The Growler has now heard it from the Hizzoner's own lips.
Last night Mayor William D. Euille showed up at the Inner City Civic Association Meeting and in the course of his remarks about the neighborhood and the Braddock Road Metro plan referred to "public housing that remains — remains, but is upgraded" to improve the quality of life for residents. "This is not a gentrification situation with people being pushed out of their longtime neighborhood."
But the Mayor did announce another walk through the neighborhood next month, this time at night.
So there you have it. The last shreds of pretense that Alexandria is pursuing smart, transit-oriented growth or that the Braddock Plan is really about vibrant communities have been stripped away. What jurisdiction in this region would be dumb enough to keep public housing on some of the most valuable land in the City? What municipality that claims to be promoting retail would re-administer the kiss of death that has kept Braddock Place wreathed in cobwebs for twenty years? And just what really changed around here after the Mayor's last neighborhood walk?
Dear readers, you know the drill by now. There are links on this page to send E-mail, so feel free to drop the Mayor and Council a love note letting them now how thrilled you are that they are looking after someone's quality of life (though not your own).
And don't forget the final public meeting on the Braddock Road Metro Plan. It will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20 at Jefferson-Houston School (1501 Cameron Street).
52 comments:
"But the Mayor did announce another walk through the neighborhood next month, this time at night."
Maybe Councilman Macdonald will take Mr. Pupo up on his offer and actually have the guts to show up and walk through the neighborhood at night.
The sight of Del Pepper walking up Montgomery at 10 PM at night and Councilman Macdonald standing at the corner of Fayette and Madison is surely going to be one of the highlights of my year.
We should find a video camera and post it on Youtube.
"City Manager James Hartmann announced Hamer’s appointment last week. She has been a planner in Maryland since 1987, working for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in both Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. Since 2005, she has served as acting director for their Montgomery County Planning Department."
I wonder what Faroll Hamer thinks of this brilliant idea by the Mayor for Life. One would guess that as the previous MoCo planning director, she has a clue about building transit oriented growth and building vibrant neighborhoods, as anyone who has been to Bethesda, Silver Spring, or Friendship Heights can attest.
""This is not a gentrification situation with people being pushed out of their longtime neighborhood.""
With "people" in this case being housed by our taxpayer dollars in slumlike conditions, and with us, the taxpayer, having to fund their existence in our neighborhood in a concentrated fashion, which completely goes against existing public housing policy as practiced in our region.
Brilliant, Mayor.
"But the Mayor did announce another walk through the neighborhood next month, this time at night."
Maybe Euielle needs to try a walk at night that is unannounced. That way, ARHA won't have time to clear up trash around its properties. He should come tonight; the piles are filling up in front of Adkins and across the street at the proposed "luxury condos" at 600 Payne.
"What jurisdiction in this region would be dumb enough to keep public housing on some of the most valuable land in the City? What municipality that claims to be promoting retail would re-administer the kiss of death that has kept Braddock Place wreathed in cobwebs for twenty years?"
Um, the same one that has problems attracting young professionals, begs for business from National Harbor, commissions studies and groups to find out why retail is non-existent around here and we cant attract jobs, and has the highest percentage of low income students in the region, then wonders why the school spends more money per pupil than anyone else.
""public housing that remains — remains, but is upgraded" to improve the quality of life for residents."
my favorite line of all....so in a declining housing market, the Mayor proposes upgrading existing units, selling market rate units next to those public housing units, and then improved quality of life. This assume that 1. the market rate units even sell, 2. Chief Baker's call service system is upgraded to withstand the potential overloads, and 3. there isnt a general march on City Hall when the new market raters go through their first summer "Parker Gray Red Zone"
I guess we also get a ticket to the land of Oz with this as well.
"And don't forget the final public meeting on the Braddock Road Metro Plan. It will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20 at Jefferson-Houston School (1501 Cameron Street)."
I think the odds on an in-meeting riot just went from 10-1 to 4-3. I mean, seriously, did anyone from the ICCA stand up and protest this? Were White and Schubert just speechless?
And do they think that Northeast is going to like hearing this?
"So there you have it. The last shreds of pretense that Alexandria is pursuing smart, transit-oriented growth"
I can't believe anyone ever thought the city really had smart growth in mind. For those who may have felt they were trading high density for a reduction in public housing not so. This Mayor is peculiarly fixed on his notion of black history. It is the politician's notion of if it's broke contain it in Parker Gray.
