Thank you for this post Jerleen--the CDCs will come a knocking, if you stand in the way of development.  

Here's a reminder of how the Cleveland Restoration Society has been compromised and who should be held responsible for one blatant and criminal case showing theft of property and forced homelessness in NEO.
 

Remind yourself--

http://realneo.us/content/franks-phoenix#comment-9850

I am no fan of TWDC. But I am familiar with the by-laws and the proposed changes. The statements made in the post are not true. Anyone can read the by-laws changes which are available online and at every recent block club meeting and will find this to be the case.

I also know that Ms. Schiros has been the loudest voice for membership rights on the committee and in fact joined the committee for the sole purpose of protecting those rights. Anyone saying otherwise is simply misinformed.
 

Anyone interested in the truth should go to the source rather than the hearsay posted here.

i beg your pardon, the changes in the the Charter say exactly what I said they say.  I am trying to get them scanned so that I can get them on NEO.  The did not pass out the charter changes for review at the block clubs.  The by-law changes and the charter changes are two differenct things so lets not staart calling something untrue.  I will post these changes as soon as I can get my scanner up and working so that you can read it for yourself.  I believe if you ask Ms. Schiros she will herself admit that the Charter changes and the by-law changes are two different documents.  Even though the proposed by-law changes do not do us any favors as well.

If Ms. Schiros or anyone else sitting on this committee thought that they were going to go in and come out with a document that is in favor of appeasing the funders and taking away the rights of the residents when it comes to the comittee structures and the rights to participate  in committees - the right to have quorum, the right to an amendment process as afforded by robert's Rules at the time the voting takes place, then they really misled themselves.  They clearly cannot say that they did not expect opposition - that would be absurd.  We also have the right to protest these proposed changes to the by-laws and to the Charter.  In all fairness, in the name of transparancy don't you think that the charter changes that clearly state that TWDC would be taking control of blighted properties and areas should have been handed out to the membership so that we could have read and ask questions alongwith everything else or was this just meant to be slipped in and hoped that no one would catch it? 

not only that but Larry Cornett met with Ms. Schiros on Wednesday evening along with David Mehring and Dedire Lawher and to quote Mr. Cornett, "Elizabeth was the most hostile of the group."

Mr, Cornett also reported back to me that he attended the last by-law committee meeting and it was made clear to him that should  these pass the consesus was that most people in Tremont were well off and that sometimes some of the lesser fortunate had to be sacrificed for the greater good of those well to do.  I have to tell you that this really ired me. 

I opted to stay out of the by-law situation and out side of the Zion Church in August, I clearly explained to Tim Jenkins and Elizabeth Schiros that due to the fact that the Old South Side Community Coalition was not affiliated with TWDC we were not going to entertain TWDC by-law committee Reps coming to our meetings for the new by-law proposals - but Robert's Rules Guru Tim Jenkins could not leave it alone, he would have it no other way but to insist - now, I gave him what he wanted and I don't do anything half way.  Several of these residents, including Larry Cornett have been asking for my help in opposing these by-laws and charter changes - so now I'm in.

  Here's the link: http://www.tremontwestdevelopment.com/twdc_bylaws.htm
 

Where are the proposed changes to the bylaws and how will those bylaws be enacted?  After membership approval?

Okay Andrew, where is the source.  And what can those of us who reside in the inner city areas of Cleveland do to protect our homes from destruction? 

I know I have tried time and time again to find some sort of funding that was offered to help people keep their homes up to code, only to get refused, time and time again, because I did not meet the 'guidelines'.  One time my debt to income ratio was too high, another time my income was too high, another time my income was too low.  I am sure I am not the only resident in the City of Cleveland that has had this type of problem.  Meanwhile, homes were being built in some areas that were in the $300,000 range, with tax abatements to boot.  No wonder many people who have lived here in Cleveland for most of their lives are disgusted with the planning that these CDC's design for the areas that are targeted.  I don't think the purpose of CDC's was to make some people richer at the expense of the poor. I don't think the goal was to displace the poor.  It is apalling.  No wonder people are angry and upset.  I hope an investigation will be made into where all the money was spent.  Let's have some accountability.  If you know where this information can be found please post the link here for all of us. 

  Old Brooklyn Development Corporation charges dues for membership, Jerleen.  I assume that the new bylaws for TWDC will follow suit.  I have always challenged OBDC's fee based membership and I used TWDC's to cite an alternative model.  My understanding was that OBDC was reconsidering the "pay to play" model, but evidently, it is not.  Instead, TWDC will no doubt follow the OBDC model, so they can exclude dissenters to their Final Solution agenda. 
 

I am sorry that you have to put up with this shit, Jerleen.  It's the most childish/evil game in town.  Hang in there.  I am still waiting for the whole crowd, including the GREEKTOWN mafia, to get the FBI smackdown.

