It's fun to spend other people's money and the CRA after years of wasteful spending on the Pugh property (Pugh is the guy who did the renovation of our pool for Greater Bay) located at 6th Avenue South and F Street, finally is seeing its development dream begin. It has committed to spend a ton of money to build affordable rental housing on the parcel. Imagine that? More affordable housing. Spending more federal money to attract more poor people to a city that can't rise above the ashes. This project is being built on the railroad tracks--lucky devils--with what appears to be not much in set-backs from the street. More bang from the buck that way. Renters will be leasing for $712 a month up to $1,000 a month for 3 bedrooms.
Ever since the CRA got the NSP2 $23 million grant, it has been burning holes in their pocket. The CRA will contribute $1.8 million from the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant toward the $10.6 million projected cost of the project. Other financing is expected to come from low-income housing tax credits and from tax-exempt bond money provided by the county’s Housing Finance Authority. The $1.8 million will pay for the impact and permit fees to the City and the County. The remainder of the $1.8 will be used for infrastructure costs, recording and closing costs, engineering and architectural fees, the bond application, utility relocation and other fees that all constitute the NSP-2 eligible expenses.
So, Pugh gets $643,500 for the land from the CRA; the CRA sells it to La Joya Villages for $1; the CRA paid for the demolition even before it owned the property; the CRA paid for the option for quite some time at $14,000 a month in order to control the outcome; if there is a Realtor involved, he gets his money; the CRA gets to spend government money; the developer lines his pockets; poor people can rent and live on the railroad tracks and traffic will be a nightmare at that intersection. And the CRA gets any tax money from the project, not the city.
As Bill Coakley said back in 2008 who was carefully tracking all the shenanigans regarding the CRA's continued waste of taxpayer money and particularly the Pugh property, "It is time to step back and think about the role of government and the fundamental obligations of volunteer boards to serve the public interest." The commission had a chance to take back the CRA several years ago and lost on a 3 to 2 vote.
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It is apparent why this country is in so much trouble. Any sort of building looks better than what was there especially with "free" money. And the slum and blight goes on.
Given what the CRA has spent on the property to date, what they purchased the property for and what the Sales Price is, didn't the CRA make a profit on the property?
ReplyDeleteThe CRA is not in effect to MAKE MONEY. I mentioned in the blog the only people making out on this deal. The CRA only SPENDS money.
ReplyDeleteThere was no broker involved in this sale.
ReplyDeleteChris Fleming
Boy can you really rain on a parade. The CRA is putting a brand new three story skyscraper on 6th Ave. and F Street One of our most traveled roads, which they improved with landscaping, underground utilities, lighting and corner markers.... about a 2000 percent improvement over what was there, renovated and built new housing in the immediate area, continue to exceed expectations not only here, but across Florida and the nation.
ReplyDeleteYou constantly criticize them for spending money making Lake Worth a better place to live. They will have rehabbed, built or have under contract over 100 new housing units in the last two years, providing DECENT affordable (as opposed to dilapidated) housing for income qualified families and individuals not caring what color they are, who they worship or who they love. They have demolished slum more than anyone else in our history. Many of the properties that should have been torn down years ago would still be housing people like your hero Cara Jennings and her followers who want the poor to live in squaller.
Many of these housing units are managed by Adopt-a-family so they are not absentee landlords and WILL keep properties up. Sort of like where you live in your affordable housing project.
Why are you so against poorer people being able to live in nice, clean decent housing? And it still be "affordable"?
Are you on the Board, a political supporter of free money or just an employee of the CRA? In either case, the CRA has not put one dent into eradicating slum and blight. Hooray on the 100 plus units though. Let's hope that these new homeowners minus F St & 6th avenue S) will bend over and pick up a piece of trash in their yards. Let's also hope that they don't all start selling mattresses from their front yard.
ReplyDeleteWhat planet are you on?
ReplyDelete"the CRA has not put one dent into eradicating slum and blight"
Publix? 6th South? 10th North? Cultural Council? NSP-2? Tropical Ridge Fitness Park? Arts Lofts? just to name a few.
It must be your blog that has spurred the only bright spots in town and almost 100% of the new construction in the past two years.
Each of the new Homeowner Occupied houses are BOUGHT, not free. They average around $75K to $80K for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home.
Income from the sales of the units will continue to fund worthwhile housing projects in Lake Worth that will not be available to people who can afford the standard real estate market.
I just hope the new homeowners become active members of their Neighborhood Association (I know, another good thing about Lake Worth you can't stand)That will do more to help the surrounding slum in each of their blocks and the neighborhood in general. The appreciation of their new investment will depend on them getting involved, locally and politically.
