapsed during the fire, and then the third floor collapsed onto the second.

The second floor filled with water and debris, causing the walls to bow out with bricks being pushed loose from the wall.

Given the danger to the public who will soon be walking and driving past the right thing is to take down that portion of the building, Frank said.

After contractors begin their work, he said, theyll know more about whether the remainder of it should be demolished.

The Drake Hotel is owned by Leamington Co. Brian Short, the companys CEO, said Thursday afternoon that he hadnt yet been allowed inside but thought it looks like the correct decisions are being made.

Im very grateful that there was apparently no loss of life, but incredibly sad that people who live in the margins of society lost everything, Short said.

Its unclear what caused the fire. Investigators from the city and the State Fire Marshals office finished their on-scene work just before 1 p.m. Thursday. Minneapolis Fire Chief John Frue- tel said he expects investigators to release a formal report in a few days.

Inspection history

Under state law, the State Fire Marshal Division is required to inspect the hotel every three years.

The most recent inspection, on Nov. 9, 2018, found eight code violations, state records show.

The inspector ordered the building owner to remove obstructions blocking exits, display evacuation diagrams in guest rooms, ensure sprinkler systems were installed correctly in required areas and repair electrical hazards.

When the inspector returned for a follow-up in June, all of those violations had been fixed, said Jen Long-aecker, spokeswoman for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Many people displaced by the fire expressed their frustration and bitterness over conditions at the Drake Hotel.

Howell said she and her boyfriend moved into the Drake a year and a half ago because they were told it was affordable and safe.

She said there were cockroaches in the bedroom, mice that scratched and scurried in the walls at night, and water that ran brown from the faucets. The roof of the lobby leaked.

Even so, Howell said, she paid a monthly rent of $860, which is most of what she earns as a cook at a local restaurant.

That place was so rundown it should have been condemned years ago, she said. It was not fit for human habitation.

Short said that his company has leased the building to Drake Hotel Properties for roughly 20 years and that upkeep is really their responsibility, though his company does inspect the building periodically.

David Anderson, an attorney for Drake Hotel Properties, said he did not have information about any complaints like what Howell reported, but that the CEO, Tim Treiber, worked diligently to fix anything that was flagged during inspections by the required dates. In September, a city inspector noted mouse droppings.

Anderson described the fire as a triple tragedy. Many of the employees also lived on-site and are now homeless, too, he said.

Moving into the future, hopefully there will be a home for them, he said.

Staff writer Andy Mannix contributed to this report.

Read more:
Uprooted by fire, dozens of homeless families face an uncertain future amid housing crisis - Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Demolition project intended to spur sale of former victims shelter in Tarentum - TribLIVE

By Adam AtkinsonNorth Country This Week

CANTON The planned rebuild of the Canton Dairy Queen is moving forward with the stage being set to raze the ruins of the restaurant gutted by fire a year and a half ago to make way for new construction.

The owners, Gail Crabtree and John Putman (Audrey Guthrie, Inc. d/b/a Dairy Queen), filed a notice to demolish the burned out restaurant at 51 Gouverneur St. with the states Asbestos Control Bureau on Dec. 12.

Murray said the owners have just started the process of obtaining a demolition permit with his office.

According to the notice received by the state, the project start date is listed as Dec. 31, 2019 with a completion date of Dec. 31, 2020.

The demolition work will be done by Burke Excavation Demolition Inc. of Massena.

Atlantic Testing Laboratories of Canton is to monitor the air for asbestos during the work. JEDA Environmental of Massena will be hauling the demolition waste from the site to the Franklin County Landfill in Constable, the notice said.

The restaurant at 51 Gouverneur St., built in 1950, was destroyed following a break-in and arson in August 2018. The structure was declared a total loss. The owners plan to rebuild the restaurant and reopen. The total project is estimated to cost $972,964.

The village has secured a $195,000 Community Development Block Grant from the state Office of Community Renewal for the project. The money is dedicated to reimburse the owners for new equipment costs for the rebuild.

See more here:
Demolition of Dairy Queen in Canton expected to begin soon - North Country Now

The city has been razing the annex behind city hall for about two weeks. But during these last few days of the year, the demolition has become more visible to drivers and passersby.

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City hall annex demolition to finish in two weeks - Galveston County Daily News