| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
City resumes funding to Salem Housing; former mayor Don Williamson refused to give housing agency federal money
Print
Joe Lawlor | Flint Journal By Joe Lawlor | Flint Journal
Follow on Twitter
on March 19, 2009 at 4:33 PM, updated March 19, 2009 at 4:35 PM
FLINT, Michigan -- A new city administration means the money spigot has turned back on for a local housing agency.
After living without any funding from the city since 2004, Salem Housing Community Development Corp. is expected to receive $840,000 in federal money that's doled out by the city. The money was never spent and will be shifted from unused accounts to Salem, if the City Council approves the change.
Former Mayor Don Williamson in 2004 refused to fund Salem Housing after he criticized it and other housing agencies about how they spent their money. Salem Housing officials defended themselves, saying the former mayor was nitpicking.
A city investigation in 2004 found the agency had loaned $2,000 to help a former employee pay for an attorney. The investigation did not uncover any criminal wrongdoing.
Williamson resigned last month, opening the door for resumed funding.
Williamson said on Thursday that he doesn't mind.
"Let them do what they want to do. They're running the city," Williamson said.
Temporary Mayor Michael Brown said he did not specifically request the money for Salem, but he supports the move.
"I'm aware that the money had been withheld from them for quite some time," Brown said. "I know they do great work in the community, so I was pleased to see it cross my desk."
Jane Richardson, Salem Housing's interim director, said she did not want to rehash the old dispute, but she called the $840,000 a "stellar investment."
She said $400,000 of the the money will help pay to rehabilitate eight houses near Salem's Metawanenee Hills neighborhood. The remaining $440,000 would help the agency finance a $4.7-million loan for the already-built Metawanenee Hills.
Richardson said the 24-unit project off of King Boulevard developed by Salem has been a success. All rentals are occupied and Metawanenee has a long waiting list.
The federal housing money still has to go through a public comment period and be approved by the City Council before it would be released to Salem.
Council members also expressed support for Salem.
Councilwoman Jackie Poplar said it was a shame Salem had been denied funding for several years.
"They do an excellent job and they deserve the money," Poplar said. "When Salem Housing gets money for something, they get it done and you can see what they do." |
|
|
Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:42 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
An investigation into Salem Housing was interrupted when council effectively put a halt to the investigation by having hearings and threatening staff. They actually removed staff from the budget to protect Salem. HUD actually agreed with Williamson and Salem had to pay to complete a number of homes with non-federal funds because of shoddy construction and significant cost overruns.
An employee with political affiliations was a part of the Salem crew working for the Land Bank. He was implicated when a Land bank phone needed for security purposes in their then equipment storage building on Hemphill was used to make expensive calls to porn phone sites. Allegedly he went to Detroit with a land bank truck and was arrested forcing the land bank to send people to retrieve the truck. Salem lent this same employee money funds to pay child support and get him out of jail. There was a HUD finding on this issue and the Land Bank ended their relationship with Salem Crews.
Since this time there has been HUD findings of poor and incomplete rehabilitation efforts. Salem has been unable to sell homes, except with excessive expenditures, and received a HUD finding regarding their rent-to-own program. Salem spent $170,000 to rehab a house on Welch and one on Grand Traverse to sell for under $30,000. They still have a house on Pontiac and one on E Witherbee they cannot sell. their union with Operation Unification for home rehab yielded more HUD findings.
Salem will continue to use their political juice but that does not mean they have a strong base in the community. |
|
|
|
Tue Aug 06, 2013 7:58 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
| Neither Salem nor the Consolidated Plan acknowledge the role of Lockwood in building Metawanenee Hills King/woods project. |
|
|
|
Tue Aug 06, 2013 8:02 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
| Neither Salem nor the Consolidated Plan acknowledge the role of Lockwood in building Metawanenee Hills King/woods project. |
|
|
|
Tue Aug 06, 2013 8:02 am |
|
|
Raymond Sist
F L I N T O I D
|
| Political juice is all that matters. They couldn't care less what the community thinks as long as they get theirs. |
|
|
|
Tue Aug 06, 2013 8:03 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
| Flint got a HUD finding because Salem could not sell their federally renovated houses and turned them into rentals. Some renovations were in posted drug areas and were destroyed. Now with 3 NSP homes they couldn't finish any of them. Several remain unsold. |
|
|
|
Tue Dec 17, 2013 6:57 am |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
