Poem: "Preserving the Quality and Character"
This poem is spillover from the March 19, 2024 Bonus Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from Dreamwidth user Readera. It also fills the "Scrapbooking" square in my 3-1-24 card for the National Crafting Month Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with Fuzzyred. It belongs to the Broken Angels thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
"Preserving the Quality and Character"
[Monday, February 1, 2016]
Boss Blaster had spent months
laying the foundation for his work
taking over Lincoln, Nebraska.
The process hadn't gone to plan
but had gone well nevertheless.
He had gotten great results
from buying older buildings that
just needed a bit of work, and
then renting or reselling them.
He also got a head start on
establishing parks, which raised
the property value of everything else
within about a quarter mile, or even
a half mile if the park was bigger
with more diverse amenities.
That meant one investment of
capital and labor could improve
multiple properties nearby -- talk
about maximizing bang for buck.
Greenbelts, trails for biking or
hiking, and other linear sites
had even greater impacts.
Boss Blaster had not yet
figured out how to make that
work for him, but he did have
a few ideas, especially with
the Lincoln Saline Wetlands
Nature Center right next to
the housing in Lake Bottoms.
Maybe he could play a bit
of connect-the-dots with
pocket parks and yards,
or put in a bluebird trail.
It was part of a process,
and he was still discovering
new things that he could do.
Just cleaning up empty lots
had surprisingly high benefits.
Those were cheap, cheap, cheap,
so Boss Blaster bought up as many
as he could, figuring he would decide
what else to do with them later on.
A few hours of litter pickup, a pass
with a mower and some pruners,
then pop in a garbage can and
the empty lot would stay neat-ish
for a while with minimal upkeep.
While the residents living in
his neighborhoods appreciated
the improvements, a few of them
quietly voiced some concerns
about possible gentrification.
Boss Blaster assured them
that it was not his intention
to run people out of home,
and then promptly started
taking steps to prevent it.
Affordable housing was
something he understood,
well enough to make it
appealing to the locals
but not to wealthier folks,
and it fit his evolving plans.
Boss Blaster also invested
considerable energy in trying
to build connections with the city.
He asked about current projects
and planned ones, or what kind
of funding and tax breaks might
be available for development.
The city wasn't rich, but it had
some good stuff in the works.
Now those efforts were paying off.
The Public Housing Department
replied to his inquiries about
neighborhood revitalization and
affordable housing projects.
They were quite interested in
working with small developers,
landowners, and other folks who
wanted to make improvements.
In fact, the woman in charge
of the Affordable Housing Office,
Lula Running Brook, suggested
that he pick one of his empty lots
for them to visit together and
brainstorm what to do with it.
So Boss Blaster checked
his books and then proposed
a good-sized piece of land in
the Lake Bottoms neighborhood,
actually two consecutive lots
at 840 and 842 West O Street.
They lay between C & C Body Shop
and Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, but
the area was zoned for mixed use,
so residential buildings would fit.
Boss Blaster took Vybra and
went to explore his property.
The weather was actually good
for this time of year -- the day had
started fair but then clouded over,
so the sun wasn't glaring on ice
and snow. It was cold but not
frigid, and you really couldn't ask
for more in a Nebraska winter.
He wore a practical black outfit
with a coat and snow boots in case
the weather turned nasty later on.
Vybra was posing as his secretary,
so she had piled her vivid teal hair into
a tidy bun and foregone her usual style
of sensual bohemian clothes in favor of
an ivory sweater set over a black skirt.
Her coat was a bright blue, though,
and the matching hat had cat ears.
Several lessons from Boss Finn -- and
an accompanying capsule wardrobe --
had taught not only Vybra but also
other gang members how to dress
and pass as conventional staff.
Boss Blaster wanted Vybra
with him today because she
had pretty good visual skills and
thus could make rough sketches
as well as notes for whatever ideas
they brainstormed in the meeting.
She even kept scrapbooks to show
progress on their community projects,
with her art and notes and his photos.
He missed Shiv, though. That kid
was a genuine artist, even if he
rarely wanted to admit as much.
This part of Lake Bottoms,
between West P Street to
the north and West O Street
to the south, held primarily
businesses and a few homes.
Most of the space between
West O Street and the lake
had houses and apartments,
but there were businesses
scattered among the houses.
The empty lot might not look
like much now, but it held
a great deal of potential.
While waiting, Boss Blaster
used his smartphone to snap
a few "before" pictures of
the site and nearby area.
That would be useful
for planning things
from home later on.
"I think that's her, boss,"
Vybra said, tilting her head
at a woman who had just
gotten off at the bus stop.
"Yeah, that's her, based on
the picture from the website,"
Boss Blaster said, waving.
Lula was a striking woman
with her mixed heritage
showing in copper skin,
almond-shaped eyes,
high cheekbones, and
long dark hair that flowed
around her in the breeze.
She wore a black and white
outfit similar to Vybra's, just
with trousers instead of a skirt,
but her coat was vivid red.
"Mr. Maxwell, it's good to see
you in person," she said, smiling.
"I'm Lula Running Brook from
the Affordable Housing Office,
here to look at your property."
"Pleased to meet you," he said.
