Erik, what I said was that it had "been reported". I have been assured by the attending lawyer, who made the report, that while I may have "editorialized" the essential facts of that "Post" were true. I did not say these things were "fact", but I believe I may have "shined a little light" onto what I am, and many are, beginning to be disturbed about with regard Minneapolis policy that seems to be emerging. I would invite other attendees to that "Bar Association" meeting to also give their input. While these attendees are engaged in doing so, also if they would or could listing, their "Firms" it might be helpful. Just so we can interpret their "realities" if they work for Law Firms who represent non-profit and other developers who "might be" interested in further concentrating poverty and dis-empowering neighborhoods.
Major policy changes are in the air and residents and neighborhoods need to be VERY wary of what is suggested. The changes to the Comp. Plan are just an example of these changes. Without Minneapolis Planning Commissioner Bradley's amendments to those changes, "IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS" would have found themselves helpless to oppose wholesale development of their neighborhoods by unscrupulous developers and non-profits. Watch for which City Council members attempt to remove or neutralize Bradley's Amendments when they reach the council; such will give insight into exactly who these Council-people are and who they actually represent. The Holman Decree has implications for the City that go well beyond just "public housing". This landmark decree also points to the discrimination against poor neighborhoods with large populations of color. Where Federal, State, Metro, and even City tax dollars are used to "subsidize" housing the Holman Decree has relevance. Developers using only their own money probably are exempt, but please show me even one multi-family housing development that is not using "public" subsidies. The pattern of institutionalized discrimination against residents of poor communities of color continues with attempts to remove any small roadblock that might slowdown the politically connected "Developer" The venue where Erik's comments were suppose to have taken place was a good one to possibly start another such discussion. The Director of the Federal "Empowerment Zone" section of HUD, (in town for a training session commenting on a question of what was the best way to "Empower" a community), said that the most empowering thing a community could do was to "form a relationship with a major law school or a major litigation firm". I think it is time for the inner-city neighborhoods of Minneapolis to form a coalition and seek such assistance. Class action suits appear to be the only means of protecting themselves from more powerful political interests with pre-existing business relations with non-profits and developers. This can be a benefit for such law-firms because, though the communities are poor, the firm can recover legal fees due to a protected class being discriminated against. Perhaps the Mayor's Office can assist our neighborhoods and communities with forming such relationships with Law Firms who are willing to take on pro-bono work where they may in the future recover legal fees. I am sure there are also responsible firms with enough social conscious to advocate for poorer communities. Perhaps something like Legal Aid could be established that would assist poorer communities with civil actions to stop the endemic discrimination against them. In this way communities might have the level of advocacy necessary to compete against large wealthy and politically powerful non-profits and other politically connected developers. I would be happy to discuss setting up such a Community Legal Advocacy Consortium with the Mayor's Office and with other inner-city Impacted Communities. Please contact me by e-mail if you, the Mayor's Office, a neighborhood, or a Law Firm has an interest in such a worthwhile endeavor. Perhaps the University of Minnesota Law School or Hamlin Law School might be interested in using such a forum for a Social Justice Practices lab for students and teachers. Much like what the Humphrey Institute engages in with Social Policy and Planning. Perhaps the Mayor's Office would be interested in facilitating such discussions. RT has talked of "Empowering Neighborhoods" and this would truly empower them. Such action would also affirmatively dispel any fears neighborhoods might have of the Mayor's Office and its plans "FOR" impacted neighborhoods. Erik, you could possibly help with this endeavor. Your suggestions to the CITY/COUNTY SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD certainly aims them in a certain direction. So perhaps Erik, you could use that same housing policy acumen to put together a consortium of neighborhoods and legal advocacy to remove the burden of discrimination, which political power and wealthy development interests have burdened such neighborhoods with. Erik, in closing, I will continue to support the Mayor and "Our" City. There are some disturbing things that are coming out of meetings with the Shelter Advisory Board and other related meetings that I would like to discuss with your office. These meetings have supposedly been going on since January and supposedly are creating plans that will be quietly slipped into place. Perhaps you could contact me, or the Mayor could include me in a meeting with other impacted neighborhood housing advocates. The purpose of such a meeting would be to explain exactly what the ramifications of "HIS" plans are for those neighborhoods. Though the neighborhoods have so far had NO involvement in such planning , we would like to equally participate with your non-profit developer advisors in such planning, not just wait for something to be done to us. Jim Graham, Ventura Village >Remember the neighborhoods and their residents are the only true >"Community Developers" the rest are "Businesses" doing their >business in your community. ----- Original Message ----- From: Takeshita, Erik M <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 1:06 PM Subject: [Mpls] October 22 posting by Jim Graham on my comments to Hennepin County Bar Association Jim, I am sorry that you didn't actually hear my comments at the Hennepin County Bar Association's Brown Bag Lunch on Tuesday. If you had been there, perhaps you would not have misquoted me and taken my comments out of context. First, an audience member asked me if neighborhoods were a "fly on the ox" of the City. I did not and would not characterize neighborhoods this way. I did respond to the question by noting that while some could see it that way, both I and the Rybak administration do not. Instead, I reiterated that a major component of the Mayor's housing agenda is civic engagement and that we value working with neighborhood groups and citizens in all aspects of increasing housing throughout the city. I never made any comments, as you assert, "That the 'City is planning to vigorously fight' any neighborhood that gets in the way of downtown interests." Again, I wish you had been there to hear what I did say first hand. Second, while I did comment that the success of the NRP has been a double-edged sword, I did not suggest that it was because "those neighborhoods then felt they could stand in the way of downtown interests and plans for forcing non-profit developments into those neighborhoods." I did say that because they are empowered, it is imperative that the City engage neighborhoods in how to increase housing opportunities in all parts of the City. Third, my comments regarding the Minneapolis Plan had nothing to do with "shortcut[ting] any opposition from neighborhoods" as you assert. I did comment on the fact that the Minneapolis Plan, the Zoning Code, and City policies are not particularly clear and are not consistent with one another. I indicated that as part of our regulatory reform agenda, Mayor Rybak is interested in clarifying the goals and priorities of the City and reflecting these in a clear, concise, and consistent way in the Minneapolis Plan, Zoning Code, and other policies. Jim, in closing, we do appreciate your continued support. In this light, if, in the future, you hear things second-hand that are not consistent with your understanding of the Mayor or our agenda, it would be great if you could simply contact us directly to clarify what may have been said. Our door is always open. I can be reached directly at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks again. Sincerely, Erik Takeshita (Ward 11) Senior Policy Aide Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
