City of Fort Wayne bails on Renaissance Pointe rental plan
Posted by Dan in UncategorizedWhat a great time to send a press release, Saturday afternoon. Maybe Henry hopes it will get buried deep inside the Sunday edition of the JG?
CITY OF FORT WAYNE WITHDRAWS SUPPORT OF TAX CREDIT RENT-TO-OWN HOUSING PROJECT
Fort Wayne, Ind. – Initially, the city of Fort Wayne supported the proposed development because it:
1. Promised to invest nearly $9 million and add 50 additional new housing units to an area where the City has already invested more than $4M in infrastructure improvements;
According to a March 8th 2009 JG article:
The city of Fort Wayne has spent $5.8 million so far on the Renaissance Pointe project in an effort to rebuild the neighborhood..
2. Would serve families earning moderate incomes who desire to live in Renaissance Pointe, but are not currently or are no longer bankable during this credit crunch;
3. Would add momentum to the community’s effort to increase retail and commercial development with an addition of 50 roof tops, which are needed in order to attract this type of development;
4. Would broaden the range of incomes for an area with a median income of $17K, by targeting moderate income families earning approximately $30-$40K per year
Mayor Tom Henry said, “We have heard the community’s outcry and feel its concerns are valid, that this developer has yet to engage the neighborhood in meaningful and productive dialogue that could lead to support for the project, and so we will be notifying the state that we no longer support this project at this location.”
Community Development deputy director Heather Presley added, “Neighborhoods play in integral part in defining the success of developments such as these and in this case the community has communicated that it feels its concerns have neither been heard, nor addressed. “
Presley said the City is sending an amendment to its prior support to the State indicating the withdrawal of support for this project.
From Kevin Leininger @ the NS
“Putting a rental next to me will drop the value of my house. Where’s the bond between a renter and the home? The builders are the only ones who will benefit here.”
Not true, said Ann Helmke, director of Vincent Village on nearby Holton Avenue, which provides transitional housing services. The new homes, she said, could stimulate additional development in a part of town desperately in need of it, she said.
And Heather Presley, the city’s deputy director of housing and neighborhood services, said 50 additional homes could attract the stores and shops the neighborhood lacks and its residents say they want.
Although the city has not decided whether to support the proposal, Presley said Hall and the builders don’t necessarily need the city’s help. Instead of using city-owned land, they could simply buy other property within Renaissance Pointe – something Hall said he would consider if necessary.
Did common sense prevail or did the media and bloggers change Henry’s mind?
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The reason for the timing, speculation on my part, but it makes sense, was to allow Glynn Hines to announce it at his State of the 6th District even this morning. Well, Glynn didn’t personally announce, but it was announced by Heather Pressley and touted as the City listening to the neighborhood. Great emphasis was laid on the developer’s not getting the community on board with the decision. I’m going out on a limb here, but it almost feels like the developer might be getting thrown under the bus… I don’t know enough about the dynamics, but it sort of feels that way to me.
Anyone is interested, I’m hoping to have the video posted a bit later this evening and some of the highlights as well.
I do not care what part of the City you live in, when rentals come in, property values are impacted, and not to the better.
Glad to see we’re on the same page AGAIN, Dan…
(great minds MUST think alike)
I agree Jimmy, but it wasn’t always that way, trust me.
It depends on the PEOPLE that rent INTO those houses that cause the problems (and the landlords aren’t off the hook by ANY means).
You DON’T go and stick someone, with no background check, and funded by section 8 into a house being rented in a nice neighborhood when those people have NO figging idea what it MEANS to live IN A DAMN HOUSE.
But I see evidence of this every day.
(Heather & Glynn need to find a REAL job…and start helping THEIR community)
That’s why MY area sucks so damn bad…
(Welcome to *my* world.)
And yes…WE (the bloggers) SURROUND THEM.(the politicians)!