I've got mixed feelings about this. I like the idea because it gets rid of a lot of crap that should have been demolished long ago. On the other hand, I don't trust his judgment. So it wouldn't surprise me if he was to tear down homes that have historical significance. There's neighborhoods like Norwood and parts of Woodlawn & East lake, among others, that are going through a gentrification. Something, that IMO, is better than tearing down the old homes and building new ones.
The old crappy shotgun homes, sure. Tear em' down. I'm glad to see them go. But there's some beautiful homes that need to stay until someone that's willing to do the work to it comes along and does it.
I do trust Jim Fenstermaker. And he's in charge of community development. So maybe the right decisions will be made with regards to that.
Another thing that bothers me is that LL always does so many things like this so impulsively that it leads to an overflow of paperwork and stress in an undermanned city hall. I know he can't just wait for things to get worked out among city officials before he makes much needed moves. But on the other hand, he adds to the discontent and anger everyone has towards each other in city hall. Seems like everyone, already being a bunch of softies, is on pins and needles down there. I don't think he keeps the moral very high.
1. A four million dollar contract. Somebody is getting a kickback, and I'll bet it's LL.
2. Sounds to me like a taking of property without just compensation.
For the amount of what is being demoed and lead paint and asbestos abatement, 4 million sounds cheap but I would have to know the total scale of work to tell you and the total scale is not in the paper. Remember the costs of equipment is going through the roof.
I just completed one building and the demo contract was 1.7 million. I doubt there is a kick back there.
The first targets of demolition are houses that the city had already taken over years ago, but nobody had followed through to complete the jobs.
The "jury" may be still "out" on Langford as Mayor, but at least we have the illusion that he tries to get things done. We are so used to City Hall malaise that a flurry of actual activity unnerves some people. It reminds me (historically speaking) of how the "First 100 Days" of FDR's New Deal terrified conservatives used to the "do little or nothing" administrations before it.
