FlintTalk.com

Political Talk :: RE: Flint's Phony City Wide clean up

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:24 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 6

According to Flint PR guy, Jason Lorenz, the cleanup did not include Flint parks or alleys.

Cook Park cleanup needs to find another way to dispose of their yard bags.

Jackie Poplar and neighbors behind the Urban League did a major cleanup and can't get the stuff picked up. Good thing some of her residents knew how to organize the clean up part cause there may not be a pick up part.

Political Talk :: RE: More 2013 violence

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:18 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 257

Just before 9 pm last night about 10 shots were fired into a car at Fleming and Pasadena. No one injured.

Early this morning:

shots fired 3200 block Mackin

shots fired vicinity of Sunridge apartments on Flushing road

shots fired 700 block Wolcott

Armed robbery of the 7-11 in the 1600 block of Atherton Road

Shots fired in 900 block of Pennington (south side)

Man in custody after he stabbed another man in the arm at the 7000 block N Saginaw St McDonalds

attempted carjacking in Lapeer Gardens by 2 b/m driver escaped but car damaged
(just after 4 am )

About 8:40 am a carjacking at the gas station on Dort and Carpenter. Driver was ht in the head and sheriff paramedics responded.

Political Talk :: RE: Face of poverty is now a suburban one

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 7:55 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 4

Confronting Suburban Poverty in America | Brookings Institution
http://www.brookings.edu/�gsuburbanpovertyinamericaOn May 20, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings will host an event marking the release of Confronting Suburban Poverty in America, co-authored

May 20, 2013

Cover: Confronting Suburban Poverty in America

Confronting Suburban Poverty in America

Event:

On May 20, the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings will host an event marking the release of Confronting Suburban Poverty in America, co-authored by Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube. They, along with some of the nation�s leading anti-poverty experts, including Luis Ubi�as, president of the Ford Foundation, and Bill Shore, founder and CEO of Share our Strength, will join leading local innovators from across the country to discuss a new metropolitan opportunity agenda for addressing suburban poverty, how federal and state policymakers can deploy limited resources to address a growing challenge, and why building on local solutions holds great promise.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Synopsis:

It has been nearly a half century since President Lyndon Johnson declared his War on Poverty, setting in motion development of America�s modern safety net. Back in the 1960s, tackling poverty �in place� meant focusing resources in the inner city and in isolated rural areas. The suburbs were home to middle- and upper-class families�affluent commuters and homeowners who did not want to raise kids in the city. But the America of 2012 is a very different place. Poverty is no longer just an urban or rural problem but increasingly a suburban one as well.

In Confronting Suburban Poverty in America, Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube take on the new reality of metropolitan poverty and opportunity in America. For decades, suburbs added poor residents at a faster pace than cities, so that suburbia is now home to more poor residents than central cities, composing over a third of the nation�s total poor population. Unfortunately, the antipoverty infrastructure built over the past several decades does not fit this rapidly changing geography. The solution no longer fits the problem. Kneebone and Berube explain the source and impact of these important developments; moreover, they present innovative ideas on addressing them.

The spread of suburban poverty has many causes, including job sprawl, shifts in affordable housing, population dynamics, immigration, and a struggling economy. As the authors explain in Confronting Suburban Poverty in America, it raises a number of daunting challenges, such as the need for more (and better) transportation options, services, and financial resources. But necessity also produces opportunity�in this case, the opportunity to rethink and modernize services, structures, and procedures so that they better reflect and address new demands. This book embraces that opportunity.

The authors put forward a series of workable recommendations for public, private, and nonprofit leaders seeking to modernize poverty alleviation and community development strategies and connect residents with economic opportunity. They describe and evaluate ongoing efforts in metro areas where local leaders are learning how to do more with less and adjusting their approaches to address the metropolitan scale of poverty�for example, collaborating across sectors and jurisdictions, using data and technology in innovative ways, and integrating services and service delivery. Kneebone and Berube combine clear prose, original thinking, and illustrative graphics in Confronting Suburban Poverty in America to paint a new picture of poverty in America as well as the best ways to combat it.

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Political Talk :: RE: Face of poverty is now a suburban one

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 7:51 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 4

Suburban poverty on the rise

By Ronald J. Hansen, The Republic|azcentral.com

Since 2000, suburban poverty in metro Phoenix has soared, creating new pockets of decay and surprising hurdles in areas often inexperienced with such problems, according to a new nationwide analysis by a Washington think tank.

