The organization Graham attacked (and not for the first time) has been a vital force in the Twin Cities for more than three decades.
I used to have a lot of respect for PPL- they were the little agency that helped folks fix up their homes, loaned tools, rehabbed buildings here and there, and put a lot of down on their luck folks to work.
This work over 30 plus years earned PPL designation as one of ten outstanding community development corporations in America by the Fannie Mae Foundation. Over the years PPL has worked cooperatively and creatively with every kind of organization imaginable - community and neighborhood groups, businesses, civic organizations, government agencies, other non-profits, colleges and universities ... the list goes on.
The revered founder of PPL that accomplished much of the above has moved on. A while back the new PPL came a courtin' to Hawthorne, We would have been happy to partner with them in rehabbing homes and filling our vacant lots with new ones. PPL would hear nothing of it.
PPL wanted to do blockbusting in Hawthorne. They wanted to take a whole block, tear down the existing homes and/or small businesses, and build their vision and not ours in Hawthorne. Unfortunately Hawthorne has no empty blocks to offer PPL, and fortunately that deal died. None the less, PPLs threat to make long term residents homeless is still there. Assisted by their friends in city hall and their power of eminent domain PPL can make me and my neighbors homeless anytime they want. PPLs promises of new housing have nothing for me- I can't afford "market rate" and make too much money for their low income housing. And what of my retired neighbors and the immigrant families up the street who would be made homeless by PPLs blockbusting?
Then there is Ventura Village and Jim Graham. Simply put they have declared war on PPL, and its time for us to respond. Here is a different perspective for Minneapolis Issues List readers to consider when they evaluate the current state of affairs between PPL and the handful of white homeowners, including Graham, who hold an iron grip on the Ventura Village organization.
Steve, you can add Hawthorne and me to PPLs "enemies list". BTW, I'm surprised to see you play the race card here- Jim Graham is so in touch with the community that I had guessed that he was a person of color.
Here is the final point. Graham's recent diatribe was in response to an inquiry from a list member elsewhere in Minneapolis. His precise language was deeply offensive
I just reread Mr. Graham's post. I find it a spirited refutation of PPL, but I find nothing abusive, demeaning, or profane in it.
, but the essence of his message was he hopes PPL will leave Ventura Village. No chance. Our new Service Center and Headquarters is under renovation at 11th and Franklin. CVI will be built. We are almost done with a new single-family home to be sold to a lower-income buyer at 21st and Elliot. Our building across from Chicago Crossings will be renovated into an education and employment learning center as part of our current $10.8 million capital campaign. Most importantly our programs will continue to serve dozens of Ventural Village residents and children every year the neighborhood organization never sees because of their narrow vision of the community.
Steve, thank you for your honesty in admitting that your agency, PPL, doesn't give a darn what neighborhoods represented by their legitimate neighborhood organizations want. Thanks also for the heads up that PPL bulldozers may soon be arriving on any block, and that no neighborhood is safe.
holding the line in Hawthorne,
Dyna Sluyter
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