"This is my secretary, Vybra.
She'll be taking notes today."
"My husband Carlton offered
to swing by if he can," said Lula.
"He does educational presentations
out of the Plains Indian Center for
Cultural Awareness. He's familiar
with affordable housing efforts, and
I thought he could do some outreach
once our project gets off the ground."
"That's a great idea," said Boss Blaster.
"I'm new to the whole real estate thing
and I'd rather avoid making mistakes.
Help with marketing is welcome."
"We can build new housing while
preserving the quality and character
of adjacent residential districts and
ensuring infill development strengthens
the surrounding neighborhood," said Lula.
"It's pretty flexible here," said Boss Blaster.
"There are the single-family houses, sure,
but also multi-family stuff from duplexes
through row houses up to apartments.
The small houses are postwar, most of
the big ones a couple decades younger,
and then came the apartment buildings."
"Don't forget the trailer courts," said Vybra.
"Those are even older, some of them
from before the city spread this far."
"So there isn't a single style that
defines the neighborhood," said Lula.
"We can just promote the idea of
adding however many new homes."
"That should be a pretty easy sell,"
said Boss Blaster. "This area is
old enough to be cheap, and that's
making it crowded despite the neglect,
aging homes, and various other flaws."
"Mosquitoes," Vybra said. "We are close
to the Lincoln Saline Wetlands Nature Center,
so it's soggy and they just get everywhere."
"Well, let's see what we have to work with,"
Lula said as she strode briskly into the lot.
Fortunately she had worn winter boots,
because the ground was a mess of snow,
ice, and mud thanks to the less-frigid day.
"This is a nice lot," said Vybra. "It's
right by some useful businesses, and
it's got that hedge and privacy fence."
Boss Blaster watched a flock of blue jays
shrieking at each other as they fought over
what looked like crabapples or possibly
cranberries, shriveled in the winter but
still clinging to the leafless branches.
Cardinals whistled, and somewhere
overhead a woodpecker drummed.
He turned around and looked at
the empty lot inside the hedge.
"Oak trees, fruit and nut trees,
surrounding an open area,"
he murmured. "I could start
a bluebird trail right here!"
He'd have to look up details
on how far apart the houses
needed to be, but he could
do that after he got home.
"Vybra, please make a note
to research bluebird trails for
this location," he directed.
She jotted that down in
her notebook. "Got it."
That notebook was actually
an all-weather field planner,
because Boss Blaster had lost
one set of notes to wet paper and
another to a dropped tablet computer.
He had asked Boss Finn for advice,
and she had helpfully directed him to
the kind of heavy-duty equipment that
emergency workers used in the field.
The zippered case had pockets inside
the front and back plus credit card slots,
a holder for T-mem and thumb drives,
and all of the paper inside the planner
was the kind that could stand up to
water, sweat, blood, grease, and mud.
The 3-ring binder held alphabetical tabs,
monthly tabs, write-on tabs, weekly and
monthly calendars, a 4-year overview
with a matching future planner, a ruler,
and a pen that would write on anything.
Boss Blaster had used the thing for
less than a week before he declared it
the Master Planner and just copied
everything onto his computer at home.
"Birdsong is good for people," he said.
"This location should prove quite popular."
"I wonder why it has that lovely hedge,"
said Lula. "That's quite an asset."
"According to my real estate agent,
the previous owner planted the oaks
to make it look parklike because they
sold outdoor furnishings," he explained.
"There's plenty of room in here," said Vybra.
"You could fit more than one house in it."
"Possibly even an apartment building,"
said Lula, "depending on your budget."
"No, my pockets aren't that deep,
and I doubt that yours are either,"
said Boss Blaster. "I'm not looking
to build something big from scratch."
"Yes, there's a limit to what my office
can handle on the spur of the moment,
but we have more leeway in small projects."
Lula agreed. "What did you have in mind?"
"I was thinking of rowhouses, but I'm
not sure there's room for more than
one row, and just one would leave
a lot of lawn," said Boss Blaster.
"What about a cottage courtyard?"
said Lula. "We have plans for those."
"I don't know," Boss Blaster said as he
shook his head. "They're trendy now,
and I want to avoid gentrification."
"So build smaller units," said Vybra.
"I've got a row house, but it's tiny --
the bedroom is just a loft. Rich people
don't want to live in small places, they
want a big house with lots of yard."
Lula perked up. "Would you
consider actual tiny houses?"
"How tiny?" said Boss Blaster.
"I don't want to build a slum."
"No, of course not," said Lula.
"We have a whole library of
pre-approved building plans
in a variety of sizes and styles."
From her big red tote bag she
took out a rugged tablet computer.
Boss Blaster instantly wanted one
like it and wondered where he
might be able to find such a thing.
Lula showed him a collection of
plans for tiny houses that ranged
from a studio loft to a duplex with
1-bedroom units to a 2-bedroom loft.
"These look promising," said Boss Blaster.
"The tight space is a concern, though. Do
you have anything wheelchair-accessible?"
"Yes, this is similar to the studio loft but
has a vaulted ceiling instead," said Lula.
"All the fixtures meet accessible standards.