"I mean, seriously, did anyone from the ICCA stand up and protest this? Were White and Schubert just speechless?"
Ms. White wasn't there. Ms. Schubert said nothing. In fact, there's never been a discussion of public housing at ICCA. Draw your own conclusions.
"Ms. White wasn't there. Ms. Schubert said nothing. In fact, there's never been a discussion of public housing at ICCA. Draw your own conclusions."
Then I guess we (PG) are truly going to become "The Fun Side of the Potomac"
THANKS MAYOR!
"Maybe Councilman Macdonald will take Mr. Pupo up on his offer and actually have the guts to show up and walk through the neighborhood at night."
Well he will have his chance now to show if he is aware of reality. Heres his chance as Vice Mayor to throw down the gauntlet and introduce a resolution in Council opposing this idea, opposing Resolution 830, etc....
I know many on this blog have tried to hold him up as some kind of "Parker Gray Champion"...well heres his chance.....lets see if he steps to the plate at upcoming Council meetings or if he is like the other Council wimps.
He is the Mayor for all of Alexandria, not just those of us who post on the blog. He grew up in the housing projects, so he probably has some empathy for them and doesn't want to see them thrown out. Finally, the folks in the housing projects are a significant number and block of voters, and may outnumber the rest of the neighborhood.
trf--
tell me more about how they are a significant block of voters? Where did you find that info? I would love for ARHA for find out if people actually like living there, or would prefer to have more options, like increased Section 8 vouchers and a city committed to enticing property owners to make more units available. More section 8 and dispersed housing seems to have worked for other northern virginia communities, why not ours?
Growler - looking for some good news from the ICCA meeting... Was there any discussion of new business coming to PG, the Monarch specifically? Their leasing brochure still looks like the entire thing is available.
"But the Mayor did announce another walk through the neighborhood next month, this time at night."
PPLLEEAASSEE! Do you honestly think the cops will not be out days in advance cleaning up the drugs, trash, and doo-doo. For them, code enforcement and other city employees it's all about looking good!
I hope the mayor picks a nice, warm Saturday night for his walkabout in order to get the true flavor of things.
"I wonder what Faroll Hamer thinks of this brilliant idea by the Mayor for Life. One would guess that as the previous MoCo planning director,"
Wanna bet the Mayor's peachy, neighborhood conditions are great? She looking for a bigger payhcheck and he's not looking for anyone to rock his boat.
"Brilliant, Mayor."
Nope, he's a dumbsh-t! Why dump on Macdonald when Euille's the problem? Where does that get us? If your answer is any development is better than no development then think harder. Last night the Monarch's reatil presentation reminded me greatly of their Harris Teeter promise. Their usual unconfirmed crock!
"public housing that remains — remains, but is upgraded" to improve the quality of life for residents."
Growler, do I assume from the comment "that remains" implies no change in either Adkins or Bland's public housing units?
"I mean, seriously, did anyone from the ICCA stand up and protest this?"
Hell no, although Landis was impressive when she talked about the BRT issue. Why do people not get that the proposed BRT from S. Glebe to Braddock Metro is a shuttle service and nothing more. All this glorious talk about rapid transit is donkey dump.
"Heres his chance as Vice Mayor to throw down the gauntlet and introduce a resolution in Council opposing this idea, opposing Resolution 830, etc...."
I am not sure why the Vice Mayor should have a lock on privilege. I nominate Mayor Euille for the drum major's role and Del can be a majorette. It should be a unanimous resolution.
"Heres his chance as Vice Mayor to throw down the gauntlet and introduce a resolution in Council opposing this idea, opposing Resolution 830, etc...."
Why is Macdonald the annointed one? The privilege should be unanimously shared. I nominate Euille for the drum major's role and Del as majorette. Euille's behavior is most of our problem.
"This is not a gentrification situation with people being pushed out of their longtime neighborhood."
Now there's a boat load. What is The Monarch if not gentrification? Maybe inner city now is one big Chatham Square.
"He grew up in the housing projects, so he probably has some empathy for them and doesn't want to see them thrown out."
Didn't stop him from reducing the total number of public housing units at Chatham Square.