Between 2000 and 2011, the number of suburban Phoenix residents in poverty climbed from 117,000 to 275,000, a 134percent jump that placed the metro area sixth in the country in that time, the Brookings Institution found. By comparison, poverty in the urban core of Phoenix increased 70 percent over the same period. The city still had a significantly higher poverty rate, 21 percent in 2011, than the suburbs, 13 percent.

As with other economic woes made worse by the housing bust, suburban poverty mushroomed as thousands of homeowners found themselves underwater with their mortgages and often out of work, too.

"In many ways this was a suburban recession to begin with," said Alan Berube, a senior fellow at Brookings and co-author of the new book "Confronting Suburban Poverty in America." "That's where housing prices crashed the most. That's where foreclosures spiked the most. And that's where the unemployment and the poverty that went along with that was concentrated.

"I don't think this is a trend that is likely to reverse itself once the recovery gets in full swing and we get back to full employment. I think suburban poverty is here to stay."

So does Beverly Damore, CEO of the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, which serves metro Phoenix and northern and western Arizona.

"The vast majority of growth over time is going into the suburbs," Damore said. Five years ago, St. Mary's distributed 45million pounds of food, she said. This year it will likely top 72million pounds with much of it heading to the Phoenix suburbs.

Brian Simpson, a spokesman for the Association of Arizona Food Banks, said more food banks are doing mobile pantries in an effort to reach those with transportation problems, an issue that can be especially difficult in the suburbs.

"There are folks out there who may be trapped and may not have access to consistent and reliable transportation," he said.

Though metro Phoenix was among the fastest-growing areas for suburban poverty, it remains relatively low in sheer numbers, the Brookings report found.

Suburban Atlanta, for example, had the sharpest growth, 159 percent, and the largest number of people added to that category, 479,000. Suburbs around Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami and Riverside, Calif., all gained more than 200,000 more suburban residents in poverty. The Phoenix area gained 158,000.

Suburban poverty only grew 17 percent in the Los Angeles area, but it still had 1.2 million people in that category, more than four times as many as Phoenix.

The problem was evident in metro Tucson as well. Between 2000 and 2011, suburban poverty there jumped from 34,000 to 63,000, an 84percent increase.

Berube said any effective response to suburban poverty will likely depend on a coordinated effort between government agencies and organizations like non-profits that can help offer comprehensive services on a scale to match the need.

Reach the reporter at ronald .hansen@arizonarepublic.com.

Political Talk :: RE: Face of poverty is now a suburban one

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 7:46 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 4

U.S. Poverty | Brookings Institution
http://www.brookings.edu/�search/topics/u-s-povertyNearly 20 percent of America's children�and 13 percent of all Americans�live in poverty. Although the nation has made some progress against poverty,

Political Talk :: RE: Face of poverty is now a suburban one

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 7:42 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 4

New Home to Most Poor Americans: the 'Burbs

Suburban poverty has skyrocketed, study finds

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted May 20, 2013 3:41 AM CDT | Updated May 20, 2013 7:38 AM CDT

(Newser) � The face of American poverty is now a suburban one, according to new research from the Brookings Institution. Researchers found that the number of people living in poverty in the suburbs soared 64% between 2000 and 2010, more than twice the rate of urban areas�meaning that now more poor people live in suburbs than in cities or rural areas, although the overall poverty rate remains higher in cities, the Miami Herald reports.

Researchers say the explosion in suburban poverty is the result of many factors, including the housing bust, urban gentrification, and the loss of manufacturing jobs. In places like Orange County, California, "everything is nicely maintained. Things look good on the surface," the director of a charity helping struggling families tells the LA Times. "But the need has just skyrocketed."

Political Talk :: Face of poverty is now a suburban one

Author: untanglingwebs
Subject: Face of poverty is now a suburban one
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 7:40 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 4

New Home to Most Poor Americans: the 'Burbs - Suburban

www.newser.com/story/168177/most-us-poor-now-in-the-bur...

1 day ago ... (Newser) � The face of American poverty is now a suburban one, according to new research from the Brookings Institution. Researchers found ...

Political Talk :: RE: Critics of Burton bond for development policy were right!

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 7:01 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 1

Smiley supporters beat down their political rivals and critics who expressed dismay over the policy of using the full faith and credit of the city to bond the infrastructure costs of developers. These critics predicted a time would come when the city would have to repay the bonds with no developer revenue coming in. Turns out they were right! This list is only some of the losses.

