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It has been pointed out to me that the MCDA never
owned the brownstone at 15th and Laurel. I guess it
was just my fear last year and I was confused.
I have been criticized about my attitude toward CLPC.
Generally I find neighborhood organizations in general
one of the greatest barriers to building low cost
housing. There are exceptions, of course.
I also mentioned the property at 13th and Harmon as
being across the street from the Haverhill. Actually
the Haverhill is on the same block. The Wellington is
across the street.
I was also called out for dissing CLPC because they
have been supportive of low cost housing in the
neighborhood. There was mentioned made of several
buildings among them Archdale on 16th and 1st Av, The
Continental on 12th and LaSalle, the Merrimack(i think
that is the building on 13th and 1st, etc.
There seemed to be the attitude on one person's part
of "See what we've done". I found it condescending.
It was also suggested that "Affordable Housing" could
be sited in mixed areas. That it is the only way it
works. I think the jury has already spoken on that
issue.
Richer people will put all the distance they can
between them and poorer people. Literally or
figuratively. Try living in an atmosphere where you
are either belittled, condescended to or shunned.
Why do you think poorer black families having moved to
the suburbs miss the old neighborhood?
Maybe I am wrong but I think you'll start to see
enormous pressure on that block, especially on the
brownstone.
In the wider picture is there anyone who will deny the
creeping gentrification?
A new upper priced building on tenth and Portland, the
new American Express service center at 4th Av and 9th
street, Sayonara to the Drake Hotel and the 410
Shelter.
Tear down Sumner-olson, voila new units starting at
$150,000 to $250,000. How many former residents of the
neighborhood do you think will move back in?
We tear down whole areas because of the concentration
of poverty, why not tear down whole areas because of
the concentration of wealth?
Let's try this for an experiment: We'll tear down all
the housing between Douglas Avenue and Mount Curve.
Then we'll build back low cost housing with 20% units
for wealthy people. What do you think will happen?
Another ting: Carol Becker does not say as much but I
still think she objects to the phraseology "jacking
up"
There are all sorts of way to jack up. Rarely is it so
blatant as an assessor standing on the corner with a
clipboard and a calculator.
Jacking up could be demolishing 6000 units of housing
over a decade while your population is growing by
14,300. Voila!
Create scarcity which dries up the market, drives up
the prices and then reassess based upon inflated
costs.
Then start building like mad to fill the vacuum with
new housing considerably more expensive than that
which you tore down and you've built a bigger tax
base. Yippee!
Then you can use the proceeds from the increased taxes
to pay off the excessive spending on things like
police armaments and gadgetry, new libraries without
adequate operating funds in their budgets... you get
the picture.
We have a major problem with housing in this city and
it's not just about supply. We need to be talking
about issues like institutional racism in housing
policy and racism in society in general and this
conversation starts with those who are or feel
entitled, with the white majority.
RACE IS THE GREAT UNSPOKEN ISSUE IN THIS TOWN AND IT'S
TIME TO START TALKING.
Tim Connolly
Ward 7
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