I continue to be amazed that most of our city government
still believes this is Mary Tyler Moore's hometown... Mary Tyler
Moore never lived here, but a lot of gangbangers do.
Jim Graham, Penn Bro Keith, Wizard Marks, and Shane Price
"get it". R.T. is starting to understand the problem. The rest of
Minneapolis government seems to think that as long as the Nicollet
mall and the Parkways aren't overrun by gang activity that everything
is OK.
It's not OK here in the Northside. It's quieted down a bit on
the streets for the winter, but the nightly sick symphony of gunshots
will return in the spring. The gangbangers next store have taken
their partying inside for the winter, but a few "clockers" are still
on the street dealing a few blocks away. Two nice houses on my block
are sitting empty, and eventually their owners will probably have to
rent them- maybe to gangbangers.
I live in a 115 year old house that I inherited. I've
invested about $10,000 in it, and with my first NRP grant I've been
able to add about $15,000 in improvements to the property. I have
received another NRP deferred loan/grant for $15,000- with my 2:1
match this would put another $45,000 in improvements to the property.
Since the gangs moved into my block last summer, I've put off
most of those improvements. The only improvements I've been able to
justify were for security upgrades- a fence and improved locks.
Unless Minneapolis does something to eradicate the gangs, I will
continue to reduce my investment on my little corner in the
Northside. I am a couple years away from retirement, and would like
to spend most of my declining years here. But as the neighborhood
becomes less safe, investing in an RV instead of my home is beginning
to look more attractive. So the investment that would have gone into
the neighborhood and increased tax revenues will instead go to an out
of town RV manufacturer and services purchased on the roads of
America.
Multiply the disinvestment on my corner by the 20 or so
properties on my block. Then multiply that by the thousand or so
blocks on the Northside. I'll do the math for you- we're talking
conservatively about at least a billion dollars in residential
property investment that will go elsewhere. Then figure in another
$50,000 in assessed valuation per residence and we've lost another
billion dollars in assessed valuation. And we're not even talking
about Phillips or Central or the other neighborhoods where the gangs
are making a comeback. We haven't figured in the loss of assessed
valuation on business property yet either.
What happens when Minneapolis loses a few millions of dollars
in assessed value? City services are cut, taxes take off, and even
more investment flees- the beginning of a vicious cycle that ends in
an East St.Louis, Memphis, Detroit, or Cleveland.
Is this what our city government wants? Or are they even
aware of where we're headed? Do they get it at all?
Shane Price gets it. Vanessa Freeman seems to be picking it
up, as is R.T.. Yet I got a flier yesterday from a candidate for 3rd
ward council member from a member of one of the Northeast's DFL
dynasties. Ms. Kari Dziedzic seems not even be aware that the 3rd
extends west of the Brewery.
wither Minneapolis?
Dyna Sluyter, shopping for RVs in Hawthorne, and
wishing she could safely invest in Minneapolis instead.
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