Other communities were saying they wished they had the credit to do the same thing. I guess they did not see the coming building market fall either!

The past Burton administration also failed to recognize that residential homes do not generate all of the tax revenue needed to sustain the costs of providing services to these residential areas. What was needed was more commercial properties to offset police anf fire protection as well as street and other utiity maintenance.

Political Talk :: Critics of Burton bond for development policy were right!

Author: untanglingwebs
Subject: Critics of Burton bond for development policy were right!
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 6:52 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 1

Burton may market hundreds of city-owned lots through Grand Blanc real estate company
Print Roberto Acosta | racosta1@mlive.com By Roberto Acosta | racosta1@mlive.com The Flint Journal
on May 21, 2013 at 7:20 AM, updated May 21, 2013 at 7:21 AM

Roberto Acosta | MLive.com
BURTON, MI � Need a piece of property? How about a dozen?

The city of Burton may sell as many as 219 lots through a Grand Blanc-based real estate company. It's part of a plan to recoup at least some of the remaining $2.4 million in city bonds sold to help develop subdivisions.

Officials have set up a 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, special council meeting to discuss and approve listing agreements with ReMax Grande to market and sell city-owned properties in the Burton Estates, Mallard Ponds Condominiums and Trail Ridge subdivisions.

The city bought 85 lots in Burton Estates, off Belsay Road, for $4,700 in November 2009. Seventy lots in Trail Ridge, near the corner of Maple Avenue and Belsay Road, were purchased for $11,925 in 2008. Approximately 64 lots in Mallard Ponds, off Davison Road near Belsay, came back to the city at no additional cost as no one met the financial requirements to purchase the subdivision during an October 2011 county auction.

City officials have said they bought the lots to protect the investment the city made to help develop those subdivisions. The city had up put roughly $6 million in bonds to help build roads, water and sanitary sewer at the three developments. �I think what would be encouraging to our residents is the building industry is starting to pick up,� said Controller Ginger Burke-Miller. Finding a real estate agent to take on the project is a step forward, after purchasing agent Brenda Moulton said the city had gone out to bid for someone to take on the task in September 2012 with no takers.

A. Michael Conn, owner/broker with ReMax Grande, said he agreed to the idea following discussion at a Burton Chamber of Commerce meeting on the city�s dealings with the property.

Conn said the market is showing signs of improvement in at least one area in Genesee County. Bingham Farms-based S.R. Jacobsen Development Corp. has purchased four subdivisions -- including Country Cottage and Genesee Oaks -- in Grand Blanc with a total of more than 240 lots.

�Those got bought up. Now they have a building company coming in, and they are going to start developing pretty quick,� he said. Conn expects construction to grow in the Grand Blanc area, with inventory on developed properties dwindling and investors coming up from the Detroit area to purchase land.

�Individual buyers would love to see more new construction, as long as it is in the price range of the existing home market, $140,000 to 200,000 range on the average,� he said. �Some of them may go higher than that in certain areas. Right now, Realtors are getting multiple offers on the less-expensive houses. The bidders are driving up the prices, actually.�

Conn noted the city of Burton would still have to go through a �quiet title� process on the properties, clearing them of any potential legal hurdles that might linger because they were taken through tax foreclosure. He called it �a standard process, but somewhat time-consuming.�

Mayor Paula Zelenko said City Attorney Rick Austin is helping with the title process, while Burke-Miller is determining how much debt is owed on the lots and City Assessor Stacey Bassi is finding out how much each parcel would be valued.

�I think we have come to a good conversation point in terms of an agreement,� said Zelenko, adding any final agreement would have to come from city council. �I think it�s time to move forward. My hope is the city can at least sell the properties for the debt that�s currently owed."

05202013burtonestates.jpg
View full sizeBurton owns 85 lots at Burton Estates after purchasing the property for $4,700 during a November 2009 auction. The city is looking to market the properties for sale.
Roberto Acosta | MLive.com
Residents in the subdivisions have mixed reaction to the possibility of the city selling the lots.

Deb Trumbo, whose home is the only one sitting near the end of Burton Estates Drive, has grown accustomed to the quiet surroundings.

"We like it like that," she said, having moved into the subdivision two years ago. "It's like you are living in the country."

