A picture speaks a thousand words

Kevin Leininger knows a lot of his newspaper readers will never go into Hanna-Creighton Neighborhood. But, I wanted to share a picture that sits right across from Zion.

The library is a small library that is used by Zion Lutheran School, which belongs to the church. The few students who go there. The church is beautiful but failure to earlier integrate has left the church badly in need of members. St. Peters did much better than Zion. St. Peters has brought up lots of land and property close to it's church. St. Peters has paved almost a whole city block for parking, not houses but parking. St. Peters school is long closed, it has been turned into a senior housing. The senior apartment had to offer a basement discount to get any takers. There are no amenities close by except the tiny library with few books, and the Urban League. You can't buy grocery or pay your bill or go out to socialize with friends.

But Leininger see this as a community that the folks who are spending $50,000 to $100,000 to ripoff artists should be appreciative. Do you think we'll see any of Leinginer's children moving into this neighborhood anytime soon? A neighborhood with potential but the city helped pilfer out millions and millions with a smile and a handshake. Folks who are now trying to pay their mortgages but their payments are sent back. Folks trying to call the agency's number but it is disconnected. What city allows such mistreatment of its citizens? Fort Wayne.

If anyone gets any credit for home ownership in the Hanna Creighton neighborhood, look up a guy by the name of Ian Rolland. Rolland tried to do what the local government would not do. And when the city had a chance they ripped off the people, the very people Rolland was trying to help. Some folks need to go to prison.

If the city couldn't build housing for it's citizen how in heaven's name is the city going to be fiscal steward in building a hotel or stadium?

Outrageous

Dear Attorney General Steve Carter:

We know you visited the City of Fort Wayne and suggested a fine of almost $200,000 for the injury to the Schwab Foundation, but what about all folks at Fort Wayne Neighborhood Partnership. And what about the NeighborWorks folks with the folding of its nonprofit. Where's the money?


Former Executive Director Nicole Turner-Ridley should feel vindicated with the recent reporting of the closing of the doors of the NeighborWorks organization. Ridley firing may have been used to cover the operation of the organization by the board members. I blogged about this earlier:

One thing that I don't understand is when an investigation is ongoing for African-Americans the media shouts criminal charges. But, shouts are mistakes with raced whites there is no charges or criminal activity pending when wrongdoing is reported in the media. If the investigation ever makes it to the media. This is not to excuse anyone's behavior, but too often board members who are responsible for oversight are hand picked in order to usurp accountability or to excuse the requirement of their fiduciary duties.

Still, it should not comes as no surprise that folks rarely see the fruition of a project meant to alleviate the condition of an impoverished area because huge amount of money has been diverted to unauthorized areas or to save profit for nonprofits.

So that $200,000 was not enough for the million dollar Schwab foundation or the meager selling of the small number of properties for NeighborWorks listed in the news story.