Also, the other units can be customized
to different disabilities if necessary."
"That's good," said Boss Blaster.
"I have friends on wheels, so
I've been aiming my offerings
to accommodate special needs."
Lula did not need to know
that those accommodations
included very intimate ones.
"Some of those plans look like
they could hold a family, but none
have more than one bathroom,"
Vybra pointed out. "That could
cause some serious challenges."
"So we include a showerhouse,"
said Boss Blaster. "That makes
a good place for a laundromat too."
"We have some plans for buildings
like that," said Lula, shifting files.
"These are support structures
useful in planned neighborhoods."
"It definitely needs something
for security and administration,"
Boss Blaster mused. "I also
like this common kitchen."
"I don't see any garages,"
said Vybra. "That's an issue."
"Many people who live in
tiny houses can't afford a car,"
said Lula. "Plus that saves
space in the sitemap design."
"Here's a bike garage,"
said Boss Blaster. "That
should work well for this."
"You need to provide
a storm shelter as well,"
said Lula. "Tiny houses
are no better than trailers
at resisting violent weather."
Boss Blaster paged back to
the common kitchen. "This
has an optional basement
for recreational space."
"That's a good start, but
not big enough," said Lula.
"You have to cover all souls on
board, which means not only
residents and staff but also
a buffer for any guests."
She opened a new file.
"These are standard plans
for different storm shelters."
"That is going to eat up a lot of
valuable ground," Boss Blaster said.
"I remember folks complaining that
the local trailer courts don't have
as much shelter as they should."
"They've been bickering about that
for years," said Lula. "You could
put the bunker underground, though,
since you haven't built anything yet."
"Hmm, maybe use that to connect
some of the common buildings,"
said Boss Blaster. "What about
folks who can't handle climbing
steps or a ladder, though? They
need a safe shelter as well."
"Find a showerhouse plan
for a hardened structure, like
parks use," said Lula. "If it's
built with concrete blocks, then
it will stand up to storms just fine,
and it can have a roll-in entrance."
"Good solution," said Boss Blaster.
"Okay, a storm shelter, the basement
underneath the common kitchen, and
the showerhouse for roll-in shelter."
"The common kitchen will give
everyone a place to gather and
socialize, so they will be close
to the shelters, too," said Lula.
"I'm not sure how that would work,
or how many tiny houses would
fit on this lot," said Boss Blaster.
"Don't cram them in like sardines,"
said Vybra. "People hate that."
"What about the cottage courtyard
idea?" said Lula. "Make clusters
of several houses, sharing a yard,
and that would promote community
among a handful of close neighbors."
"Then put the common buildings either at
the front or in the middle," said Boss Blaster.
Vybra turned to a clean page in her planner
and began doodling possible sitemaps.
"I like that one," Boss Blaster said,
pointing to a cloverleaf design. It had
four clusters, each with five tiny houses,
plus the main buildings front and center.
"Vary the styles in each cluster, and
that will encourage diversity," said Lula.
"What kinds?" Vybra asked. "I could
make a note of the pattern in a margin."
"Maybe two or three of the studio lofts,"
said Boss Blaster. "I'm not sure
about the mix of other ones."
"Make it two studio lofts and
one accessible studio in
each cluster," said Lula.
"Then one duplex and
one 2-bedroom loft."
"I can make that work,"
Vybra said, updating
the sitemap sketch.
Boss Blaster leaned
over to examine it.
"Make the paths wider,"
he suggested. "People
won't have cars but will
have bikes or skateboards
or wheelchairs, so having
wide paths will be good."
"You could put a plaza
in the center, beside
the common kitchen,"
said Lula. "A pavilion
or two and a set of
picnic tables would be
good for gatherings."
Vybra sketched in
the new parts and
made further notes.
Boss Blaster knew she
would recopy the sitemap
in better style once they got
home, and make a summary
of notes to go alongside it in
the scrapbook so they could
look back at their progress.
Then a cheerful hail
made all of them turn
toward the gate to see
who wanted their attention.
Like Boss Blaster himself,
Carlton Running Brook had
chosen a dark outfit in shades
of black, gray, and navy along
with sensible winter boots.
He had light copper skin
and long black hair that was
straight where his wife's
had just a little wave.
The couple exchanged
greetings, and then Lula
introduced Carlton to
the rest of the group.
"So, what have you
got going on here?"
Carlton asked them.
"We're brainstorming
ideas for a community
of tiny houses," said Lula.
"I made preliminary sketches,
if you want to see," said Vybra.
She liked showing off her work,
even before the scrapbook stage.
Carlton looked at the sitemap,
and then he turned to look
around at the empty lot itself.
"Have you thought about
security?" he asked. "Lincoln
has a serious gang problem --
I saw a couple of thugs on
the bus, but fortunately they
didn't try to hassle me. Today."
Yeah, the Tatters were an issue,
and even the sad remains of
the Hammerheads could be.
"Thanks for your input about
gang activity," said Boss Blaster.
"The plan includes a building for
administration and security. I
figure on posting a guard to keep
the residents safe. Plus the lot
has a good privacy fence in front."
"What about the hedges? Those
don't have a fence," said Carlton.
