I recently watched IMPACT, on Indiana NewsCenter,WPTA 21, with guests, Heather Presley, May Johnson and Jim Lancia of Lancia Construction. The guests spoke about a $70,000,000, seven year plan by the City of Fort Wayne for the Renaissance Pointe. In November, grounds will be broken for two homes designed by Lancia Constructions alleys repaired and street lighting in the Hanna-Creighton area. These Victorian style model homes will hopefully attract other builders to build over 400 homes in the area. I suppose this presentation suggest that the Renaissance Pointe will be different than the failed Phoenix Project that was to stipulate housinggrowth on the land of burned tires and whatever other contaminates that were found underground. This latest development by City leaders reminds me of Venezuela'ss President Hugo Chavez statement to the United Nation.
President Hugo Chavez of Venezuelan stood at the podium of the United Nations and called the President of the United States several times the Devil not the United States as an axis of evil, but the man himself the Devil. Why? Chavez stated that Bush believes that he owns the world. This did not draw shock from many in the room but gentle quiet laughter, sounding as a choral of support for Chavez’s statement.
Locally, we have our own DEVIL, Mayor Graham Richards, who has gutted the Southside in the interest of developers as he makes empty promises to the residents. Richards uses slick marketing terms like Synergy, Renaissance Pointe, and Southtown Centre. But Synergy states the fate of trusting residents: local neighborhood residents voices are silenced; neighborhood's residents’ interests are replaced by outsiders nonprofit and for profit market business interests; selected citizens are political representation replacing the actual citizens who live in the areas during mandatory citizen participation at the planning stages; and the final product becomes the decision makers’ goals rather than requests or demands by residents. In other words not affordable houses, but landbanking for the developers, as Presley, Johnson and Lancia attempted to paint such a pretty picture on television.
Although the silly suggestion that Mayor Graham Richard is the DEVIL is clearly a hyberbolic attempt to be provocative, you make a salient point about truly preserving the interests of southeast residents. Unfortunately, neither you nor other supposed spokespersons for the southeast side seem prepared to offer a credible or consistent accounting of what those interests really are. What exactly are those interests you're talking about?
ReplyDeleteDo you really believe that southeast residents are ill served by the renovation of Southtown Centre? If so, why? Were we better served by the flea market that the Helmke Administration allowed Southtown to become through years of neglect?
Do you believe that southeast homeowners want more dilapidated homes, more rental units and fewer ammenities? If so, what evidence do you have to support that argument?
Do you, like Councilman Don Schmidt and others of his ilk, believe that the southeast side deserves no attention from city government or private developers? Do you, like Schmidt, believe that we who live on the southeast side deserve less attention than every other part of the city?
I agree with you that we need to be sceptical watchdogs. But I also believe that we must measure project like Southtown Centre and Renaissance Pointe by a much more important yardstick than whether Wal-Mart is open 24-hours or whether we have another affordable housing unit. We must insist that these project help create and retain wealth that STAYS in the southeast community.
If we continue to think of ourselves only as consumers, sideline observers, or as victims of whatever "devil mayor" is in office, we've lost before the fight has even begun.
Interesting post.
ReplyDeleteDo you really believe that southeast residents are ill served by the renovation of Southtown Centre? If so, why? Were we better served by the flea market that the Helmke Administration allowed Southtown to become through years of neglect?
never said ill served, the deal benefits Wal-mart more than the southeast residents. Wal-Mart came in with tax breaks, received land at a cheaper rate. Now tell me who really needed the tax break?
Wal-Mart staying open for 24 hours would have to pay more tax dollars back into improving the southside, but no one talks about that, just the layaway.
Guess what? The layaway during the Christmas season would have bought additional tax dollars for improving the southside. But, what got lost in the translation was a boycott for not having a layaway.
How dumb are the citizens of Fort Wayne when they keep falling for the same okey-dokey!
