Matt and fellow bikies,
Since Matt's real issue with me is that I'm in Real Estate...and therefore
anything to do with getting support from that industry, or the "evil" world of
business, (So should the Bike Fed stop interacting with Trek, Sarris, Pacific
Cycle and others?) many who are real progressives who are have and remain
committed to improving the quality of life in our area and creating good jobs
for our residents, I thought you might like to look at my track record in my
industry, and how I've been involved with affordable housing and other
important issues...so I'll post them below. Stereotyping doesn't really work
well to describe everyone from an industry.
As to Robbie being a great bike advocate, I know she's tried to do alot. But
I agree to disagree with you and strongly belive that more should be done. We
all have room for improvement.
But when when I was PTO President of Franklin/Randall and the School Liason
to the Regent Neighborhood Association and I approached her to help create a
Bike Rodeo in our area for younger children to teach them how ride safely, she
chose not to help.
When she and Sonya Newenhouse gave a report in November 2005 at our City
Downtown Coordinating Committee about different types of bike racks and the
need for more downtown, the committee agreed unanimously. When I asked her if
there were funding sources for them there are and downtown business reps on the
committee offered to poll for new placements. We've got the funding, we can
figure out who wants more and we have the desire to see it done. She was then
to take it to Bike/Ped to move it up the chain to hoped for action. That was a
year and a half ago. Do you see any more bike parking added in downtown? The
2 bay posts added mid block that businesses and bikies want? Guess what the
answer is.
I've already posted why I think she's failed on bike issues in the district
when it comes to intersections and appropriate concern and stewardship of safer
streets and bike routes. It's about priorities.
I look forward to having bike advocacy issues as one of mine if elected.
Regards, Troy
p.s. Hopefully, after reading below, you'll agree that labelling and
stereotyping based on what they do for a living is not always accurate.
To: Affordable Housing Action Alliance
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Troy Thiel, Candidate for 5th District Alder, Madison
Common Council
2514 Chamberlain Ave., Madison h 238-7677
Date: January 27, 2007
Re: Your Organizations Questionnaire
Dear AHAA,
Thank you for forwarding by mail to me your information and Spring 2007
Questionnaire. Unfortunately, I just received it on Thursday and due to work
obligations that cannot be rescheduled, I will not be available to schedule an
interview with your organizations representatives during the scheduled period
tomorrow.
Due to time constraints, and the detail of many of your questions that
deserve significant and thorough research and thought, I am preparing this
statement to address many of your questions and to make you aware of my long
time commitment, advocacy and track record of producing positive results
through effective action on the issues of affordable housing and diversity
issues.
I think you will find that if elected, I will be a strong ally in the fight
to implement action plans that help our mutual goals of making Madison a better
community in addressing affordable housing, good paying job creation/retention
and a stronger educational system that implement real positive results at
achieving the goals that we share. A truly great future Madison is one that
emphasizes equity and quality of life for all of our residents. A rising tide
lifts all boats is more than a meaningless saying; its a wise axiom and an
effective way to plan appropriate policy and a great goal to fight for as we
strive to improve the quality of life for all of the residents in our community.
I believe there is an affordable housing crisis in our community
that would be
true if there were 10,000 or 1,000 or 1 person who did not have safe and
adequate housing. I also believe that its the entire communitys role (not to
mention in the best interest of our entire community) to work to solve the
myriad of quality and affordable housing issues we face.
During my time as a resident in Madison, I have supported Affordable Housing
Issues by:
-Donating and raising funds through the Regent Neighborhood Association for
the support of the Tenant Resource Center
-Worked with Sonya Newenhouse and David Weisman at the Madison Environmental
Group, Howard Mandeville of Movin-Out, Tom Hirsch, Julia Kerr, and others
interested in creating strategies to create more housing that is affordable or
available to the disabled. In those efforts, I have also discussed with
leaders the creation of potential non-profit Development Authorities and have
linked up people interested in being involved and who are currently working
towards creating one
and linked them to developers who may have an interest in
partnering.
-Used my long time experience as a successful Real Estate Agent and housing
market analyst to encourage and actively solicit for the conversion to
condominium ownership of existing apartment buildings in key, higher density,
neighborhoods where such conversions would result in the creation of more
affordable ownership workforce housing opportunities and improve
neighborhoods and our communitys quality of life (less road usage, increased
density, financial benefits of ownership, access to affordable ownership and
much more) as a result.
-Marketed and helped develop strategies for higher density in fill projects
with affordable units, including the Livingston, Kennedy Point, and Sequoya
Commons (Midvale Plaza) that are helping to improve the neighborhoods and am in
process of doing similar with others and conversions that are not yet public.
