So far six model homes have been built.
But there is a potential for 4 homeowners, which is not alot of folks. But let's look at the money. If four home owners purchased the most expensive model at $196,000, the numbers come in over $750,000. Now try calculating 350 times $196,000, that comes to a little over $68,000,000.
So, all this project needs is for a few to buy in hopes of driving others to go to the well and drink..blindly. The more these folks tell me what a great deal this is, the more, I believe the project is a steal. That is stealing from the poor and giving to the rich. Would you agree? Some say that they can't legally displaced the current residents, but that is what they are doing, de facto.
A couple of other items I found interesting, according to information that I heard in the HANDS Board of Directors meeting, on Smith Street will soon be returning to a new home that replaces her demolished home that was next door. The catch, the homeowner will now have a mortgage and will become a part of the Fort Wayne Housing Authority self-sufficiency program to obtain assistance with this new mortgage.
I found the information interesting because the excitement in the meeting was about the handing over the keys that will be a media event. Is this Hollywood or is this about affordable housing?
At the November meeting of the HANDS Board meeting, I was surprised to learn that a house at 1105 Home was for sale. The house belongs to the Reclamation Project. I guess everyone is in the real estate business !! Can anyone hear that bubble bursting?
Anyways this is a nonprofit group that help "refugees." Do you think that a new " refugee " is going to have a job and funds in place to purchase this home that was renovated with volunteer help? I guess, you can make money by buying on the cheap and selling high and that will help support renovation the biggie, the Rialto.
My disclaimer here..these are my own opinions which are not sponsored or paid for by any of the above mention groups. Feel free to correct and add any additional information in the comment section. And if you would like to advertise on this site, please email me at dowdells@comcast.net.
Credo..
ReplyDeleteOf course the 1105 Home Ave. house was for sale! That's how the CHDO program works.
Forgive my strong language here, but you reveal some of your ignorance of the refugee situation by assuming that this renovation project was a for a new refugee family. This program, while not flawless, was something that TRP embraced because it's designed for a more stable refugee family (or any needy family) that could use a helping hand to become a homeowner. Obviously a new refugee family would not be in a position to assume a mortgage and the responsibility of owning a home as soon as they get to America. We did not target a new refugee family, but rather one that has been in our city for enough time to have a solid wage earner in the family and a network of friends from all walks of life who are helping them assimilate into our culture. Unfortunately, even those attempts were unsuccessful and due to the fact that we were covering the mortgage on the home and all of the associated expenses, we ultimately sold it to local family who met the income requirements of the program.
By suggesting we bought this house on the cheap and sold it high reveals another element of your ignorance. Do you know how many volunteer hours were poured into this project (hundreds), and how many generous contractors and local businesses gave gifts-in- kind to make this house affordable? Do you know that the price it sold for is substantially less than the value of the home now that it's been rehabbed?
More importantly, were you one of the volunteers who came out to lend a hand? For someone who follows our organization so closely, surely you knew of our call for volunteers to give of their time at work days that were held this past spring.
To suggest that we did all of this so we'd have $ to renovate the Rialto is just plain wrong. Once again I invite you to have a conversation with me and we’ll go over every aspect of this project so that you can make a wise and informed decision about what you report on. You will learn very quickly that this is not a money making scheme for us -- in fact it's quite the opposite. As you may or may not know, housing for refugees is a major issue in our City and we're on the look-out for any and all ways to provide decent and accommodating space for some rather large refugee families. There is a learning curve for all of us in this process, but to accuse us or insinuate that we're doing it to make money is just irresponsible reporting.
Please, please Credo.. check your facts before you make more statements which could unduly hurt the reputation of people who are simply trying to make our community a better place!
Jeff Jacobson
The Reclamation Project
Jeff:
ReplyDeleteJust because you used strong language to call me ignorance, does not make it true.
and you did exactly as I thought you would do, response to discredit my posting.
Before you have written me an email to correct any information, but this time you resorted to name calling.
I will match my education to yours any day.
I met you onsite. I was told that you had an language program in place. And guess what? I have yet to see a language program. I have spoken to several folks who are latino and told me about the so called program and they did not have anything positive to say about the program.
Matter of fact one of the young men wanted to teach a program out of the center from a different lens but there was no follow up.
Another fact, I did not start volunteering when Reclamation Project decided to begin volunteering in the community. I have volunteered for various program throughout the community every since I was 16 years of age.
I also partipated as one of the first paid volunteers in a national program. The different was that the program understood that volunteering is very time consuming and money was provided to get the job done in a timely fashion.
But, most volunteering I receive no compensation in building, compensation or benefits of self profiting.
I think with the recent exposure of the church, is why you found it necessary to use strong language.
I stand behind any information that I post on my blog. The information that I reported is in minutes that are a matter of public record.
I suggested that the house was cheap and let me go one step further at this time to say that the volunteers saved the organization lots of money to rehab that home.
And the fact that it went on the market rather than a transition home for new refugees attempting to getting a footing in Fort Wayne with affordable housing was quite a shock to me!!!!
I would love to have lunch with you at any of my favorite spots in the neighborhood with you if you feel that I am so ill informed that you can better education on what you have done for "refugees" under the Reclamation Project
Just email me and let me know. I used strong language here to let you know that I write what I see. I am not following your organization closely. It is in the neighborhood that I travel every day !!!!!!!
we're not going to get anywhere like this.
ReplyDeletei will e-mail you separately and perhaps we can meet again at the Rialto. i'll be glad to answer any questions you may have about the organization.
thanks..
jeff