Boss Blaster laughed. "Nothing
much bigger than a rabbit is getting
through there," he said. "Go take
a closer look. The oaks may be
smooth, but the wild plums have
thorns as long as my fingers."
"Blackberries and raspberries
in there too," said Lula. "I spotted
some when I was walking around."
"That certainly helps," said Carlton.
"It also reminds me of food sovereignty.
What do you think of a community garden,
or a food forest, or something else edible?"
"That continues the theme of the hedge
with its fruiting plants," said Boss Blaster.
"I think people would appreciate having
some personal space, so maybe build
a raised bed for each tiny house. Then
the food forest could be held in common,
tucked into spaces between buildings."
"You might have the residents spend
a certain number of hours per week
working on the food forest as well as
any communal raised beds," said Lula.
"It helps people feel productive, even if
they don't currently have a day job."
"That should work," said Carlton.
"We'll have a lot of people crammed
into a small space, so they will need
ways to relieve the sense of crowding."
"We don't want to risk gentrification,"
said Vybra. "That's why the tiny houses."
"You've got some corners without anything
in them," Carlton pointed out. "You could
add a spiritual sanctuary or peace garden
to help people connect and calm down."
"Now that's a great idea," said Boss Blaster.
"Something nondenominational, so it can
meet the needs of any faith, or none."
"All you really need is a little shelter
with gardens around it," said Carlton.
Vybra sketched it in and made notes
about spiritual needs. She even
drew a tribal medicine wheel and
the Methodist cross with flame.
"This plan is shaping up
quite nicely," said Lula.
"When do you think
we can get it started?"
Carlton asked them.
"We'll have to wait for
spring," said Boss Blaster.
"Look around, the whole lot
is all mud under the snow."
"Not if you work indoors,"
said Carlton. "Tiny houses
are small enough to build inside
a warehouse or even a workshop
if it's a big one. Build them in
winter, then move them here
for hookups in the spring."
"That would be great if we
could move them, but I don't
know the legal parameters
for that, and I don't want
to guess," said Boss Blaster.
"Don't worry about it," Lula said.
"The plans all say whether or not
you need a special permit to move
them. We can get you permits
for the models that need any."
"Then it should work out,"
said Boss Blaster. "I do like
the idea of getting a head start,
but I'll have to juggle some funds."
"We can help with that too," said Lula.
"There are plenty of city resources for
revitalization and affordable housing.
After all, you're putting up the land."
"You could save a ton of time and
money if you get students to build
the tiny houses," said Carlton.
"High school shop classes or
trade schools should suit."
"That has some potential,
but I don't have contacts with
the schools," said Boss Blaster.
"I'm pretty new in town. I was
just going to use dayworkers."
"I have school contacts, and I know
which ones will jump on the opportunity,"
said Carlton. "Any school that teaches
woodworking is a good bet, along with
the trade schools for construction,
electricity, plumbing, and so on."
"How reliable is the craftsmanship
from students?" Boss Blaster said,
thinking about the challenges of
working with young mechanics.
"Students might not get it perfect
the first time, but they'll figure it out,
and you will get a huge savings,"
said Carlton. "Also, anything
that builds the local skill pool
is a good thing in my eyes."
"Besides, you can always use
dayworkers in spring," said Lula.
"The common buildings will have
to be constructed onsite, landscape
work done, tiny house hookups --
all that will add up pretty fast."
"Another thing to consider
is that trade students from
another city might like this
as housing," said Carlton.
Boss Blaster mulled over
that input, then had Vybra
take notes on what could be
done when, where, and by whom.
"Work up a business plan and
a clean copy of the sitemap,"
said Carlton. "With those, I
can find you students to build
the tiny houses, and start doing
some outreach for who might
want to live in the community."
"We know plenty of city Indians,
and somebody's always looking
for a place to live," Lula added.
"Red Campus and Indian Village
can only hold so many folks."
"This area already has plenty
of ethnic mix, so they should feel
comfortable," said Boss Blaster.
"Black, white, Hispanic, I don't
know what else may be here.
I like the combination myself."
Vybra nodded. "People don't
stare at me as much here as
they do if I go downtown."
"This is a good place, flexible,
quiet aside from the main road,"
Lula observed. "Plus you've
got bus stops on either side,
so that activates some perks
for mass-transit access."
Boss Blaster nodded. "Yes,
that's one reason why I bought
this place," he said. "Poor people
who can't afford their own car need
access to public transportation."
"The bike shelter will help too,
and if kids are biking then they
aren't out making trouble from
scratch," Carlton added.
"We've got the beginning
of a solid plan," said Lula.
"We can flesh it out and see
what else is needed as we go."
"Agreed," said Boss Blaster.
"I think this does a good job
of preserving the quality and
character of the neighborhood
while adding more homes."
"Have you thought of a name
for it yet?" Lula wondered.
"I was thinking about calling it
Pressnall Pocket Neighborhood,
for the tap dancer Jamie Pressnall,"
said Boss Blaster. "I like the arts."
"That sounds good to me," Lula said,
adding it to her tablet computer. "We
can meet again to iron out more details."
