Construction of this Danger in our Community completed in February, 2016, and it seemed like a worthwhile enterprise at the time-- at least on paper: Bringing over 200 affordable-housing units into our community for struggling young families and seniors. Most people were either indifferent or happy, because, after all, good and honest people NEED homes. And for the most part, the tenants in the residential portion of "The Hub" have been an asset to our community, and have never bothered a soul. But-- the builders of this monolithic disaster-in-waiting never informed us in detail what ELSE would be coming to our peace-loving community: Thugs & Trouble, who they refer to as "at-risk youths". They packaged it in a fanciful box with pretty ribbons, and slapped a colorful "360kids" sticker on it, and proclaimed that "The Hub" will also house a Youth Drop-In Center (called "Home-Base"), and an emergency Youth Shelter (Connections), for the allegedly poor, troubled youth of the region, who they claim are not 'bad' youngsters, they are just in need of gentle assistance... which 360kids provides with a white-gloved hand. This is the story they sell, but it is NOT THE TRUTH. The Truth is, MOST of the "Youths" at The Hub are hostile, violent, criminal thugs and drug-addicts & alcoholics. The only thing they are "at-risk" of is becoming an even BIGGER menace under the ZERO supervision, control, or guidance outside the walls of The Hub's buildings. They are dangerous. What's "at-risk" in our community is NOT the "youths", it is the impressionable young kids of the families of our community who are AT-RISK of becoming JUST LIKE THEM as they grow-up. Because these groups of thugs roam the streets at all hours, drunk, high, swearing, causing havoc, and THAT's what the kids are seeing-- and learning: How to swear, do drugs, and become a community nuisance by age 20. In the past year+ since this monstrosity opened it's doors, crime, violence, noise, disruption, danger, fear, and police-presence have all gone UP. The only thing that's gone DOWN during the past year is the property values of the neighboring homes. Many nearby homeowners reluctantly were compelled to sell and relocate in the past 18 months. The Shelter and the Drop-In Center were (and remain) a MISTAKE thrown onto us in a place where they should never have been built. And now it is WE who are paying for it. We are sure that a tiny handful of genuinely decent Youths with ACTUAL problems are benefiting from the 360kids programs, and that's great, however, the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of the troublemakers coming to The Hub are NOT looking to receive help or to better themselves, they come to hang-out, party, cause trouble, trespass, get drunk, stoned, and be a general nuisance. The DETRIMENT to our community is far out-weighing any BENEFIT being received by anyone else, and that makes it blatantly unacceptable. The fault rests as much with the troublemakers as it does with their babysitters, or supervisors. They don't seem to understand that when they ENCOURAGE these "youths" to come to their facility, those youths bring their friends, and their friends' friends, and when the Home-Base (or, "Ground Zero" as we call it) closes it's doors at 10:00pm, the minimal supervision these nuisances had now dwindles to nothing, and the "group" quickly becomes "a mob", once their other friends arrive with booze or drugs. The managers have gone home; they don't have to deal with the results. For US, this is OUR HOME, and we have no place else to go from 10pm till often 4 in the morning. We have to deal with the mess they dump on us, without their accountability or responsibility. They have the belief that once the animals leave their zoo, they are NOT responsible for what the animals do outside their walls and their fences. 360kids being at this location DOES NOT help the community, it is HURTING the community. "360" is the number of days out of the year that these so-called "kids" are causing trouble in our community. And, "KIDS"? What...? Many of these "troubled youths" are between the ages of 18 and 26. In most places around the world, individuals that age are voluntarily serving their country in the military or are starting their Bachelor's Degree at school. And by OUR reckoning, individuals of that age are actually ADULTS, not "kids". But, hey, maybe calling them "kids" or "youths" makes it easier to ignore their crude and unacceptable behaviors. After all, a 25 year old ADULT should be accountable and responsible for his or her own behavior, right? But, a 25 year old "at-risk youth" should have his diaper changed, given a bottle of formula, and tucked-in with a joint. Right. Accountability and Responsibility.... isn't that what they're supposed to be teaching at "The Hub"? How can they teach what they can't recognize themselves? We will post as much media as we can on this page. THE TRUTH, nothing more, nothing less. And maybe, through our pictures and videos, everybody will actually learn something.
