Reader alert: on Tuesday, February 22 the City Council will discuss an agreement with ARHA to provide funding for 16 of the 60 off-sited public housing units from the James Bland project for which no location has been identified. The City is preparing to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with ARHA giving ARHA $3 million to buy 16 condo units, with the City picking up to another $3 million in condo fees.The only geographic restriction placed on this grant is that the 16 replacement units cannot be located within a quarter mile of either Bland or Glebe Park.
Sound good? Not really. This microscopic distance restriction — which is only now being revealed in public and has apparently been negotiated behind closed doors — means ARHA could still use City funds to redeposit the 16 off-sited units back into the neighborhood, flaunting an important provision Council negotiated with the community in the Braddock East Small Area Plan: that up to 50% of public housing units undergoing redevelopment would be scattered elsewhere in Alexandria.
This isn't the end of it.
As readers know by now, according to alexandranews.org, ARHA has declared its intention to acquire Pendleton Park Apartments, located at 608 N. Payne Street. Chairman A. Melvin Miller has said no City money is needed for the acquisition. Instead, ARHA would use a combination of its own invested funds and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.
Is it appropriate for ARHA to buy new neighborhood properties when it still owes the City millions of dollars? Here is a spreadsheet provided by City staff which demonstrates that as of December 31, 2010 ARHA still owes the City $11 million, including monies still outstanding from before the Chatham Square development five years ago, which ARHA informs the City cannot be repaid from HUD HOPE VI grant money.
These two revelations represent a lot more than simple housing or debt repayment issues.
For years residents have clamored for better retail in our neighborhood, and a Harris-Teeter grocery store was proposed for the Madison site on N. Henry Street, then abruptly abandoned. Now a Harris-Teeter is negotiating with a developer to build a store east of Washington Street in an area that at present has no greater density than the Braddock neighborhood and which already has two operating and competing grocery stores. This seems to demolish the City’s contradictory defenses that retail is difficult to attract here due to competition from King Street and Potomac Yard or that that only ever high-density development can bring enough residents to support retail.
This occurs just as Council has approved letting the Madison developers reduce the amount of retail space in their project. The Monarch retail remains mostly unoccupied after four years, and all but a small patch of the retail space at the Braddock Place complex has been occupied by office workers.
In approving the Braddock Road small area plan, Council promised to bring amenities such as retail to this neighborhood, yet by their actions they appear to be continuing to encourage policies that ensure this community remains less desirable for retailers than any neighborhood east of Washington Street or west of Mount Vernon Avenue.
So if you are fed up with the City's rationalization of this mess, click on the link in the upper right column of this blog and send Council a message before tomorrow night's hearing.
24 comments:
"I see that Mr. Krupicka is running for the Virginia Senate. Unless he steps up to the plate to prevent this, he's not going to get my vote, particularly as he was one of the Council idiots who voted for the new Bland."
I'm so with you, poster!
I respectively suggest that ARHA sell off the property at Samuel Madden to raise funds for further housing projects. They can use the money to provide existing tenants with vouchers, and build some new mixed use homes by Potomac Yards. Why would this be a bad thing? Oh, and it is time to abolish Resolution 830... It is doing nothing more than preventing Alexandria from moving forward into the 21st century.
Did one of the news articles not also say that Miller was the originator of the Pendleton Park development? Yesterday is not today and our tax money should not be used to preserve Miller's notion of legacy.
Not even shocked at this point. Were they also planning to give Mr. Miller 3 million for his gold-plated retirement? What courage......
Growler - thanks for keeping us apprised of the City's back room dealings. I just checked in with the blogs and saw this!!! Unbelievable - just when I think they can't stoop any lower, they come up with STILL more back room dirty tricks.
I am glad the City Council has agreed that the 16 units will not go back into the Braddock East neighborhood. But it is still RIDICULOUS that in this budget environment, we are spending millions of City dollars to buy these units. Will the Resolution 830 madness ever end? The ARHA model is demonstrably unsustainable - why do we continue to do this???
"But it is still RIDICULOUS that in this budget environment, we are spending millions of City dollars to buy these units."
If these units are are the 16 units I will grouse then say a deal's a deal. Pendleton Park however is a deal breaker. Miller cannot retire too soon for me.
"Pendleton Park however is a deal breaker."
Amen.
That the City would even CONSIDER supporting ARHA's purchase of Pendleton Park is a gross violation of Fair Share, not to mention absurd public policy. The area is already saturated with ARHA-owned affordable rentals and Section 8 units, or whatever the latest euphemism is.