Farroll Hamer, ASLA, Named Interim Director of Montgomery County Planning Board
Faroll Hamer, ASLA, an 18-year employee with the Prince George's County, Maryland, Department of Planning, will serve as acting director until a permanent director is named next summer or fall, The Washington Times reports. Hamer has overseen development review in Prince George's County since 1998. She supervised the urban design section in Prince George's for 10 years before that. From http://www.asla.org/land/dirt/dirtarchive122105.html
"He is the Mayor for all of Alexandria, not just those of us who post on the blog. He grew up in the housing projects, so he probably has some empathy for them and doesn't want to see them thrown out. Finally, the folks in the housing projects are a significant number and block of voters, and may outnumber the rest of the neighborhood."
TRF, the problem is that empathy should not enter the equation when you are talking about a bad public policy decision.
They would not be thrown out under a housing voucher model, would be given the opportunity to live elsewhere, and would be given an environment to live in thats potentially less noxious and violent.
Furthermore, when Cameron Station complains about Virginia Paving, they get a hearing. Northeast gets legal backing to fight against Mirant. Parker Gray gets NOTHING...no hearings, no consideration of Resolution 830, NOTHING, when it comes to ARHA.
Thats unfair and wrong and the Mayor knows it.
"PPLLEEAASSEE! Do you honestly think the cops will not be out days in advance cleaning up the drugs, trash, and doo-doo. For them, code enforcement and other city employees it's all about looking good!"
If its on a Friday or Saturday there might not be much they can do...It really more depends on temperature; if its a hot Friday or Saturday night it could get really funny really quick.
Then again, the Mayor might decide to take the scenic route like they did last time and not hit hotspots on Alfred, Montgomery, and Madison.
"tell me more about how they are a significant block of voters? Where did you find that info? I would love for ARHA for find out if people actually like living there, or would prefer to have more options, like increased Section 8 vouchers and a city committed to enticing property owners to make more units available. More section 8 and dispersed housing seems to have worked for other northern virginia communities, why not ours?"
Growler already covered the ARHA Board meeting where Melvin Miller had to admit most residents of Adkins and Bland dont enjoy living there, and most waiting list applicants dont want to live there when they are chosen.
"Why do people not get that the proposed BRT from S. Glebe to Braddock Metro is a shuttle service and nothing more."
A shuttle to what? Why would anyone from Arlington be interested in coming down to the North Parker Gray area? I can see the reverse direction (let me out to go hang out in a real neighborhood) but to come down this way; its pointless.
Can we email Farroll Hamer on this and get her to ask some tough questions? Methinks she probably will be a little shocked to see the Landmark Mall is a joke and the Braddock Plan consists of building tall condos surrounded by toxic public housing.
"Why is Macdonald the annointed one? The privilege should be unanimously shared. I nominate Euille for the drum major's role and Del as majorette. Euille's behavior is most of our problem."
While everyone is bashing Macdonald, Euille and Del Pepper, what no-one seems to realize is that we have another Council member who might actually have vision.
At the last City Council/ARHA work session which the Growler attended, it was Rob Krupicka who raised the idea of dispersing some or all of the public housing to Potomac Yard, Van Dorn and Eisenhower West. It took some courage to do this because he endured some sniping from Marvin Miller, and the Growler admires Mr. Krupicka's willingness to think creatively.
The advantage of those areas is that because they are mostly blank slates (having never been developed before) there is no automatic NIMBY factor. At the same time, those are great locations for transit, access to jobs and retail, in short all the same things that the rest of us want.
And let's not forget the most compelling reason for deconcentrating public housing: it provides a better environment for the poor while offering the same helping hand.
I emailed everyone on the list you provide concerning public housing and was informed the topic would be addressed at length at the March 20 meeting.
""He grew up in the housing projects, so he probably has some empathy for them and doesn't want to see them thrown out."
Didn't stop him from reducing the total number of public housing units at Chatham Square."
The problem is that in the case of Chatham Square, he had to deal with the OTCA. He couldnt sit there, no matter what B.S. he tried, and mess with Merck. They would have had him run out of town if he tried this garbage in an OTCA meeting.
Here with our lovely ICCA, Schubert sits there like a weakling and White is nowhere to be found. Why doesnt someone go to a Council meeting and challenge him, or an ARHA board meeting and challenge them? And where, like Eric Pupo said, is the Vice Mayor and the other Council members on this issue? It sounds like Krupicka is leaning towards turning away from the current model, and I am sure Smedberg might as well, but where the heck are Lovain, Pepper, and Gaines on this?
"This is not a gentrification situation with people being pushed out of their longtime neighborhood."
To quote one of you, donkey dump! Euille doesn't have the courage to move forward on the public housing issue. He wants to be all things to all people and the result is he no one to any one.
