[Noisebridge-discuss] ADA Access for the future Noisebridge
jim
jim at well.com
Wed Feb 28 20:25:13 UTC 2018
thank you.
On 02/28/2018 07:34 AM, kprichard wrote:
> Competing real estate brokers, landlords (including our current), and
> trolls that want to harm Noisebridge's efforts to find a new home.
>
> Evidence for the latter exists. The first two are well established
> facts of the real estate industry.
>
> Regards,
>
> Kevin
>
> On Tue, Feb 27, 2018 at 7:34 PM, jim <jim at well.com
> <mailto:jim at well.com>> wrote:
>
>
> what evidence is there for parties not allied...?
>
>
> On 02/28/2018 02:11 AM, kprichard wrote:
>> We've begun posting notes, photos and documents up on a sharing
>> service. We'll start distributing those internally in the next
>> 24 hours.
>>
>> In the interest of protecting our search from parties not allied
>> to our mission, we should find a non-public means for having an
>> accessible, threaded conversation -like an internal mailing list.
>>
>> Kevin
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 27, 2018 at 5:38 PM, jarrod hicks <hicksu at gmail.com
>> <mailto:hicksu at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> I think people outside of our Slack are effectively excluded
>> from full participation in our location searching, since that
>> is where the collaboration is being done. We aren't having
>> new-space meetings and updates regarding the search aren't
>> really going out to the discussion list or wiki. (I've
>> certainly failed in this regard) I think the last new space
>> meeting was in December and it was Kevin who put the notes on
>> discuss.
>>
>> It may help us move forward better as a whole if we get more
>> of the new space discussion here instead of on, or in
>> addition to, Slack.
>>
>> We could start individual threads for the promising locations
>> or other discussion threads using a somewhat standard subject
>> line like: " - address or subject" for easy searching
>> and filtering
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 27, 2018 at 4:05 PM, kprichard
>> <kprichard at gmail.com <mailto:kprichard at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Zach,
>>
>> *_"Is equal access for all a fundamental part of
>> Noisebridge's mission?"_*
>>
>>
>> It is! Nobody should be prevented from coming to
>> Noisebridge because of disability. Accessibilty is one
>> of the top criteria when we talk about when a space is
>> being presented.
>>
>> In the nearly eight years since Noisebridge moved into
>> 2169#3, market rents have literally quadrupled. Imagine
>> a Noisebridge where we're paying four times our current
>> rent, Zach.
>>
>> Philanthropist & membership dues would be $320, not $80!
>> That would leave Noisebridge inaccessible to most, if not
>> all. (That's more than double TechShop's old rates,
>> without all their equipment.)
>>
>> To deal with that, we expanded our search to include
>> spaces that are not *currently* ADA accessible, because-
>> a) they fit our extremely limited size/location/price
>> nexus (being only 2-2.5 times more money), AND
>> b) we feel there's a good chance those spaces can be
>> upgraded to accomodate everyone.
>>
>> Note that I said "not currently ADA accessible." Of the
>> two spaces on the table today, one is at least 90%
>> compatible (and easily brought up to 100%), and the other
>> has a big hurdle (stairs) which the landlord might be
>> willing to help us overcome (I am waiting on an answer).
>> And remember that we have talented people with
>> architecture and construction skills in our membership.
>>
>> *"I know finding an accessible space is going to be
>> really, really hard.I do ask that people really try
>> though.That includes educating ourselves around access
>> and including disabled people in the search and in the
>> conversation."
>> *
>> A perfect space meeting Noisebridge's accessibility,
>> size, price, location needs will not just fall into our
>> laps. You can help Noisebridge by joining the hunt and
>> finding some spaces which fits our needs.
