#84 OCTOBER 1993 BULK RATE U.S POSTAGE PAID ANN ARBOR, Ml PERMIT NO. 736 ANN ARBOR'S ALTERNATIVE NEWSMONTHLY Ann Arbor's Good Landlord Editor's Note: This article revisits the house at 201 W. WtRlam Street, the history of which AGENDA has chronicled over the last three years. In 1990 and 1991. AGENDA covered the controversy over the house when it stood on the site of the proposed Kline's parking structure. Our focus at that time was on the confronta- tion between the Homeless Action Committee and the City of Ann Arbor. In December 1992, after the house had been moved and as renovations were being completed, AGENDA published "Rescued House Ready for Occupation." This article introduces readers to some of the house's current tenants and to those who direct Avalon Housing, the agency responsible for developing the low-Income units. efore I moved into Avalon," ex- B plains Ron Brumbaugh, "I was renting a room the size of a large closet for $300 a month down on State Street." Today, one of six residents living at Avalon Housing's 201 W. William Street apartments, Ron pays $275/ month for an efficiency apartment. "Instead of having to go home, live in a closet and share a bathroom with umpteen people," he contin- ues, "now I go home, I have my own bedroom, my own kitchen." see PAGE 5 Public/Private Partnership Puts Tenants First By Michael Appel SCREEN: Dracula, Red Lantern, A Few Good Men PAGE 8 MUSIC: The Maitres, Big Chief, Blue Pig PAGE 9 2—AGENDA—OCTOBER 1993 Golf Course vs. Human Services foundation and governmentgrants. and have that was created by local residents. It was a scheduled a city-wide bucket drive lor Octo- revolutionary time that saw the free speech The Washtenaw County Board of Com- AGENDA is interested in receiving items from rights of American citizens extended to the you for etcetera. Press clippings, press ber 29 and 30. Call Ozone House at 662- missioners, at its Sept. 22 meeting, pro- 2222 to find out how to help. cable television platform. AACAT now oper- posed a budget for 1994-95 which would cut releases, summaries of local events and any ates three cable channels: Educational Ac- funds to four community agencies. The other ideas or suggestions are welcome. Just U-M Sponsors Ninth Annual Sexual cess Channel 8, Public Access Channel 9, targetted agencies include: The Corner mail them to: Etcetera Editor, AGENDA, and Government Access Channel 10. Health Center in Ypsilanti, which provides 220 S. Main St., Ann Arbor, Ml 48104 Assault Awareness Week health services to teenagers; Options Center The U-M Sexual Assault Prevention and Twenty years later, AACAT, one of the in Pittsfield Township, which assists ex- Awareness Center (SAPAC) will be sponsor- oldest access centers in the country, cel- offenders in finding employment; Housing Incarceration or Education? ing Sexual Assault Awarness Week on cam- ebrates its historical beginnings with a com- Bureau for Seniors in Ann Arbor, which On October 9 the Women's International pus Oct. 24-29. Several activities are sched- munity Open House and the debut of a new helps seniors with services that enable them League for Peace and Freedom will hold their uled throughout the week, each dealing with service. The open house will take place Oct. to stay in their homes; and Prospect Place in Michigan state meeting entitled: "How Should a specific area of sexual assault, but all 28 from 6-9 pm at the station, 107 N. Fifth Ypsilanti, an emergency shelter for families. We Spend Our Money? Incarceration or the designed to raise community awareness and Ave. During the open house. AACAT will understandingof the many issues surround- launch a fourth access channel that will If all this rubs you the wrong way, come Needs of Our Children." The featured speak- provide viewers with instant access to local to the public hearing on the proposed bud- ers will be Penny Ryder, prisoner rights ing sexual assault. This year's guest speaker is Suzanne information via their telephones. Call 769- get scheduled for Oct. 6. The meeting is at advocate and Community Relations Direc- 7422 for more information. 