Johnson casts decisive vote for tiny homes

Mayor Dan Johnson cast the deciding vote Monday approving a city of Lewiston lease for a young adult, tiny home village in east Lewiston.

His tie-breaking “aye” followed more than two hours of community testimony and City Council debate that was at varying times tense, emotional, confrontational and uplifting.

The 50-year, $100 per year lease will enable the LC Valley Youth Resource Center to move forward with its plans to build a tiny home village serving 18-to-20 year olds who have aged out of the foster care system. Supporters of the lease and nonprofit organization that serves homeless kids argued for the lease, saying the proposed collection of 12 one-bedroom, one-bath homes will help young, at-risk adults transition safely into adulthood.

The counil vote was 4-3.

Residents of the East Main Street neighborhood said the village would invite more crime, drug use and homelessness into their midst and asked the city to instead sell the property so it can be developed.

Many of them said they support the aims of the project but that it should be built elsewhere.

“This neighborhood is in recovery from drugs and crime. There’s a great fear that allowing a lease like this will destroy all that we’ve done to try to better it,” said Linda Glines, who has rallied opposition to the plan.

Others were more blunt. William Cannon said he has nothing against helping young people and then noted he and his neighbors have worked hard to improve the area around East Main Street and have sometimes been threatened by homeless people and squatters.

“We’ve been dealing with drug addicts and thieves for the last five years. We finally got them, most of them, cleared out of the area and now you’re going to move them back in there again. I just don’t think this is a good spot,” he said.

Keith Watson said the village is being rammed down the throats of East Main residents. Some of them are leaving, he said and some are buying guns.

“They’re going to protect their property, they’re going to protect their lives,” he said.

Some of the kids who live at the LC Valley Youth Resource Center and recent graduates of it said without a safe place to stay, they and their peers risk ending up on the streets once they turn 18. Heath Jensen, 15, said he’s made bad choices but the center has helped him turn his life around. He goes to school now and is on pace to graduate early, holds two jobs, has savings and has become closer to God.

“Everybody should have those resources and have what they need to be successful in life, to be able to do what they’re doing and continue it in college and family,” he said. “I just think that should be offered to people, you know, like myself, who spiraled down for a long time at a really young age and who was able to bring myself back up with the help of all these people.”

Following public comments, the council debated the village. Jim Kleeberg opposed the lease, saying the city should preserve green space. The property that sits along East Main between 22nd and 23rd streets is about one third of an acre and was once a city park before it was abandoned. It is now a vacant lot that holds a right-of-way lease to Avista and stormwater drainage.

Councilor Hannah Liedkie argued that by leasing the land the city would be too intertwined in the project and subject to liability and unknown future costs.

“I cannot support a lease that is not fully vetted to ensure we are getting the most bang especially when you are putting it on the hook for 50 years,” she said.

Counselor Kassee Forsmann countered that the people complain about homelessness but too often aren’t willing to support programs to deal with it. She said the kids who live in the tiny homes will be off the streets and given a chance to succeed.

“They are going to work. They are going to get a credit score. They are going to build up their lives so they can get out there and become productive (members of) society,” she said.

Counselor Kathy Schoeder disputed the idea that the lease is a bad deal for the city.

“If we are going to consider what the value of the 50-year lease is to 12 lives, every single year for 50 years or more, what kind of value is that to this community to save 12 people, 12 lives every year for 50 years?” she said. “I think there is great value in that.”

Counselor John Spickelmire joined Liedkie and Kleeberg in voting against the lease. Jessica Klein voted for the lease with Schroeder and Forsmann.

After breaking the deadlock, Johnson committed to being involved in the east Lewiston Neighborhood and efforts to improve it.

“This project is timely,” he said. “I think it’s a good project. I think it’s going to do good things for the neighborhood, good things for the city. So I’m committed to that. I will work on that but I will work equally hard for your neighborhood.”

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com.