The purchase of condos in private complexes in the West End is a huge step forward. I specifically remember Melvin Miller et al screaming for years that this was not possible under any circumstances. Now, it appears to be a reality. This gives me hope that ARHA will continue to consider more rational and productive alternatives to achieving its mission.
I've always felt that the City should force ARHA to sell its HQ property a block from the river, rather than continue to loan them money. No families would be displaced and ARHA could rent or buy administrative offices in a less expensive location.
"I've always felt that the City should force ARHA to sell its HQ property a block from the river, rather than continue to loan them money."
Awesome idea. I continually forget ARHA owns that property which is sitting on a gold mine.
The main problem I have with the potential under-the-table sale to ARHA is that this means we're stuck with it for 10-20 years. It's the same reaction I had to Adkins getting new roofs and new windows. It means that it's not going anywhere anytime soon. The city is not going to let it get redeveloped a few years after ARHA purchases it.
Why on Earth is the City continuing to finance ARHA when they are sitting on two very desirable tracts of land on the East Side? These tracts are well known: the projects on N. Royal St. and their HQ. Possibly they are hanging onto the Royal St. Projects in hope of getting a "Historical Designation".... They are the oldest in the country.
Worthy of a Plaque from the Historic Buildings Survey?? I wouldn't be surprised if they ask for it. Afterall the City gives them everything that they ask for and we have to pony up in higher property taxes.
In the wake of his racist comments about white parents not wanting to send their kids to City schools, there are now more puzzling comments from Mr. Euille in an article in the Gazette entitled "African-American growth has not kept pace with increase white and Hispanic populations." Mr. Euille says - "I don’t need to think that we need to be overreacting in terms of some initial numbers," said Mayor Bill Euille,"
Who is overreacting? And to what? That Alexandria's white and hispanic populations have increased?? Why is that a bad thing? What is this guy's problem?
O/T but pertinent:
http://acpsunderground.blogspot.com/
It looks like the city went ahead and gave ARHA the $3,000,000 to buy more public housing units...
And a ten year Bland project means all th folksmwho don't qualify to live anywhere else, will be moved to Hopkins Tancil, in the heart of Old Town, further reducing home values in that part of town!
Weeeeeeeeeee!
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=348529&paper=59&cat=104
If you have read the State Code of Virginia and feel that Alexandria's Pre-Labor Day proposal does not meet the State criteria, please write a letter to the State Board of Education. Below is an example of a letter sent to the Board. Letters may be sent to margaret.roberts@doe.virginia.gov
Madam Chairman and Members of the Board,
On March 3, 2011 the Alexandria School Board passed a resolution to request a Pre-Labor Day school waiver from the State Board of Education. It is of the opinion of this citizen of Alexandria that the Pre-Labor Day waiver request approved by Alexandria City Public Schools does not meet the "good cause" criteria pursuant to Va. Code §22.1-79.1(B)(3).
Va. Code §22.1-79.1(B)(3) stipulates that in order for a school district to be eligible under this waiver criteria the applying school district must provide students with experimental or innovative programs which require an earlier start opening. The programs listed in the Alexandria City Public Schools' Pre-Labor Day waiver request do not require an earlier start opening for implementation. In fact, all of the programs cited in Alexandria's waiver request have already been implemented in schools throughout the district, and an earlier start date was not required for the initial implementation of the cited programs. One of the programs cited within the waiver request, Changing Education through the Arts, was implemented over seven years ago in the district and never required an earlier opening start date. Other programs cited such as Habits of Mind and Mind-Up were implemented in the district two years ago and did not require an earlier opening start date when initiated. No new experimental or innovative programs requiring an earlier start opening are specifically cited in the waiver request made available to the public by Alexandria City Public Schools.
Furthermore, Alexandria City Public Schools has certified that the Pre-Labor Day waiver request should apply to all nineteen schools within the district. Again, the waiver request fails to meet the State Code criteria to permit an earlier start date for the entire district. Pursuant to Va. Code §22.1-79.1(B)(3), experimental or innovative program shall only apply to the opening date for those schools where such experimental or innovative programs are offered generally to the student body of the school. The programs cited in Alexandria's waiver request do not represent an individual experimental or innovative program which the district proposes to initiate district-wide. During the 2010-2011 school year, one school division, Charlotte County Public Schools, was granted a Pre-Labor Day waiver request for earlier start opening for all schools in the district. In that waiver request, the Charlotte County school district demonstrated it had a single program, initiated at all schools, which was new and innovative for that school year and required an earlier start opening. Alexandria has failed to cite the implementation of a similar district-wide program in their waiver request.
