My take: Decent enough idea, poor execution by CHDO, good folks thwarted for transparent political purposes by obstructionist community members who loudly pretend to know better, and the current tawdry sinking beneath the choppy, moldy waves.
But that's just me. You? Here are three recent Tribune links.
CHDO seeking legal advice about dismantling organization
State says fixing Linden Meadows in New Albany could cost around $1.7 million
PNC Bank files for payment of Linden Meadows loan
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12 comments:
When I first became aware of the Linden Meadows project I thought it was odd HUD was working on this "affordable housing" project, with huge logistical challenges. I was thinking the fastest bang for the buck as they say would have and still would be training people to renovate the historic structures that literally litter the landscape here.
I do think conceptually, affordable housing is important, but doesn't New Albany represent what we call affordable housing already? I think you build affordable housing in areas where the costs of housing price out the working class.
New Albany has an abundance of structures, but they been degraded purposely by the "extraction class" who've been in charge here for a while. If we enforced building codes, we wouldn't need more affordable housing.
Many people with many competing agendas have incentives to over simplify the CHDO's problems. What caused this debacle?
Was it just the neighbor’s lawsuit? Probably not, but that’s a big part of it.
Was it just John Miller’s poor management skills? Probably not, but that is a factor too.
Was it just lax lending by the lender? Not the full story but stricter standards might have sent off alarm bells earlier at National City.
Was it just inattention and neglect from the city? This one’s open for debate.
Was it just a culture and govnerment regulations that incentivizes suburban living over higher density housing? No doubt has something to do with it.
Was it the CJ and Tribune for failing to dig deep with investigative journalism two years ago? I don’t want to point the finger at them but it’s possible that asking difficult questions earlier could have helped.
Was it a national real estate recession and near collapse of our banking system? No doubt a factor here too.
Was it a society that doesn’t value quality affordable housing? ???
Whatever you might thing, I hope we can all agree on one thing.
CHDO’s issues are COMPLICATED.
Let's resist the urge to oversimplify.
The students at Prosser could learn major lessons about houses and life by rehabbing these houses. The idea was great, the execution was classic government. If Prosser is not interested, get private builders of contracters in to finish these off. Who cares if they profit? At this rate they will all be torn down by Spring.
"Was it the CJ and Tribune for failing to dig deep with investigative journalism two years ago? I don’t want to point the finger at them but it’s possible that asking difficult questions earlier could have helped. "
Most of this was done before I got here, but reading through our archives, there are scores of stories looking at the good and the bad of linden meadows during its infancy. Perhaps the fault lies with you for not reading those? A newspaper can print stories all day, but it can't pass along any changes or take any official action, that's up to you.
Sigh, Another anonymous blogger on your site Roger with an apparent degree in journalism. I thought about posting this when you did your five year suggestion mark, but I didn't so I'll ask it now. When are you really going to make your blog anti-anonymity? Now it's not even close, it's only for you and that's pretty hypocritical.
Okay, Daniel, so I'll say what I really think. Gloves off, big guy.
First: I noticed the posting just before you did. The blog is not a paying position, aand I've been busy doing work that remunerates me.
Second: No, I don't know who it is, but I've generally always tolerated a first offense without penalty. Your bringing it up means I can say it now: Faux, we need to be introduced.
Three: Your hypocrisy criticism is bullshit, and much in keeping with your all-around attitude about such matters. That's not entirely your fault. The blog stirs the pot, you act as steno for the public officials who do nothing to make things better here, I write the de facto editorials in my weekly Tribune column, and ... and ... hmm. True, every now and then the publisher chimes in; I'll give him that, but in the main, it's passive-aggressive on the part of your management, and you and I both play along because they pay us.
Am I right?
Daniel's Prosser idea is one I've considered previously, and I think has potential beyond Linden Meadows. Ivy Tech has a building program, too.
We are surrounded by older housing stock and too few folks with the skills to work on them properly. Ditto for inspectors, appraisers, lenders, real estate agents, etc.
The idea that builders and tradespeople need new construction to make a nice living isn't borne out by the numbers. It's habit, lack of education, and poor policy as much as anything. See Faux's suburban incentives point above.
In fairness to Faux's newspaper mention, the articles that ran told only a small portion of the story.
Faux citizen, yes, it's complicated, but how does it now not get murkier with all the same parties trying to unravel it? What is the way out? I like Daniel Short's idea for incentivizing the hell-out-of-it for the slow local construction trades.
BTW - I'll be away from the computer for a few hours, out trying to accomplish things, so if there is inactivity or silence, it's because I'm not on line, and any other inferences are invalid.
Ta ta.
Not a BS at all. I figured you knew Faux, you know everybody on here but not everybody on here knows everybody else on here. Nor is it demanded they make their names known to everybody on here, only you. Yet you criticize others when they poke at you but don't reveal their names at other outlets. But when a poster on your blog criticize someone else, you don't require their names to be revealed. Think that pretty much sums it up, and until you change that, it's hypocritical.
As for the steno stuff, I'm a reporter, I'm not allowed to write columns on what I cover. There's no grand conspiracy going on there, sorry to spoil that for you. If people don't like their leadership, vote them out. The paper can't do that for you.
I often wonder what news source Coach K reads. When he says Dan Coffey struggles with the truth and the rules, how does he know? And regardless of how he knows, if he's collected facts that lead him to that conclusion, why aren't they published as news in his paper?
Probably LEO, they have fun pictures.
thankfully, just as the bar-fight broke out here, John Gonder has picked up the topic at his blog.
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