Do you believe that southeast homeowners want more dilapidated homes, more rental units and fewer ammenities? If so, what evidence do you have to support that argument?
never said more dilapidated housing, but always say affordable housing. Do you honestly believe that many of those who will be displaced can afford $100,000 homes? Of course not. But, they can afford shared condos, or shared housing.
the demographics tells the needs of the population, met their needs instead some field of dream, "if you build it they will come" plan. Include the people and I believe you get something beyond this traditional one way of doing things.
Do you, like Councilman Don Schmidt and others of his ilk, believe that the southeast side deserves no attention from city government or private developers? Do you, like Schmidt, believe that we who live on the southeast side deserve less attention than every other part of the city?
Never said that either. If anything, I believe the southside should be flooded with investment dollars from the city, state, fed and private developers, because the southside is worth it.
We must insist that these project help create and retain wealth that STAYS in the southeast community.
I agree with you, but the project, says 400 houses, but you are getting only 2. If they believe (Calling Richard the Devil like Bush who lied about WMD)in southside, build a cluster of housing not just 2 homes!!! How long must you believe in a lie before it becomes the truth?
I know to many folks who don't think of themselves as just consumers, sideline observers or victims, but are constantly challenging, but you never hear about these folks.
Thanks for your comments they were worth reading.
"Do you honestly believe that many of those who will be displaced can afford $100,000 homes?"
ReplyDeleteExcellent question. But this is what I mean about limiting our thinking of southeastsiders to the status of victims watching from the sidelines.
Number one: The city has promised that no one would be displaced. Do I believe that we can blindly trust that pledge. Of course not! But this is where our watchdog role comes in. As a southeast community, we have to make certain that that promise IS kept. If it means a lawsuit, so be it.
Number two: This is the very nucleus of one of the most important building blocks of wealth creation/retention: homeownership. The answer to your questions about affordability, it all depends on how much that $100,000 home costs the homeowner. Downpayment assistance grants (free money), lower-interest loans, tax abatements - all of which are part of the Renassaince Pointe incentive packages - allow the opportunity for lower out-of-pocket costs AND significant equity in a new home. While we need to scour the fine-print on all of these incentives, we would be crazy to dismiss them prematurely.
Again, while you were nice enough to answer most of my questions, you ignored my central query: What are you proposing as the central "interest(s)" of southeast resident? And according to whom?
The answer to your questions about affordability, it all depends on how much that $100,000 home costs the homeowner. Downpayment assistance grants (free money), lower-interest loans, tax abatements - all of which are part of the Renassaince Pointe incentive packages - allow the opportunity for lower out-of-pocket costs AND significant equity in a new home. While we need to scour the fine-print on all of these incentives, we would be crazy to dismiss them prematurely.
ReplyDeleteLeft home without my glasses, so I can't really see what I am typing. But, I wanted to response to the above statement. The only way that low-income and I am not talking about middle-class or higher can afford a $100,000 home would be if that the cost of the home is reduced. That means grants, or sometime of subsidy,we are talking about low income folks.
You are right I did not answer your question because I've spent alot of time writing in my blog some of the concerns and interests of the southside. I believe you are looking for specifics,and that would take me some time to layout in my blog.
In closing, do I watch a man beat his dog to death and say nothing? Of course not. Do I believe in a city that has continuous beaten down the African-American Community to do better? No.
It is individuals who see a need and attempts to me it that will change the community, not just watching. A private developer will invest $6 million dollars for housing at affordable or market rates. This will provide cheaper, better equipped, decent housings for those who have no option. Did the city try to steer them toward RP? The city has over $70 million dollars to spend in the RP area. A private developer bringing in his or her own money, why didn't the city embrace this and just match dollars? Do you think the city has offered any type of support?
No, because the investor has read the demographics and no there is a need and is not part of the city coopted group of corrupt politician leaders.
So, it's not about being a victim, it's more about having the courage to do the right thing.