For as long as I can remember, people have acknowledged that you must re-introduce more owner occupied homes to turn around these neighborhoods. Renters don't care and won't "bend over and pick up a piece of trash in their yards"..... proud homeowners will.
Stop being so negative. Why are you so angry?
I'm not the least bit angry. I just have a totally different view on the subject...that's all.
ReplyDeleteHappy to have new homeowners in our city, anonymous, an obvious CRA advocate. 100 units will make big difference!!!!:) My hope would be not that they join NA's but that they can afford to make their mortgage payment. Will the govt help them in that regard as well?
Many of the NA's are political. Some NA's actually do a lot of great things, trying, but never catching up, to do something with the slum and the blight in their neighborhoods. Often times the city does not cooperate.
Housing for the poor will not rise our city up. Your sarcasm certainly is not a bright spot. Sorry if I hit a nerve about the CRA that has not done much, if anything, for slum and blight.
I am essentially against hand-outs and the outlandish spending of government in general. Every poor person alive knows to come to Lake Worth. Every immigrant knows it too. So much for diversity.
I don't see much going for the Lofts or the new stuff that will be built on the railroad tracks. Good luck to it all. It's just a view, anonymous. You are lucky you have your CRA job or whatever it is that makes you speak out so strongly about government give-aways. Only in America.
your question that you posed to Lynne about what planet is she from should be answered by you.Do you honestly believe that the cra has done anything about the deplorable conditions in the cra district?I would put money on it that no one and I mean no one would agree with you there.the city is a disaster and you well know it.
ReplyDeletePublix? 6th South? 10th North? Cultural Council? NSP-2? Tropical Ridge Fitness Park? Arts Lofts? just to name a few.
ReplyDeletemost of those you mentioned suck. Big freaking deal actually. You people really are in love with your own voices.
Seriously? Could either of you imagine what those areas would look like if the CRA didn't go out on a limb and apply for a govt handout? So far, 24 new families, some with single Moms, some with severe disabilities, all had to qualify, that means have good credit and ability to re-pay the loan.
ReplyDeleteWith Habitat, they had to participate at least 500 hours of sweat equity (work). That equals 25% of a full year's full employment equivalent.
After that, they still have to qualify for and buy the house. They are not given it.
So you contend the NSP-2 area would look the same with the many dilapidated rentals and hurricane damaged, mold filled, rat infested properties that have been leveled. In their place are affordable, new, energy efficient owner occupied homes.
Yes, I might have to give you that it does look like a disaster. But they are chipping away at the disaster. I agree that we still have overwhelming problems brought on by immigration and policies from anti-gentrification types (Cara Jennings Suzanne Mulvehill and crew) that were instituted a few years back that tended to concentrate the poor and unsophisticated to Lake Worth's sub-standard housing.
These are not the people the CRA is trying to help.
Bottom line is $23 million dollars were spent in Lake Worth to rid us of some bad housing and put in good housing. If you think it hasn't made any difference, what would that area look like now if that $23 million went to another city? And you'd still be whining about the CRA and how it hasn't done anything for Lake Worth.
Sorry I posted the above because your comment on Suzanne Mulvehill is FALSE...don't understand the 'crew" part of it. Elected officials in the MAJORITY VOTE, make the decisions in this city. Chipping away at the disaster is good, one house at a time. At the rate we are going it will take how many years at 50 or 100 houses a year? 150 years?
ReplyDeleteWow, somebody doesn't like the CRA.
ReplyDelete"The CRA is putting a brand new three story skyscraper on 6th Ave. and F Street One of our most traveled roads,"
ReplyDeleteThe Cra has ALREADY made 6th AVENUE SOUTH A deathtrap!!!! AND NOW EVEN MORE TRAFFIC INTO AN ALREADY BAD SITUATION?!?
The name La Joya means "the jewel" ,and boy did this "jewel" put money into more than one pocket.No set backs, a rental ghetto for gang-bangers and their baby Mommas just waiting to happen!!! Thanks,SO MUCH ,stupid CRA for using other people's tax dollars to make this nightmare haven for drugs,prostitution and more a reality!!!
How many MORE crooks will now have easy access to our neighborhoods?!? I'm moving my family the hell out of this rat-hole town!!
Lake Worth WILL NEVER IMPROVE if projects like this low-life magnet are allowed to blight us!!!
Thank goodness, bye..
DeleteTheir own qualification was being poor with a 500 credit score. This will be another Section 8
ReplyDelete