"Meanwhile, thank you for doing your part
to make Lincoln a better place," said Carlton.
"That's what I'm here for," said Boss Blaster.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its character, setting, and content notes appear separately.
"Preserving the Quality and Character"
[Monday, February 1, 2016]
Boss Blaster had spent months
laying the foundation for his work
taking over Lincoln, Nebraska.
The process hadn't gone to plan
but had gone well nevertheless.
He had gotten great results
from buying older buildings that
just needed a bit of work, and
then renting or reselling them.
He also got a head start on
establishing parks, which raised
the property value of everything else
within about a quarter mile, or even
a half mile if the park was bigger
with more diverse amenities.
That meant one investment of
capital and labor could improve
multiple properties nearby -- talk
about maximizing bang for buck.
Greenbelts, trails for biking or
hiking, and other linear sites
had even greater impacts.
Boss Blaster had not yet
figured out how to make that
work for him, but he did have
a few ideas, especially with
the Lincoln Saline Wetlands
Nature Center right next to
the housing in Lake Bottoms.
Maybe he could play a bit
of connect-the-dots with
pocket parks and yards,
or put in a bluebird trail.
It was part of a process,
and he was still discovering
new things that he could do.
Just cleaning up empty lots
had surprisingly high benefits.
Those were cheap, cheap, cheap,
so Boss Blaster bought up as many
as he could, figuring he would decide
what else to do with them later on.
A few hours of litter pickup, a pass
with a mower and some pruners,
then pop in a garbage can and
the empty lot would stay neat-ish
for a while with minimal upkeep.
While the residents living in
his neighborhoods appreciated
the improvements, a few of them
quietly voiced some concerns
about possible gentrification.
Boss Blaster assured them
that it was not his intention
to run people out of home,
and then promptly started
taking steps to prevent it.
Affordable housing was
something he understood,
well enough to make it
appealing to the locals
but not to wealthier folks,
and it fit his evolving plans.
Boss Blaster also invested
considerable energy in trying
to build connections with the city.
He asked about current projects
and planned ones, or what kind
of funding and tax breaks might
be available for development.
The city wasn't rich, but it had
some good stuff in the works.
Now those efforts were paying off.
The Public Housing Department
replied to his inquiries about
neighborhood revitalization and
affordable housing projects.
They were quite interested in
working with small developers,
landowners, and other folks who
wanted to make improvements.
In fact, the woman in charge
of the Affordable Housing Office,
Lula Running Brook, suggested
that he pick one of his empty lots
for them to visit together and
brainstorm what to do with it.
So Boss Blaster checked
his books and then proposed
a good-sized piece of land in
the Lake Bottoms neighborhood,
actually two consecutive lots
at 840 and 842 West O Street.
They lay between C & C Body Shop
and Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, but
the area was zoned for mixed use,
so residential buildings would fit.
Boss Blaster took Vybra and
went to explore his property.
The weather was actually good
for this time of year -- the day had
started fair but then clouded over,
so the sun wasn't glaring on ice
and snow. It was cold but not
frigid, and you really couldn't ask
for more in a Nebraska winter.
He wore a practical black outfit
with a coat and snow boots in case
the weather turned nasty later on.
Vybra was posing as his secretary,
so she had piled her vivid teal hair into
a tidy bun and foregone her usual style
of sensual bohemian clothes in favor of
an ivory sweater set over a black skirt.
Her coat was a bright blue, though,
and the matching hat had cat ears.
Several lessons from Boss Finn -- and
an accompanying capsule wardrobe --
had taught not only Vybra but also
other gang members how to dress
and pass as conventional staff.
Boss Blaster wanted Vybra
with him today because she
had pretty good visual skills and
thus could make rough sketches
as well as notes for whatever ideas
they brainstormed in the meeting.
She even kept scrapbooks to show
progress on their community projects,
with her art and notes and his photos.
He missed Shiv, though. That kid
was a genuine artist, even if he
rarely wanted to admit as much.
This part of Lake Bottoms,
between West P Street to
the north and West O Street
to the south, held primarily
businesses and a few homes.
Most of the space between
West O Street and the lake
had houses and apartments,
but there were businesses
scattered among the houses.
The empty lot might not look
like much now, but it held
a great deal of potential.
While waiting, Boss Blaster
used his smartphone to snap
a few "before" pictures of
the site and nearby area.
That would be useful
for planning things
from home later on.
"I think that's her, boss,"
Vybra said, tilting her head
at a woman who had just
gotten off at the bus stop.
"Yeah, that's her, based on
the picture from the website,"
Boss Blaster said, waving.
Lula was a striking woman
with her mixed heritage
showing in copper skin,
almond-shaped eyes,
high cheekbones, and
long dark hair that flowed
around her in the breeze.
She wore a black and white
outfit similar to Vybra's, just
with trousers instead of a skirt,
but her coat was vivid red.
"Mr. Maxwell, it's good to see
you in person," she said, smiling.
"I'm Lula Running Brook from
the Affordable Housing Office,
here to look at your property."
"Pleased to meet you," he said.
"This is my secretary, Vybra.
She'll be taking notes today."
"My husband Carlton offered
to swing by if he can," said Lula.