Trumbo said it would probably help in terms of property value and overall maintenance of the subdivision if other homes are built. Her husband, Randy Trumbo, mows the surrounding lots.

Paul Laper, a resident at Mallard Ponds, said he's not 100 percent familiar with the city's plan, but he noted, "The property values could increase if the development is completed."

"As long as they keep the architectural plan, the same aesthetics," said Laper. He said some residents wanted to purchase empty lots next to their properties, but the deals never were completed.

Trail Ridge resident Stephen Ketterer III was busy arranging a garden on a space next to his home, which stands alone on a corner in the subdivision.

"They never did any of the work they were supposed to do to repair the house," he said. "I think it's a waste of money (in marketing the properties). It could be used to hire police officers, firefighters. Things that's absolutely necessary."

Zelenko said the council may not take action Wednesday, but the conversation needs to move forward to help alleviate recoup city costs and start collecting taxes on the land.

�If we can get a little more to reimburse us for the debt that we already paid, that would be great,� she said. �But I think the main thing is to get those (properties) back on the tax rolls.�

Roberto can be reached by phone at 810-429-3865, email at racosta1@mlive.com, on Facebook at Roberto Acosta Journalist or on Twitter @racostaJourno

Political Talk :: RE: More 2013 violence

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 6:35 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 257

South side. Shots fired in the Regencies, 2600 block of Trout Dr.
Possible shooting but not confirmed.

Tuxedo and Barrie (Fenton Rd area) shots fired around 5 am

Around 2 am shot were fired on ??? block Philadelphia and there were reports of up to 20 people fighting.

Political Talk :: RE: More 2013 violence

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 6:32 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 257

A continuation of the Welch Blvd drama! (Mary Street too)

Around 10 pm last night police were called to the vicinity of Welch and M L King to respond to a complaint about 2 black males shooting at the tire store. One was wearing black and the other red. They were observed walking towards Mary Street and a large group was observed on Mary

Would you move into Smith Village with all of this violence occurring on the perimeter?

Political Talk :: RE: More 2013 violence

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 9:23 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 257

Action started early in Flint. The 1600 block of Broadway had a fire that encompassed two vacant houses. Neighbors reported gunfire prior to the discovery of the fires and proposed there be a search for a body in the burnt out houses. They indicated a body was discovered this way last week on Burns.

Shots were fired before midnight last night into an occupied dwelling in the 6700 block of Hillcroft. Also shots were heard earlier in the Carpenter Rd. and Cecil Drive area, only a few blocks away.

Political Talk :: RE: More 2013 violence

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 4:30 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 257

Leslie LoBue Toldo

ATTENTION DOG PARENTS IN THE MID-MICHIGAN AREA: THIS IS VERY SERIOUS

If you see White cargo van driving through your neighborhood and anyone approaches to try to sell you air freshener or a carpet cleaner, Do NOT open door and call the cops. Check your fence and your house and your mailbox for any kind of stickers with smiley faces or some other such thing that you did not put there. Your house is being "marked" as a house that has dogs for stealing. I found this information. The most sightings have been in Flushing area. This is the kind of tactic used to steal bait dogs. remove the sticker and call the cops and do NOT leave your pet outside unattended.

Political Talk :: RE: More 2013 violence

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 4:18 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 257

More Welch Blvd. Drama!

The cause for the chase starting at Welch and Lyon around 4: 20 pm is not clear. The suspect was said to be about 20 years old, slender build wearing a white tee shirt and red and black shorts. It was believed he had a gun as he was holding his right side.

Witnesses state he removed his shirt and laid down in the back seat of a black vehicle. The vehicle proceeded down Welch towards mason.

Political Talk :: RE: More 2013 violence

Author: untanglingwebs
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 4:12 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 257

More Smith Village Violence!

Just before 3 pm today a man was shot in the leg in the 200 block of Mary Street, in front of the old drug house where Michael Veal was killed . Police responded after hearing 10 to 12 shots being fired. Mary Street is the northern most border of Smith Village.

The victim was taken by private vehicle to the Hospital ER, however the victim was said to be so high he could not be interviewed. A second vehicle with 2 occupants followed the victim to the hospital Police had to be called back to the hospital because of problems allegedly created by the victims family.

Four men were seen running into the house and were taken into custody by the police. A brown or tan truck was said to be involved. A male Black dressed in red was seen running west bound from Mary Street and may be in custody.

An individual questioned by police at a party store may have been involved or may be a witness after the incident.