7:15 in the board room of the county admin- tor of the American Friends Service Commit- Pharr, author of "Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism." The title of her presentation is istration building, 220 N. Main St. tee, and Jenni Zimmer, psychologist for Ann EMU Workers Narrowly Ratify Pact Arbor pre-school programs and consultant "Democracy Under Siege: The Dismantling U.S. Lags in Reducing Child Mortality for the Family Shelter Program. of Civil Rights," which discusses how the Eastern Michigan University's non-teach- Over the last decade, some 40 million conservative political movement is working ing technical and professional workers, who The conference will be held at the Friends are represented by the UAW, ratified a new children under age five died worldwide, Meeting Center, 1420 Hill St. The registra- to undermine the movement fighting vio- mostly from preventable or treatable infec- lence against women, women's reproductive contract by a margin of under 2% of those tion fee is $5 and includes lunch. Registra- voting. Taking inflation into account, the tions or malnutrition. However, the world tion is at 10 am, Ryder's talk is at 11 am, and freedom, and the rights of gay men, lesbi- child mortality rate for 1991, the lastyearfor ans, bisexuals, and people of color. Two small wage increases and a few benefit cuts Zimmer's talk is at 1:30 pm. The public is probably mean a loss in living standards. which there are available statistics, was welcome to attend the talks, free of charge. events, "Speak Out" and "Friends Helping down to a global average of 97 deaths per Friends, "focus on helping survivors of sexual However, other provisions give workers new For more information contact Ruth Graves protections against arbitrary or retaliatory 1,000 births, about half of what it was in the at 483-0058. assault. early 1960s. The United Nations Children's For a complete listing of events, see the layoffs and transfers. The economic package Fund (UNICEF) has set a goal of reducing Ozone House Loses Funding AGENDA CALENDAR. For more informa- is roughly in line with the UAWs contract the world's average child mortality rate to tion call SAPAC at 763-5865. with Ford and with other unions' contracts Due to reductions in the federal budget. with EMU. 70/1,000 by the turn of the century. Ozone House, the county's only youth crisis Given the 30-year trend in reducing child and runaway service agency, did not receive Ex-Panther To Give Two Talks Meanwhile, EMU professors will hold an deaths, UNICEF expected that the United the $120,000 Transitional Living Grant The Interfaith Council for Peace & Jus- Oct. 6 ratification vote on a new contract. States would have had 9 deaths per 1,000 which had been approved for them. tice is sponsoring two talks in October by While there was a tentative agreement births in 1991. The actual rate achieved was Ozone House will now be forced to close one of their staffers, Ahmad A. Rahman. reached in late August, further negotiations 11/1,000. While this is almost exactly the its Miller House group home by October 15. Rahman will speak on Oct. 12 about his over several unresolved details took many average for the world's 27 industrialized Miller House provides 24-hour housing, experiences in the Black Panthers, in prison, more weeks to resolve. Eastern's building nations, the U.S. rate of improvement is the support, and training for homeless teenag- and about the ideals and realities of Islam. and maintenance workers, who are mem- worst of any developed country. By compari- ers working toward independent living. His talk on Oct. 26 will address Islam in bers of AFSCME, continue to work without son, Sweden has the world's best record, Ozone House will continue to provide relation to Christianity, Judaism, and other a new contract. with 5 deaths per 1,000, while Niger is the faiths. non-residential services for homelessyouths. WCBN's October Surprise world's worst with 320. However, they will no longer be able to Both talks take place at 7:30 pm at the UNICEF, which recently released these provide the 24-hour support that some home- Holy Trinity Chapel, 511 W. Forest, in Beginning at 9 am on October 14, WCBN figures in its The Progress of Nations" re- less youths require in order to successfully Ypsilanti. For more info, call 663-1870. 88.3 FM Ann Arbor will hold its third annual port, concluded that a major cause of child learn to live independently. on-air fundraiser. This event will run through mortality is that many governments spend Ozone House is working to find resources Community Access TV Turns 20! 1:23 am on Oct. 18—88.3 hours of fun! Call more on arms and debt service payments to expand programs to serve high risk home- It was the fall of 1973 when Ann Arbor up and support U-M's free-form and funky than on meeting human needs. less youth and to create other housing op- Community Access Television (AACAT) first student-run radio station. For more infor- tions for them. Staff are exploring other began telecasting programming on cable TV mation call 763-3500. CAVA At die i_ -rossroads b. University THANKS & fc/. University At Arbor Farms, we're celebrating our JAVA 14th year as Ann Arbor's preferred natural foods grocery.