PittsburghDreams: Ms. Carlisle, what is your dream for Homewood and Pittsburgh? Also do you feel that community members would allow "outsiders" to help in anyway?

Twanda Carlisle: One of my dreams for Homewood and the city is for us to have more economic development, especially in Homewood. I remember Homewood Avenue when it was a thriving district, with a G.C. Murphy's, and movie theater, and so many other businesses. Today we do not have this, so one goal is to bring development to this community.

jay_dub: What was the most significant goal accomplished at last night's meeting?

Elwin Green: As an observer, I think the most significant thing I saw happening was people beginning to learn about resources that are already in place in the community, but that not everyone knows about.

mr_h: Isn't the new attitude of "no snitching" preventing the perps from fearing prosecution and therefore emboldening them?

Elwin Green: I don't think "no snitching" is new; in my childhood, people who told on others were called tattletales, and long before that informants were called stool pigeons - and the idea was always the same...that somehow exposing wrongdoers is worse than being a wrongdoer. Giving in to that does embolden the perps; but that's nothing new.

jay_dub: What was the most significant goal accomplished at last night's meeting?

Twanda Carlisle: My goal of the meeting was to get all the governmental providers in the room with the community, which need services and funds, to begin dialogue on how we could work together to help solve some of the gun violence in our community. We had the City, County, State, And Federal Government in one room to hear our concerns relating to the gun violence. We have to see which programs and what dollars are available to our community and go after them TOGETHER! The biggest accomplishment was to have over 350 persons together.

AJ: From last night's forum, do residents really think more police is the answer?

Elwin Green: I'd say, part of the answer; and not just more police, but a more consistent police presence. I think the suggestion that brought the biggest show of approval from the audience was the return of the beat cop - the officer who is in the community on a daily basis and who builds relationships with the citizens there.

Hwnative: Good afternoon Ms. Carlisle. I was born and raised and Homewood and I share your concerns regarding the current situation in our community. I would like to applaud you for pulling together last night's meeting, which seemed to be successful and hopefully will be the start to a change in the community. My suggestion to you would be in order to continue to have a good turnout; the meetings need to be well publicized as they were for yesterday's event. I was not able to attend but did listen to the audio on the PG website. I heard about the meeting from various sources, including Elwin's "My Homewood" journal, WPXI TV, and the radio. My question is, were you able to develop an initial plan of action as a result of yesterday's meeting? If so, how do you plan to move forward?

Twanda Carlisle: No real plan came out of yesterday's meeting. However, what did come out of the meeting was that we do have resources in our community that the community is not aware of - my next biggest challenge will be to connect services and finances to the appropriate organizations. Also, we need to do a community resource pamphlet for the entire district so everyone will know where to turn for services. I will set up some community group meetings, as well as continue meetings with government officials to match funding, services, and community together.

jay_dub: Ms. Carlisle - I heard discussion last night about grant money being appropriated, however, based on the number of 'programs' already available, do u feel another 'program' adds any value to the solution?

Twanda Carlisle: No I do not feel we need another program I feel we must utilize the programs in existence (especially if they work), we must fund the program better and make them known in our community better. It isn't the number of programs, it's the effectiveness of a program.

lisa: to Elwin Green: No, not snitching is nothing new, but the consequences today have changed drastically. Before, it was a fistfight or a bloody nose, today it's being gunned down in the street in broad daylight. As long as those things are happening, how can we expect businesses to locate in our community?

Elwin Green: Those consequences don't have to happen. Many people don't realize that you can give information to the police and remain absolutely anonymous. I'll be providing specific information soon in "My Homewood" about how to do that, both by phone, and in written form. And I agree that crime is a huge deterrent to business development; it must be reduced in order for the community to move forward.

jay_dub: Have we correctly identified the problem? Gun violence, drugs, alcohol abuse, low educational and career drives, are all symptomatic of a much larger, deeper and more complex problem. Are we looking at dealing with the symptoms and not the root cause? Thus, what are the root cause issues we should be looking at?

Twanda Carlisle: In my opinion we have to look at the family structure -- what was not allowed or tolerated when I was growing up is now permissible. It still takes a village to raise a child but I think we've forgotten that point. We must begin a holistic approach to wrap our arms around the entire family. These are our children, they did not come from Mars, nor dropped from the back of a truck, they are ours - yours and mine and we have to remember THEY ARE STILL CHILDREN, YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS, and they need guidance by all of us.

jay_dub: Have we correctly identified the problem? Gun violence, drugs, alcohol abuse, low educational and career drives, are all symptomatic of a much larger, deeper and more complex problem. Are we looking at dealing with the symptoms and not the root cause? Thus, what are the root cause issues we should be looking at?

Elwin Green: Different people will give different answers about root causes. The preacher in me would say that people need to start by getting serious about believing and obeying God. The amateur economist in me would say, start by encouraging entrepreneurship (before bringing in business from the outside). A sociologist might say, get men back into families and help them to be husbands and dads. What do "you" think is the root cause?

pghcream: What do you say about an idea of establishing a hotline where residents can call anonymously without fear of retaliation to inform the police with descriptions of the suspects that are committing crimes?