The simple truth is that Adkins will not go away until enough time has passed after the recent renovation of the homes fronting the the metro for the city to consider eminent domain. The duplex on Wythe just completed a nearly 2 year luxury renovation and now has tenants living in it. There is no way the owner would sell to a developer right now and no way the city would even begin to consider eminent domain. Besides, I think a few of these properties would be hard for the city to level because of their historic value. We are looking at 5-10 years before Adkins goes. Like EYA said, they need the entire block to make it profitable. You know they want the West St frontage to get premium commercial tenants.
We can only hope that EYA, or some other developer, can work out a deal where they agree to redo Adkins first, as long as the city agrees to claiming eminent domain on the other houses on that block a couple years down the road.
I think we are going to be seeing even more For Sale signs in the Lofts and surrounding area. We are looking at 10 years to see change.
"and was informed the topic would be addressed at length at the March 20 meeting."
Maybe they are going to hand out bigger index cards in which people can write "Mayor Euielle, ARE YOU ON CRACK?"
I am sure "the addressing of the issue" will consist of the usual Dearman/Miller antics; making people feel bad, race carding, dirty looks, and the best one "you don't understand, there is nothing we can do"
I wholeheartedly agree that Rob Krupicka's publicly raising the idea of dispersing PG's public housing to Potomac Yard, Van Dorn and Eisenhower was courageous. It definitely would have been easier for him to mumble some politiciany Euille-speak about caring communities, blah blah blah. My hat's off to him.
I find your mention of eminent domain funny...didn't Macdonald threaten to use eminent domain against Braddock Place in a Council meeting? Why not use the same principle to seize Adkins and Bland away from ARHA, especially considering 1. we the taxpayer subsidize this mess and 2. it MOST DEFINITELY falls under a greater civil use to redevelop those properties (they are the core of any redevelopment scheme)
I am not holding my breath that the good Vice Mayor will file a resolution for that. Easier to just attack Bradley Grey than William Dearman.
"we have another Council member who might actually have vision."
Vision is good, and if he can lure a decent grocery store into PG he's my candidate for Mayor.
The Braddock Plan says PG is sufficiently served now because residents get in their cars and drive OUTSIDE PG for their necessities. I can pick up street trash but can't grow all my own food.
The truth is, the Braddock Plan is written that way because current administration does not know how to attract business to Alexandria. It's easier to say we don't need it than to do what it takes to get the services in here that PG needs to become a community. Maybe Rob can do it, Euille obviously cannot.
"The simple truth is that Adkins will not go away until enough time has passed after the recent renovation of the homes fronting the the metro for the city to consider eminent domain."
Where is it written that no action can be taken before the total of the block is available for renovation? That's saying I can't go outside until my hair is ppeerrffeecctllyy coiffed.
"I am not holding my breath that the good Vice Mayor will file a resolution for that. Easier to just attack Bradley Grey than William Dearman."
Please, who is Bradley Grey?
Bradley Gray is one of the owners of 1261 Madison, the open space at Braddock Place that is being proposed for a dense condo development.
"Please, who is Bradley Grey?"
He is the current owner/realtor of the Braddock Place land plot, I believe.
I think Macdonald wants to preserve that plot as grass and has threatened to seize it if he wont sell it to the city.
In reference to the mayors walk Montgomery and Madison are not in the Inner City boundries. You can call it Parker Gray all you want, but don't be suprised if the "TOUR" doesn't visit there.
I don't think that the walk will do anything more than it did last year, regardless of the time.
Public information or not, I know that ARHA could care less and won't clean up there area prior to the walk.
Has anyone ever walked through Adkins? If you think the perimeter is trash ridden, try checking out the playground where the children hang out.
And who is it that keeps screaming that White is no where to be found? Last I checked she wasn't on the executive board for over a year.
"Last I checked she wasn't on the executive board for over a year."
A mere technicality as White is front and center whenever it suits her or Bud's purpose. Overall too much power is vested in the ICCA Board not enough in the membership. Maybe because there is no ICCA membership to speak of.
Maybe because there is no ICCA membership to speak of.
If the members don't attend and make changes or speak there mind then is it any wonder why Del Ray civic assc. is more powerful?
"In reference to the mayors walk Montgomery and Madison are not in the Inner City boundries. You can call it Parker Gray all you want, but don't be suprised if the "TOUR" doesn't visit there."
