First the headlines: The TG Center is temporarily relocating to the
Haven Center located at
1827 West Alabama - next to the Chocolate Bar starting
Dec 1st, 2009 immediately.
All of the group meetings are moving there except for the Friday night Social and the Saturday Girls Social. Those may be put on hold until we are more comfortable with our temporary location. Yes other plans are being considered for a more permanent location.
Now for the back story: Why did Lilly wait so long before she put something out about what was going on at the TG Center? I didn’t want to have a write a new email each day, with an incomplete picture.
A new board for the TG Center was elected at the end of October. That was when many on the board learned about the developing problems with the landlord.
The simple answer is that the TFA has struggled with some fairly outrageous demands from the landlord for many months now and it has reached the point that for the safety and support of the community, and the undisturbed continuation of the support groups and services we needed to look at providing a more hospitable location.
Most recently, Friday November 13th, TFA were served with an eviction notice by Monday November 16th. Yes, The Center is suppose to be given 30 days notice. Yes, the Center has consulted an attorney pro bono, for advice.
There are other examples based on emails that were sent to the previous TFA Board that only back up this upcoming eviction. Most of these were emails discussed at the October Emergency Board meeting, a meeting attended by approximately 45 people. All TFA Board meeting are open to the TG Center Members. You may want to see Cristan about becoming one. there is no fee for the membership.
But the bottom line is TFA cannot afford to hire an attorney to fight an eviction notice for 10 days. TFA is moving in 10 days since we will be relocating to our temporary location on Dec 1st to the Haven Center. Group members should look for announcements on www.transhouston.com to learn the latest or consult their group faciltator.
Since we are evicted on Monday, the Monday night meeting, Nov 16th, is currently canceled until we have a meeting place. We are going to try to see if we can make our move to the Haven Center sooner, but at the moment, we don’t know.
So there is a great deal of anxiety about moving to a new location and a feeling of great loss to move from 713 Fargo, for all of its memories, its safety, and its milestones in our transition. But TFA felt that they had to do what had to done, not only for legal and ethical reasons, but to maintain the safety, support, for the TG Support Groups that choose to meet there.
For many of you, this is your first move with the groups. And yes, it is very sad that we are not going to be able to call the 713 Fargo location home. It is very beautiful, warm, loving and accepting environment. And it is very hard to leave your first home. For me, this will be my 5th time to move with the Monday night meeting. TATS has changed locations 8 or nine time. When the TG Groups moved to the TG Center, the only groups that met there were Monday night and STAG. From that we have grown to 11 different groups. It is obvious that having a “home” really encouraged so many people to see us in a different light.
I am greatly saddened by this event and I reach out to those of you in the groups, who might feel unsettled in this move. If you would like to contact me, the TG Center, The Board, Cristan, Lou, Andrea, I’m sure they can offer a very willing ear or shoulder. It is always an emotionally disturbing event to have to move from your home. Don’t hold your feelings in. Talk about it to others. That is what support groups are for. The TG support groups belong to no one except the people the who attend those meeting. And the TG Groups can choose to meet where ever they would like. For the mean time, all the groups are moving to the Haven Center.
Since the Board of Directors cannot comply with the landlord’s demands for ethical and legal reasons, the Board has begun the process of looking for another location for the TG Center. While it is unfortunate that the Center must relocate, please remember that all activities (with the exception of the Friday social) will continue through this transitional period.
And at the end of the day……Our TG Community is not a building, it is us.
Lilly Roddy
Board President
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