"He does educational presentations
out of the Plains Indian Center for
Cultural Awareness. He's familiar
with affordable housing efforts, and
I thought he could do some outreach
once our project gets off the ground."
"That's a great idea," said Boss Blaster.
"I'm new to the whole real estate thing
and I'd rather avoid making mistakes.
Help with marketing is welcome."
"We can build new housing while
preserving the quality and character
of adjacent residential districts and
ensuring infill development strengthens
the surrounding neighborhood," said Lula.
"It's pretty flexible here," said Boss Blaster.
"There are the single-family houses, sure,
but also multi-family stuff from duplexes
through row houses up to apartments.
The small houses are postwar, most of
the big ones a couple decades younger,
and then came the apartment buildings."
"Don't forget the trailer courts," said Vybra.
"Those are even older, some of them
from before the city spread this far."
"So there isn't a single style that
defines the neighborhood," said Lula.
"We can just promote the idea of
adding however many new homes."
"That should be a pretty easy sell,"
said Boss Blaster. "This area is
old enough to be cheap, and that's
making it crowded despite the neglect,
aging homes, and various other flaws."
"Mosquitoes," Vybra said. "We are close
to the Lincoln Saline Wetlands Nature Center,
so it's soggy and they just get everywhere."
"Well, let's see what we have to work with,"
Lula said as she strode briskly into the lot.
Fortunately she had worn winter boots,
because the ground was a mess of snow,
ice, and mud thanks to the less-frigid day.
"This is a nice lot," said Vybra. "It's
right by some useful businesses, and
it's got that hedge and privacy fence."
Boss Blaster watched a flock of blue jays
shrieking at each other as they fought over
what looked like crabapples or possibly
cranberries, shriveled in the winter but
still clinging to the leafless branches.
Cardinals whistled, and somewhere
overhead a woodpecker drummed.
He turned around and looked at
the empty lot inside the hedge.
"Oak trees, fruit and nut trees,
surrounding an open area,"
he murmured. "I could start
a bluebird trail right here!"
He'd have to look up details
on how far apart the houses
needed to be, but he could
do that after he got home.
"Vybra, please make a note
to research bluebird trails for
this location," he directed.
She jotted that down in
her notebook. "Got it."
That notebook was actually
an all-weather field planner,
because Boss Blaster had lost
one set of notes to wet paper and
another to a dropped tablet computer.
He had asked Boss Finn for advice,
and she had helpfully directed him to
the kind of heavy-duty equipment that
emergency workers used in the field.
The zippered case had pockets inside
the front and back plus credit card slots,
a holder for T-mem and thumb drives,
and all of the paper inside the planner
was the kind that could stand up to
water, sweat, blood, grease, and mud.
The 3-ring binder held alphabetical tabs,
monthly tabs, write-on tabs, weekly and
monthly calendars, a 4-year overview
with a matching future planner, a ruler,
and a pen that would write on anything.
Boss Blaster had used the thing for
less than a week before he declared it
the Master Planner and just copied
everything onto his computer at home.
"Birdsong is good for people," he said.
"This location should prove quite popular."
"I wonder why it has that lovely hedge,"
said Lula. "That's quite an asset."
"According to my real estate agent,
the previous owner planted the oaks
to make it look parklike because they
sold outdoor furnishings," he explained.
"There's plenty of room in here," said Vybra.
"You could fit more than one house in it."
"Possibly even an apartment building,"
said Lula, "depending on your budget."
"No, my pockets aren't that deep,
and I doubt that yours are either,"
said Boss Blaster. "I'm not looking
to build something big from scratch."
"Yes, there's a limit to what my office
can handle on the spur of the moment,
but we have more leeway in small projects."
Lula agreed. "What did you have in mind?"
"I was thinking of rowhouses, but I'm
not sure there's room for more than
one row, and just one would leave
a lot of lawn," said Boss Blaster.
"What about a cottage courtyard?"
said Lula. "We have plans for those."
"I don't know," Boss Blaster said as he
shook his head. "They're trendy now,
and I want to avoid gentrification."
"So build smaller units," said Vybra.
"I've got a row house, but it's tiny --
the bedroom is just a loft. Rich people
don't want to live in small places, they
want a big house with lots of yard."
Lula perked up. "Would you
consider actual tiny houses?"
"How tiny?" said Boss Blaster.
"I don't want to build a slum."
"No, of course not," said Lula.
"We have a whole library of
pre-approved building plans
in a variety of sizes and styles."
From her big red tote bag she
took out a rugged tablet computer.
Boss Blaster instantly wanted one
like it and wondered where he
might be able to find such a thing.
Lula showed him a collection of
plans for tiny houses that ranged
from a studio loft to a duplex with
1-bedroom units to a 2-bedroom loft.
"These look promising," said Boss Blaster.
"The tight space is a concern, though. Do
you have anything wheelchair-accessible?"
"Yes, this is similar to the studio loft but
has a vaulted ceiling instead," said Lula.
"All the fixtures meet accessible standards.
Also, the other units can be customized
to different disabilities if necessary."
"That's good," said Boss Blaster.
"I have friends on wheels, so
I've been aiming my offerings
to accommodate special needs."