Twanda Carlisle: I think your idea is a wonderful one, actually we tried to do just that last year however funding was an issue - now we know different so I will be contacting the district attorney's office to see how we can make that happen. Thanks for the constructive suggestion, you are on the right page!

AJ: When are we going to look in the mirror for the solution? We'll spend $300 on some Timberlands, but not on a computer!

Elwin Green: I agree; and the fact is, you can find a computer in the Pennysaver almost any week for $25.

bicyclebro: I'm late here to the chat, but it seems the people causing the problems aren't the ones in the churches and on this chat line. First thing that's needed is a curfew, scale back the section 8, and make people clean their properties. Do you agree?

Twanda Carlisle: Although I hear what you are saying I have to disagree, curfew or not we must be responsible for our own children. Parents must be parents - Section 8 has to review who is actually living in the properties they rent, from. At last night's meeting we were told some of the leases are not living in the property - lastly yes, I agree that people renter, and homeowners must take care of the property in which the live.

Steel: No more government assistance-when are we going to start asking for assistance from outside of Pittsburgh? The programs we have are not doing anything or so it seems.

Twanda Carlisle: That is why I brought in Mary Beth Buchanan, U.S. Attorney, she can assist with major funds from the federal government.

bicyclebro: I'm late here to the chat, but it seems the people causing the problems aren't the ones in the churches and on this chat line. First thing that's needed is a curfew, scale back the section 8, and make people clean their properties. Do you agree?

Elwin Green: I'm not sure what you mean by scaling back Section 8, but I agree that both a curfew and cleaner properties are good ideas. Especially the curfew. I think the presence of unsupervised children on the street at 11 p.m. on a school night is a failure of parenting, pure and simple.

jay_dub: It is sad that no real plan or immediate action items came out of yesterday's meeting. Therefore, I submit to this group that we do not leave here today without committing ourselves to take some type of action to deal with one of the symptoms (gun violence) suffered by an oppressed people. I challenge each and every one of us to take some time and talk to one of the younger people you know (either family, neighbor or acquaintance) to try and find out what it is they want out of life, and how can you help them achieve. I submit that the ones involved in the negative behaviors are our kids. We have to reach out to them, so far we have failed, let's stop the cycle and take more responsibility on ourselves. The government is only going to lock up more blacks and the program funds will run out, but we must do something or we will have a lost generation!!

Twanda Carlisle: I am sorry you feel nothing came out of last evening meeting - If nothing else government now know we are serious about our community and we hold all accountable (inclusive of myself).

Diondega: Ms. Carlisle - When do you plan on actually developing a comprehensive plan to address the violence in our city? How far off is that meeting?

Twanda Carlisle: There is a plan submitted by HBCCO in Homewood, its moving forward together with the plan - and we need you at the table to assist.

CharlesD11: Last Night after the director of the Homewood Salvation Army detailed the programs that he had to offer the moderator asked the audience how many people take advantage of these resources. Is it possible that one of our main community problems is a failure to take advantage of or participate in those positive things that do exist in many of our black communities?

Elwin Green: Yes, but even more, I think there's a lack of knowledge about such resources. Both the councilwoman and I, in our different ways, want to help correct that. And in that regard, I think last night's meeting was a great start.

jackson: Ms. Carlisle have you ever thought about sponsoring a job fair in Homewood?

Twanda Carlisle: Yes, I did that when I first got in office with the assistance of Mayor Murphy. We hosted a three day job fair with the university hospitals ready to hire on the spot at the coliseum in Homewood (well advertised), out of the three days only 50 people showed up, half of them did not have resumes, nor prepared for an interview.

nobody: The national fatherhood program has worked in other states and areas do you feel this would help

Elwin Green: I think the National Fatherhood Initiative has a presence in Pittsburgh. I'll look into it and report what I find in "My Homewood."

CharlesD11: Last Night after the director of the Homewood Salvation Army detailed the programs that he had to offer the moderator asked the audience how many people take advantage of these resources. Is it possible that one of our main community problems is a failure to take advantage of or participate in those positive things that do exist in many of our black communities?

Twanda Carlisle: I think we have to have a resource guide so everyone can know what is available in our community.

sandy: If a lot of these programs are already federally funded then don't you think someone should oversee the programs and figure out which ones are working and which ones are not?

Twanda Carlisle: absolutely! We must begin to monitor the programs better, myself included.

jackson: If someone is interested in volunteering for any of the community based organizations, does your office have a list of them?

Twanda Carlisle: Yes, we have a list of organization who ask for funding (CDBG) - you may call City Planning for a detailed listing of organizations.

CharlesD11: While it is fine to speak of a whole village, are we prepared to deal with the reality that as Blacks we have allowed our value system to slip to the point that we now place entertainment, sports or anything else that qualifies as "getting paid" over education and a passion to make a positive contribution to the human cause?

Elwin Green: I think the reality is that "some" of us have let our value system slip, and that therefore the rest of us must work that much harder to restore values; and that the first way that happens is not by trying to impose those values on others, but by demonstrating them to others. Show people a different, better way to live, and invite them to it.