Funny, maybe someone needs to tell the Mayor and Council it is:
http://alexandriava.gov/city/zoningdigest/zd_parkergraymap.html
I guess they selectively leave that out like they used to leave out prostitution at the Travelodge on the crime reports, or the fact that they leave misdemeanors off the daily incident report.
As for the ICCA, send a notice out then! Solicit members...people are getting so angry around here we would be glad to sign up....
"As for the ICCA, send a notice out then! Solicit members...people are getting so angry around here we would be glad to sign up...."
ICCA is the biggest source of the problem. Now, if there were a new PG association that acted on OPEN discussion, considering and acting on ALL the information, it would be worth investing the time. But I won't be a shill for developer Bill Cromley, Bud Hart and the like.
This is just such a sham....i can't even invite friends from Arlington and DC to take the Metro to my house anymore....they are tired of the threats, cursing, and whistling when they walk up Madison.
As one of the young professionals many of the bloggers reference, I am growing tired of my choice to move here and may just start looking to sell and move over to Shirlington or maybe Silver Spring; anywhere thats more friendly to the younger set than this place is.
"If the members don't attend and make changes"
Perhaps the ICCA Board would like to tell us exactly what, during this process, the civic association has changed.
"Now, if there were a new PG association that acted on OPEN discussion, considering and acting on ALL the information, it would be worth investing the time."
This is exactly the point that I tried to make in a previous post. The assemblage of small civic associations and homeowners associations in the area is preventing, in my humble opinion, the kind of influence that seems to be marshaled by the OTCA or the Del Ray Citizens Association.
It's partially a question of quantity of numbers, but a question of quality. A larger PG civic association is unlikely to be hijacked by a small band of people who want to use an association to launder their own agendas.
What would it take to start a Parker-Grey Citizens Association? Not an Act of Congress, I'm assuming. Let's do it.
"Funny, maybe someone needs to tell the Mayor and Council it is:
http://alexandriava.gov/city/zoningdigest/zd_parkergra".........
Please finish this web address.
Also, sorry, but your worng again, Inner city boundries and Parker Gray boundries are two different boundries.
If you think otherwise, then your saying that people that live in Bland and Adkins are able to join ICCA?
Doesn't anyone remember a vote on the table to allow the west side of 700 block of N. Columbus st. membership privileges? Travelodge is not in the Inner City and neither is Bland and Adkins.
They are however in Parker-Gray.
Please have facts straight before posting.
"Doesn't anyone remember a vote on the table to allow the west side of 700 block of N. Columbus st. membership privileges? Travelodge is not in the Inner City and neither is Bland and Adkins.
They are however in Parker-Gray.
"
Where do you get your facts that the boundaries are different? The address that I sent you was the zoning map for Parker Gray.
And whats the difference? The problems that permeate Bland, Adkins, the Travelodge, Carpenters Shelter directly infect the Inner City.Just because they are in a different census tract doesnt mean you are immune from housing project craziness.
"If you think otherwise, then your saying that people that live in Bland and Adkins are able to join ICCA? "
After what happened with ARC and the Berg, ARHA strongly discourages housing project residents from forming citizen associations.
Furthermore, since many project residents are there onyl temporarily (or are visting illegally, or live there illegally) why would they want to join ICCA or any other association?
Please try to make clear what your point is. The problems of Adkins and Bland are the problems of the Inner City.
"The problems that permeate Bland, Adkins, the Travelodge, Carpenters Shelter directly infect the Inner City."
It dawns on me that for all the discussions of public and affordable no one has mentioned the proposed expansion of Carpenter's Shelter. Is the expansion rumor or fact?
I agree with the previous posters that a LARGER Parker Gray Civic Association makes much more sense than the current ICCA for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, the current ICCA leadership has shown time and again that they have their own parochial interests at heart, not those of the GREATER neighborhood, they lack vision, the willingness to undertake a membership drive, and a general distaste for any opinions that are different from their own. Using the overall Parker Gray boundary for a new association would include Bland and its surrounding smaller housing projects, however it would not include Atkins or the Lofts or much of the areas of redevelopment discussed in the Braddock plan. It would make sense to include those streets that are right around the metro as well, perhaps creating a mega association called Parker Gray/Braddock Civic Association. Adding the area from Oronoco and Henry all the way up to the metro and including all of the tracts that could potentially be developed up to the existing bridge would create one very large voice that would be hard for the city to ignore. On the map that would include all the white area to the train tracks to the left of Parker Gray.
http://alexandriava.gov/planningandzoning/bar/districtsmap.php
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