10/29/09 This blog is helping me to remember the date

The day started out with some of my favorite thinkers and big-hearts in town. Rollie Smith, the local HUD Director, Preston Prince the head of the Housing Authority and Eileen Neely their economist, and Keith Bergthold the Assistant Planning Director for the City. We try to get together at 7:00 on Thursday mornings when possible. Preston and Eileen have brought a ton of experience and perspective into the community.

I've avoided the whole world of affordable housing. It is truly a field unto itself, both on the private and the public side. I've also been wary of affordable housing because of the horrible projects that were created post WWII and into recent history. It seems that the bigger problem in our neighborhoods and the whole region really, is quality affordable housing. We have plenty of affordable, but some of it is horrible, and we are working on ways to correct this problem before it gets further out of hand.

At 8:30 the City featured Valley Decorating at the City Council's Prime Time for Business. Prime Time is a way to recognize locally-owned businesses, who do most of their business outside of Fresno (bringing dollars and profits into the community's economy). We try to find businesses who are not necessarily known by the larger community. Google Valley Decorating Company to learn more. We've highlighted other companies like Pollstar and Keiser Fitness Equipment. We alternate existing companies with start-ups to. The point is to increase awareness about our local entrepreneurs and to recognize them for their creativity and calling Fresno home.

From 10:00 to 11:30 I have time set aside for any members of our department who need time, direction, support. This is a result from staff staff meeting a few weeks ago. I asked everyone for suggestions on how I could do my job better as a new Department Director and they suggested one on one time with non-management staff members. We have open door time every two weeks.

I walked to the Mexican Consulate for a meeting at 12:30. I was honored to meet with our new Consul Reyna Torres. Elizabeth Jonasson helped to set up the meeting and joined in. Elizabeth is responsible for Community Outreach for the Mayor and is leading much of the outreach effort to Spanish-language residents. She is a great asset. If you come to our next meeting in Lowell on November 16th I'll introduce you to her.

After the meeting I walked to the Packing Shed on Merced for a turkey sandwich and then over to EECU on Van Ness and Fresno. I walked back to City Hall through Courthouse Park and down the Mariposa Mall. It was beautiful outside today. There were probably 10 people waiting to cross the street when I left the bank.

I made a few returned calls and answered a few emails when I got back to the office and then headed back out for the Urban Entrepreneurship class that I am fortunate to be able to teach.

We met outside and then walked through the old Gottschalks building on Fulton and Kern at 3:00 today. We always start off by "reading" the area. We talk about what we see, who is out and about, what types of buildings and businesses there are. The idea is to recognize the vast differences within the urban area. One block can be very different from the next. Urban areas speak to you if you listen.They'll tell you what they want and like if you listen. If we impose our will on them, then things just don't work.

It is amazing to see how bad the building is inside and out. The old Gottschalks paint, gazebo, paneling are all still there. If you remember the Gottschalks downtown store at all it is pretty eerie...talk about ghosts.

The class went back to City Hall to have a panel discussion with representatives from the Housing Authority (Eileen Neely), HUD (Rollie Smith), and Fresno Redevelopment Agency (John Raymond and Lupe Perez). The panel was to give the entrepreneurship students a glimpse into public financing for urban projects. They had a good overview of the pluses and minuses.

After class I attended an event sponsored by the Mexican Consulate at Arte Americas. I took Gonzalo Aranda-Sandoval, one of the Urban entrepreneurship students to the event to meet the Consul. I had mentioned Gonzalo to her and she was encouraged by his idea to open a downtown business. I'll let Gonzalo tell you about it sometime or you can see his presentation along with the rest of the class on Dec. 3rd from 3:00-6:00 at a location to be announced later (when I make up my mind).

I know that these blogs are long, but there is still so much that happens in a day that I don't write about. My hope is that it comes through over time.

Craig