>>
>> Try loopnet.com <http://loopnet.com> and
>> sfbay.craigslist.org <http://sfbay.craigslist.org>, those
>> seem to be the two main services where industrial and
>> flex properties get listed. Our current criteria-
>>
>> 1. Accessibility: ground floor with wide doors,
>> accessible bathrooms, and/or an elevator if not ground or
>> if multi-floor (or potential to be made accessible)
>> 2. Price: the current rent is around $9.50/sqft/year, and
>> we'd like to keep it under $24/yr
>> 3. Location: consensus is to be within 10-15 minutes of
>> BART and major bus lines (that excludes Dogpatch,
>> Bayview, Hunters Point etc)
>> 4. Size: 4,000 square feet, or more
>>
>> When you prioritize all four criteria equally, the number
>> of vacant spaces falls to zero. If we expand the search
>> to spaces that we or the landlord can modify for
>> accessibility, we get a handful. Or, at least we *did*
>> get a handful, but now the market appears to have dried
>> up. Prices are rising, and vacancies are vanishing as
>> tech firms continue to flood San Francisco. That's why
>> the two spaces on the table are not perfect.
>>
>> Call brokers and ask if they know about spaces meeting
>> our criteria! The more people who are involved in the
>> hunt, the more chances we have at surviving this fall.
>>
>> We're on your side, man! Join us in the search! Don't
>> fight your fellow Noisebridgers -- fight NB's impending
>> doom at the hands of the most nefarious villain of all,
>> The Market. :)
>>
>> Best,
>> Kevin
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 27, 2018 at 3:09 PM, Zach R
>> <organicunity at hotmail.com
>> <mailto:organicunity at hotmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>>
>> It was recently brought to my attention that the
>> search for a new Noisebridge home has included many
>> (perhaps solely) inaccessible places.Meaning, the
>> future Noisebridge would not allow me, or anyone else
>> in a wheelchair, walker, etc. to enter.This would
>> eliminate me from being part of the community entirely.
>>
>> Now, I know the search for a new place is very rough,
>> rents are exorbitant, and I would not want to stand
>> in the way of Noisebridge continuing to exist.But I
>> think there needs to be a huge shift in the effort
>> being put towards finding accessible spaces.I have
>> some ideas listed below.But first, I want to pose a
>> question to the community because I get different
>> answers / opinions from different people:
>>
>> /_
>> _/
>>
>> *_Is equal access for all a fundamental part of
>> Noisebridge's mission?_*
>>
>> I don't know the answer to that question, but I think
>> it is a good one to talk about among the community.
>>
>> Now, as far as an actual sincere effort to searching
>> for an accessible space.Here are some suggestions:
>>
>> * *Include disabled people in this conversation and
>> ask them about their needs* -this is very
>> important.Please don't assume what people's needs
>> are.Please include some disabled people in the
>> closed-circle Noisebridge building search.
>>
>> * Call and ask the landlord exactly what
>> accessibility looks like.How many steps are
>> there?What is the size of the door, gate, etc?How
>> narrow / wide are hallways and entry areas?Is
>> there a large single-occupancy bathroom? What is
>> the slope of the entry way?Is there a working
>> elevator?Relay this information to disabled
>> members for feedback and input /_before_/ going
>> to a space, taking pictures, and getting really
>> attached to it.
>>
>> * Reach out to organizations and do an internet
>> search for accessibility options, and laws around
>> construction and such.You, yes, /you/ can
>> actually step up to do some of this research.Call:
>>
>> /Senior Disability Action (https://sdaction.org/(415)
>> 546-1333 <tel:%28415%29%20546-1333>)/
>>
>> /ILRC (https://www.ilrcsf.org/ (415) 543-6222
>> <tel:%28415%29%20543-6222>)/
>>
>> or similar places to ask for advice.
>>
>> I want to be clear that I don't expect to be a part
>> of Noisebridge come August.I know finding an
>> accessible space is going to be really, really hard.I
>> do ask that people really try though.That includes
>> educating ourselves around access and including
>> disabled people in the search and in the conversation.
>>
>> I plan on attending the meeting tonight (which
>> hopefully happens) in case anyone wants to discuss
>> this stuff with me.I do ask however, that you do not
>> vent your frustrations on me.I do not want to be the
>> scapegoat for San Francisco's problems with ADA
>> access and high rents.As the most active
>> wheelchair-using member of Noisebridge I have had to
>> work overtime educating people about access, ableism,
>> and advocating for myself.It's exhausting.I am just
>> trying to be a part of the community and I hope
>> everyone can understand and respect that.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for reading this and taking the time to care
>> about these issues. I look forward to our
>> conversation and growth as a community together.
>>
>> -Zach
>>
>>
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