-Provided market data to my fellow City of Madison Downtown Coordinating
Committee (where I am the Chair of the Living Downtown/Land Use subcommittee)
to illustrate markets and the reality that workforce housing price points are
the most successful in the 2005-2007 marketplace. I have shared this
information with Alders, City Staff, Real Estate and Development community to
encourage the continued creation and promotion of the importance, and
profitability, of developing workforce price point housing and appropriate
infill development. I have also communicated this time and time again in
conversations in my neighborhood organization, discussions on the comprehensive
plan and at any other appropriate meetings.
-Volunteered and financially supported affordable housing initiatives through
Habitat for Humanity and the First Weber Foundation from every paycheck I
receive.
-Helped implement improved understanding of the diverse community that
Franklin/Randall community has during my time as co-chair, along with my wife
Karen, of the PTO through education and liaison connections through our diverse
Parent Empowerment Communities that were funded and supported by the PTO.
Understanding and open communications can lead to greater team building to
address our communitys needs.
-Helped analyze to some of the official participants the suggested changes to
the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance to hopefully help to make that program more
successful than it was in its initial stage
as well as pro formas of projects
for alders and citizens involved with discussing amount of TIF to be granted.
During my activities in my former community, Evanston, Illinois, I was also
very committed in many of the same ways but also:
-Helped create and was Chair of the Affordable Housing and Diversity
Committee of the North Shore/Barrington Board of Realtors, the largest Real
Estate board membership in the country. During my leadership we implemented
several awards to celebrate stakeholders in the community that helped in the
creation of affordable housing options, required that each new Real Estate
Agent Board training included a program that was run by the Interfaith Housing
Corporation during Orientation to make new agents aware of the issues of
Affordable Housing and encourage them to assist. Also, I was involved as a
representative to the Interfaith Housing Corporation at all of their quarterly
meetings to discuss issues with the stakeholders in the community and come up
with solutions. I believe much of this should be done here and am willing to
help make happen!
-Worked Pro Bono, as well as fund raised, for the Interfaith Housing
Development Corporation to assess, analyze and help negotiate the purchase of
buildings or sites that helped lead to the conversion of over 200 units of
housing that was developed for affordable, disabled or senior housing in the
North Suburbs of Chicago, including Morton Grove, Highland Park, Skokie and
Evanston.
-Worked on several condominium conversions and consulted (actually still do
in that market) others in converting apartments to condominium, very often
bringing below market average and more affordable workforce price pointed
ownership housing options.
-Advocated for the inclusion of impact fees and Inclusionary Zoning policy
for Development Projects in Evanston.
-Was a founding member and President of the Coalition for Appropriate
Development, which strived to right think infill development and City of
Evanston subsidies of it, demanding that affordable housing be included in the
plans, as well as wise stewardship of City/Taxpayer paid for incentives.
Upon review of my track record, I hope you will find comfort that, if
elected, I am, and will continue to be someone who will be part of the team
to help solve Madisons housing crisis. Through creation of new or better
implementation of programs, fulfilling our Citys commitment to the Affordable
Housing Trust fund, effectively marketing down payment assistance programs,
rehabilitation grants, tax credit programs, encouraging condo conversions to
bring more workforce ownership, encouraging rent to own programs and conversing
as a community in respectful dialogue to reach the important goal of making our
efforts successful.
Also, a critical component that Ive not yet mentioned and one that we must
put on equal footing as a priority is wise policy creation that enhances new
good paying job creation, retention of good employers who are thinking of
leaving the city and using TIF as one of the tools to make it so. Its a
Chicken and Egg proposition, and we must strive to adeptly implement policy
that works with the interrelatedness of housing creation and employment
creation and retention.
While I know this letter has not addressed all of your questions, I hope to
continue the conversation, and to continuing my exhibited desire and past
history of commitment to affordable housing policies that help improve our
community. We must do a better job AND we MUST stop labeling people from the
building industry, Architects, Real Estate Agents, Developers, and Landlords
because they are natural teammates in helping to solve the issues we seek to
solve. By labeling or stereotyping we are not making the reality of great
effective policy any more possible, but in fact are deterring it.
I am constantly amazed at how progressive minded and committed to this issue
people are, in my industry, and in Madison as a whole, to this worthy cause, in
fact it is one of the main reasons I and my family decided to move to Madison.
But if we are to move forward on these important issues we face and serve the
less fortunate in the ways we intend, we must do so in a thoughtful, respectful
and productive manner. I look forward to continuing to be a part of that
effort.
Very Best Regards,
Troy Thiel
Candidate of the 5th District, Madison Common Council
H 238-7677 C 347-9670
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Candidacy Website: www.troythiel.com
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