Based on the absence of any new experimental or innovative programs within Alexandria City Public Schools which require an early start opening, and pursuant to to Va. Code §22.1-79.1(B)(3), the Virginia State Board of Education is urged to deny Alexandria City Public Schools' Pre-Labor Day waiver request.
Thank you,
Re: ARHA's purchase of Pendleton Park
The wisdom of their entire public policy notwithstanding, does the City Council not see the sheer ABSURDITY of spending $6 million of our taxpayer dollars to offsite 16 Bland units, then spend another .75 million forgiving a loan so ARHA can buy more units IN THE SAME FREAKING NEIGHBORHOOD WE JUST PAID $6 TO OFFSITE THEM FROM????????
"the Virginia State Board of Education is urged to deny Alexandria City Public Schools' Pre-Labor Day waiver request."
I don't care much either way, but it seems to me that with Alexandria schools doing as poorly as they are we should be examining any option to give students a leg up. A few extra days probably wouldn't make much difference, but at least its a step in the right direction. I would even welcome year round school, which seems more in keeping with the needs of modern parents who may both be in the workforce.
There is no data to support the notion that an extra two days added to the year, before or after Labor Day, would significantly increase student achievement. The same is true for year round schools. Alexandria has two year round elementary schools. One has failed to make annual yearly progress as deemed by the State.
The letter to the State simply points out that ACPS has not met the legal criteria for a Pre-Labor Day waiver. It is not a matter of for or against, it is a matter of the school system following State Code.
I'd advise the citizens of Alexandria to oppose ineffective and potentially illegal initiatives in the name of our students.
"I respectively suggest that ARHA sell off the property at Samuel Madden to raise funds for further housing projects."
I believe Gwen's head would explode if this was ever suggested in a public forum.
Madden Uptown and Hopkins Tancil are there to stay for a very very very very long time.
"The main problem I have with the potential under-the-table sale to ARHA is that this means we're stuck with it for 10-20 years. It's the same reaction I had to Adkins getting new roofs and new windows. It means that it's not going anywhere anytime soon. The city is not going to let it get redeveloped a few years after ARHA purchases it."
Thanks for pointing this out. Its why I shake my head watching all the potential new redevelopment going on around places like Madden Uptown and Madden. When new residents move in and start to see the B.S. that goes on around ARHA-managed properties, we can look forward to more contentious complaints. Yet that somehow, is the City's plan. apparently no one will notice the deterioration of Adkins because it has new stoops and windows.
How about just selling the property and giving the residents vouchers? Public housing is supposed to be temporary for everyone but seniors and the disabled anyways.
"Why on Earth is the City continuing to finance ARHA when they are sitting on two very desirable tracts of land on the East Side?"
Why do you think? Because they lack courage to confront ARHA and get them to change their ways.
Its been seen time and time again. It never changes and never will change.Its always the same excuses - "we don't have control of ARHA because its a state agency" - until of course they need money and then they become priority numero uno.
""African-American growth has not kept pace with increase white and Hispanic populations."
I am sure the Mayor is readying one of his patented task forces to study this issue as we speak. This requires extensive Powerpoints and blue-ribbon testimony to determine the cause of this.
I saw this in the Gazette article:
""We can get the condos at the bottom of the market," said Councilman Frank Fannon, who persuaded ARHA board members to start looking at condominiums instead of townhouses several months ago."
THANK YOU FRANK FANNON! AMEN! I am glad to see the stubbornness of Mr. Miller and his insistence on building concentrated public housing so his "staff" can provide better "service" to public housing residents has been overcome.
"Who is overreacting? And to what? That Alexandria's white and hispanic populations have increased?? Why is that a bad thing? What is this guy's problem?"
Well I think the census numbers and to some extent the reaction of some was fairly accurately forecast in a letter to the editor back in Jan of 2009.
"While Mr. Priest and others like Mayor Euille only grudgingly acknowledge that the neighborhood has changed, in fact Parker-Gray has been changing dramatically for 30 years. It is an utterly different neighborhood in terms of income, occupation, education, and quality of housing stock. It will continue to evolve as it has for more than a century, and the 2010 Census will document these changes in cold hard print."
http://bit.ly/edvWdP
Who's panicking? Just look at some of the comments of our elected officials, who they pander to and who they are willing to throw money at.
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