Lula did not need to know
that those accommodations
included very intimate ones.
"Some of those plans look like
they could hold a family, but none
have more than one bathroom,"
Vybra pointed out. "That could
cause some serious challenges."
"So we include a showerhouse,"
said Boss Blaster. "That makes
a good place for a laundromat too."
"We have some plans for buildings
like that," said Lula, shifting files.
"These are support structures
useful in planned neighborhoods."
"It definitely needs something
for security and administration,"
Boss Blaster mused. "I also
like this common kitchen."
"I don't see any garages,"
said Vybra. "That's an issue."
"Many people who live in
tiny houses can't afford a car,"
said Lula. "Plus that saves
space in the sitemap design."
"Here's a bike garage,"
said Boss Blaster. "That
should work well for this."
"You need to provide
a storm shelter as well,"
said Lula. "Tiny houses
are no better than trailers
at resisting violent weather."
Boss Blaster paged back to
the common kitchen. "This
has an optional basement
for recreational space."
"That's a good start, but
not big enough," said Lula.
"You have to cover all souls on
board, which means not only
residents and staff but also
a buffer for any guests."
She opened a new file.
"These are standard plans
for different storm shelters."
"That is going to eat up a lot of
valuable ground," Boss Blaster said.
"I remember folks complaining that
the local trailer courts don't have
as much shelter as they should."
"They've been bickering about that
for years," said Lula. "You could
put the bunker underground, though,
since you haven't built anything yet."
"Hmm, maybe use that to connect
some of the common buildings,"
said Boss Blaster. "What about
folks who can't handle climbing
steps or a ladder, though? They
need a safe shelter as well."
"Find a showerhouse plan
for a hardened structure, like
parks use," said Lula. "If it's
built with concrete blocks, then
it will stand up to storms just fine,
and it can have a roll-in entrance."
"Good solution," said Boss Blaster.
"Okay, a storm shelter, the basement
underneath the common kitchen, and
the showerhouse for roll-in shelter."
"The common kitchen will give
everyone a place to gather and
socialize, so they will be close
to the shelters, too," said Lula.
"I'm not sure how that would work,
or how many tiny houses would
fit on this lot," said Boss Blaster.
"Don't cram them in like sardines,"
said Vybra. "People hate that."
"What about the cottage courtyard
idea?" said Lula. "Make clusters
of several houses, sharing a yard,
and that would promote community
among a handful of close neighbors."
"Then put the common buildings either at
the front or in the middle," said Boss Blaster.
Vybra turned to a clean page in her planner
and began doodling possible sitemaps.
"I like that one," Boss Blaster said,
pointing to a cloverleaf design. It had
four clusters, each with five tiny houses,
plus the main buildings front and center.
"Vary the styles in each cluster, and
that will encourage diversity," said Lula.
"What kinds?" Vybra asked. "I could
make a note of the pattern in a margin."
"Maybe two or three of the studio lofts,"
said Boss Blaster. "I'm not sure
about the mix of other ones."
"Make it two studio lofts and
one accessible studio in
each cluster," said Lula.
"Then one duplex and
one 2-bedroom loft."
"I can make that work,"
Vybra said, updating
the sitemap sketch.
Boss Blaster leaned
over to examine it.
"Make the paths wider,"
he suggested. "People
won't have cars but will
have bikes or skateboards
or wheelchairs, so having
wide paths will be good."
"You could put a plaza
in the center, beside
the common kitchen,"
said Lula. "A pavilion
or two and a set of
picnic tables would be
good for gatherings."
Vybra sketched in
the new parts and
made further notes.
Boss Blaster knew she
would recopy the sitemap
in better style once they got
home, and make a summary
of notes to go alongside it in
the scrapbook so they could
look back at their progress.
Then a cheerful hail
made all of them turn
toward the gate to see
who wanted their attention.
Like Boss Blaster himself,
Carlton Running Brook had
chosen a dark outfit in shades
of black, gray, and navy along
with sensible winter boots.
He had light copper skin
and long black hair that was
straight where his wife's
had just a little wave.
The couple exchanged
greetings, and then Lula
introduced Carlton to
the rest of the group.
"So, what have you
got going on here?"
Carlton asked them.
"We're brainstorming
ideas for a community
of tiny houses," said Lula.
"I made preliminary sketches,
if you want to see," said Vybra.
She liked showing off her work,
even before the scrapbook stage.
Carlton looked at the sitemap,
and then he turned to look
around at the empty lot itself.
"Have you thought about
security?" he asked. "Lincoln
has a serious gang problem --
I saw a couple of thugs on
the bus, but fortunately they
didn't try to hassle me. Today."
Yeah, the Tatters were an issue,
and even the sad remains of
the Hammerheads could be.
"Thanks for your input about
gang activity," said Boss Blaster.
"The plan includes a building for
administration and security. I
figure on posting a guard to keep
the residents safe. Plus the lot
has a good privacy fence in front."
"What about the hedges? Those
don't have a fence," said Carlton.
Boss Blaster laughed. "Nothing
much bigger than a rabbit is getting
through there," he said. "Go take
a closer look. The oaks may be
smooth, but the wild plums have
thorns as long as my fingers."
