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patclawson
F L I N T O I D
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Prediction: A huge chunk of this $20.1 million will end up in the pockets of politicians, their cronies and politically-connected contractors. And a big bunch of it is likely to get diverted to other projects. Nowhere near 1,700 buildings will be demolished when all is said and done.
Do the math: with a grant of $20.1 million, roughly $11,832 per building is being allocated for demolition. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that Detroit officials estimate the cost of demolishing abandoned houses there to be about $8,000 each. MLive recently reported the cost of tear-downs in Saginaw is about $6800. Why are the tear-down costs projected to be so high in Flint?
I suspect there will be lots of unnecessary "administrative" costs and "unforeseen expenses" associated with the program as it unfolds. I also suspect that Flint's demolition projects are being designed from the get-go to provide a bountiful gravy train with lots of cash that can be spread around to take care of an army of needy insiders. This amount of federal pork doesn't come around very often. I am certain that every penny will not be spent both efficiently and wisely.
We should ask: How is this money going to used to make neighborhoods better - and which ones will benefit? Who will aggressively monitor the spending? Is demolition the best solution to clean up Flint's blight? And are there alternatives that can make money for the taxpayers, not drain their wallets?
There's no question that many old wrecks around the city must be torn down. But why not allocate some of the demolition money to "deconstructing" some of these houses and let the taxpayers profit from recycling and selling the materials inside? That's happening in many communities across the nation.
Car thieves know that there's bundles of money to be made in stripping a car and selling the parts. The same is true with houses. Our local scrappers are ripping off the copper - but what about other materials like the valuable wood and timber they are leaving behind because it's not easy to steal? Recycling these materials makes both economic sense and profits - and that has been proven repeatedly across the nation.
Demolition, while needed, is not going to solve Flint's blight problem.
The City of Flint and the Land Bank are failing in leadership by neglecting one of the most important ways to rejuvenate Flint. We need an urban homesteading program that sells houses to $1.00 each to people who contractually promise to repair and live in them.
I personally witnessed a program like this succeed back in the Seventies. It is what spurred the clean-up of Baltimore and rejuvenated the city.
As the New York Times has described it: "During the 1970's the city sold blocks of abandoned Federal-style row houses in downtown neighborhoods for $1 apiece and provided buyers with up to $37,000 in low-interest construction loans. The city provided technical assistance and authorized payments to approved contractors. Major work had to be completed within six months and, after 18 months in residency, homesteaders received the deeds to the houses."
This urban homesteading program attracted an army of young people who moved from the suburbs into the inner city's grittiest areas. Their enthusiasm and hard work - coupled with low interest money - helped transform eyesores from hell into sparkling gems. The City of Baltimore then expanded the program to other slums. Within a decade, those areas of Baltimore were transformed from being very rough ghettos into stable, trendy, family-oriented neighborhoods.
We need to bring some creative thinking to Flint to solve our problems. Tearing down buildings will help clean up blight, but we need to get people moving back into city. An urban homesteading program is needed in Flint, and we need it now.
Pat Clawson
Candidate - 49th District House of Representatives
Swartz Creek, MI
patrickclawson@comcast.net |
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Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:49 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Right Pat. The extra cost per house is allegedly paying for maintenance of the properties for five (5) years.
When you look at the maps of abandoned homes to be torn down and the Master Plan for Green Innovation, it is apparent much of the north end is going. Some residential around the edges will all that will be left. master Planning staff means that includes urban agriculture and possibly windmills.
Reverse redlining took it's toll. I can't believe the prices some people paid for homes in shaky neighborhoods. They ended in foreclosure and money to save foreclosures was used for demolition.
A failure to provide adequate police protection has chased many from their homes. Many have moved to nicer homes in the suburbs. The downtown groups always planned on eliminating much of the north end. |
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Wed Aug 21, 2013 5:00 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Check out the tax forfeiture rate, the Sheriffs sales and bank foreclosures of Salem Housing. I would like to know why banks give this agency loans of $50,000 to $168,000 for properties that are only worth fraction of that amount. Then explain why the Land Bank breaks their own Policies and Procedures when they continue to give land to Salem. The City of Flint had multiple HUD findings for this organization.
Must be because the Genesee County Board of Commissioners have friends in this agency. They control the Land Bank by virtue of their control over the Board of Directors. Their motto may continue to be "institutions over individuals". |
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Wed Aug 21, 2013 5:31 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Looks like you are right Pat. The City of Flint and the Land bank both have their hands out. Watch where homes near commercial sites end up being sold. Plus the city now is contemplating a park disposal program All their commercial buddies can boogie on down. |
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Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:18 am |
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