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The present Minneapolis Mayor and City Council
President have caused the housing shortage in our city--Let me
explain.
I have rehabbed 47 units of housing in the
city-saved it from MCDA`s wrecking ball-but in the process of doing it I ran
into obstacles like:
1) The MCDA which said "Buy that building from HUD
and we`ll condemn it and give you one dollar". They got it and yes as expected,
they destroyed it.
2) Housing Inspections- they make you go
through their hoops which delays the work and drives up the cost-they should
work with us and not against. They should be tough but fair and helpful
also.
3) City Council-after fixing up a property, they
get to vote on whether to demolish it because it doesn`t have a full
basement-does a homeless family care if their next home has a full
basement?
4) Neighborhood Groups-They can put the kiss of
death on your property because crimes occurred on or near it--I`ve always
managed to deal with them but other landlords have not been so lucky and have
lost their properties to condemnation.
Private developers can repair housing for 1/3 the
cost of government or non-profits--they are much more efficient. They need to
feel welcomed by the city and they will come back again. Old style politicians
like Jackie Cherryhomes (aka the Queen of Destruction) need to be ousted-they
are in the way by having their own selfish agendas. The MCDA needs to sell all
their properties on the open market like HUD does.
Before being allowed to run for city government,
all potential politicians should be required to rehab and be operating
at least one rental unit-then and only then will they be able
to correctly and honestly pontificate about providing
affordable housing. Unfortunately we humans learn best through pain and
suffering.
Respectfully, John w. Penterman/ Landlord ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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