"Blackberries and raspberries
in there too," said Lula. "I spotted
some when I was walking around."
"That certainly helps," said Carlton.
"It also reminds me of food sovereignty.
What do you think of a community garden,
or a food forest, or something else edible?"
"That continues the theme of the hedge
with its fruiting plants," said Boss Blaster.
"I think people would appreciate having
some personal space, so maybe build
a raised bed for each tiny house. Then
the food forest could be held in common,
tucked into spaces between buildings."
"You might have the residents spend
a certain number of hours per week
working on the food forest as well as
any communal raised beds," said Lula.
"It helps people feel productive, even if
they don't currently have a day job."
"That should work," said Carlton.
"We'll have a lot of people crammed
into a small space, so they will need
ways to relieve the sense of crowding."
"We don't want to risk gentrification,"
said Vybra. "That's why the tiny houses."
"You've got some corners without anything
in them," Carlton pointed out. "You could
add a spiritual sanctuary or peace garden
to help people connect and calm down."
"Now that's a great idea," said Boss Blaster.
"Something nondenominational, so it can
meet the needs of any faith, or none."
"All you really need is a little shelter
with gardens around it," said Carlton.
Vybra sketched it in and made notes
about spiritual needs. She even
drew a tribal medicine wheel and
the Methodist cross with flame.
"This plan is shaping up
quite nicely," said Lula.
"When do you think
we can get it started?"
Carlton asked them.
"We'll have to wait for
spring," said Boss Blaster.
"Look around, the whole lot
is all mud under the snow."
"Not if you work indoors,"
said Carlton. "Tiny houses
are small enough to build inside
a warehouse or even a workshop
if it's a big one. Build them in
winter, then move them here
for hookups in the spring."
"That would be great if we
could move them, but I don't
know the legal parameters
for that, and I don't want
to guess," said Boss Blaster.
"Don't worry about it," Lula said.
"The plans all say whether or not
you need a special permit to move
them. We can get you permits
for the models that need any."
"Then it should work out,"
said Boss Blaster. "I do like
the idea of getting a head start,
but I'll have to juggle some funds."
"We can help with that too," said Lula.
"There are plenty of city resources for
revitalization and affordable housing.
After all, you're putting up the land."
"You could save a ton of time and
money if you get students to build
the tiny houses," said Carlton.
"High school shop classes or
trade schools should suit."
"That has some potential,
but I don't have contacts with
the schools," said Boss Blaster.
"I'm pretty new in town. I was
just going to use dayworkers."
"I have school contacts, and I know
which ones will jump on the opportunity,"
said Carlton. "Any school that teaches
woodworking is a good bet, along with
the trade schools for construction,
electricity, plumbing, and so on."
"How reliable is the craftsmanship
from students?" Boss Blaster said,
thinking about the challenges of
working with young mechanics.
"Students might not get it perfect
the first time, but they'll figure it out,
and you will get a huge savings,"
said Carlton. "Also, anything
that builds the local skill pool
is a good thing in my eyes."
"Besides, you can always use
dayworkers in spring," said Lula.
"The common buildings will have
to be constructed onsite, landscape
work done, tiny house hookups --
all that will add up pretty fast."
"Another thing to consider
is that trade students from
another city might like this
as housing," said Carlton.
Boss Blaster mulled over
that input, then had Vybra
take notes on what could be
done when, where, and by whom.
"Work up a business plan and
a clean copy of the sitemap,"
said Carlton. "With those, I
can find you students to build
the tiny houses, and start doing
some outreach for who might
want to live in the community."
"We know plenty of city Indians,
and somebody's always looking
for a place to live," Lula added.
"Red Campus and Indian Village
can only hold so many folks."
"This area already has plenty
of ethnic mix, so they should feel
comfortable," said Boss Blaster.
"Black, white, Hispanic, I don't
know what else may be here.
I like the combination myself."
Vybra nodded. "People don't
stare at me as much here as
they do if I go downtown."
"This is a good place, flexible,
quiet aside from the main road,"
Lula observed. "Plus you've
got bus stops on either side,
so that activates some perks
for mass-transit access."
Boss Blaster nodded. "Yes,
that's one reason why I bought
this place," he said. "Poor people
who can't afford their own car need
access to public transportation."
"The bike shelter will help too,
and if kids are biking then they
aren't out making trouble from
scratch," Carlton added.
"We've got the beginning
of a solid plan," said Lula.
"We can flesh it out and see
what else is needed as we go."
"Agreed," said Boss Blaster.
"I think this does a good job
of preserving the quality and
character of the neighborhood
while adding more homes."
"Have you thought of a name
for it yet?" Lula wondered.
"I was thinking about calling it
Pressnall Pocket Neighborhood,
for the tap dancer Jamie Pressnall,"
said Boss Blaster. "I like the arts."
"That sounds good to me," Lula said,
adding it to her tablet computer. "We
can meet again to iron out more details."
"Meanwhile, thank you for doing your part
to make Lincoln a better place," said Carlton.
"That's what I'm here for," said Boss Blaster.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its character, setting, and content notes appear separately.