Wouldn’t the charter of the funding have ultimate authority? That’s another issue, the commingling and redirecting of funds. Using funds for something other than what they are designated for is problematic and as misuse of public funds.

Keep in mind the people that actually are doing it , that being administering the budgets have real legal issue to contend with, they have ethical issues as well but the law is the ultimate authority.

I’m sorry but leading these by-law into them being funder oriented is not really a choice, it’s actually a legal obligation. The trick is to actually use them in a manner of least resistance, the charter has to match that and the by-laws regulate the procedures to that.

So writing a charter and relative by-laws should be formatted around the funding sources. Telling them not to do that and then also being outside of any legal liability that is mischievous or it is misinformed or both? The person that is in fact legally liable would feel threatened and rightfully so.

I have not read Roberts Rules of order, but I suspect it addresses this matter at hand…

It is not one pot of money that they draw from and I suspect that is what they often do, the high profit project pad the pot. It all keeps them employed for another year or month? They are not-for-profit which as we all know used to be called nonprofit. The naming change was do to confusion, since they can seek and in fact do seek profit. In fact only that part of the capital they hold is not under legal funding criteria as to how it can be spent, other than the same laws the rest of us abide by.

Can a CDC use UADG funds to pay for operating expenses? Only part of it and that is defined in the criteria it comes with. Write some charter that conflicts with that and then wait till the bailiff calls your name.

Following a guideline of parliamentary procedure is not going to overrule underling guidelines, requesting that it does may actually be a violation in itself. Using real names and making accusation that are detrimental….wow be careful calling out for an attorney, you may not agree with what they tell you.

If you can get one to work for free…if they are being paid you might not like what they serve you.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Unfortunately forcing codes on people is very problematic.

If you need say $5,000.00 to meet codes, then the only way to do this is with cash or a home improvement loan. If you do not have the cash and are not qualified for the loan then you are living outside of your means. What is missing;  is that the cost to own a home is more that PITI it also has maintenance and utilities, those are real and reoccurring.

The home may only cost 30K but it may need literally another 30K to meet code. So qualifying only for 30K taps the owner out if it is their limit.

What is available for weatherization? Because the gas bill actually has leveragability unless you are on HEAP which means that you cant even afford to heat it.  Reducing enery costs and then saving up the savings.

I see many homes being literally held and holding owners hostage…

When buying it really should require a more comprehensive set of criteria, but if you have profit seekers in that your going to end up with systematic gentrification.

If you cannot meet the criteria then sell out, but that really should be your choice and some people have really no equity, they leveraged against it and have in some cases no equity and even negative equity. All of the 300K homes in the city have negative equity I can assure you.

You know monopoly always ends the same way, one person with Boardwalk and Park Place and all the rest go bankrupt.

Then you have the whole issue of contractors and value, getting the money to repair the home sometimes does not really repair it, it sometimes brings up issues of shoddy work. If you cannot resolve the issue by your self for your self then hiring a contractor is like a sheep inviting a wolf to dinner.

If somebody else pays for it, then you get the whole shell game going…puppet companies and contrived jobs…we did $5,000 in work on that home, the owner does not complain it was free to them!

We know that people are living in homes, owning homes they really cannot afford. The real cost includes real scheduled maintenance, if not done then the deferred costs are accumulative and compounding. If it should have been done five years ago then it is now worse and cost more as the prices kept going up.

Are you ready for a reserve account? Wood siding should be painted every 4-5 years, it may cost $5,000.00 each time and thats a hidden cost of $83.00 every month. If you are not adding $83.00 every month to the account then you have to have the ability to leverage that amount when the time comes. Why is vinyl siding so popular? It eliminates that cost, then some homes have layers of roofs the roof have 15-20 year lives probably longer but the replacement cost are all real, if banks did what they are chartered to do then none of this would be necessary.

The banks did and do not come out and legitimately inspect, oh no they maximized the principals “P” a component they like, that and the first “I” of the Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance “PITI” but notice how the “M” is avoided literally and figuratively.

The other variable that is avoided beside maintenance is utilities, the banks allowed people to increase the dept in the income to dept ratio, but do not bother with calculating the “M” and “U” as in maintenance and utilities.

So if you pulled up your parcel it should have it all detailed, I mean your “T” is a function of it all isn’t it? That being the Taxes are based on what, real value in the realm of reality? So the actual appraisal and relative qualifications to buy and hold is actually a function. The actual value and the actual cost of maintaining it as it is, ever wonder why brick is best? That visit should be one done by very knowledgeable person. If they tell you or the result of that visit reveals that you cannot really afford it then you better have a graduation or promotion on the horizon and the bank should be discerning if all the homes around you are occupied by people that also cannot afford them…well its what we currently have isn’t it.

All the issues that are outstanding on a property should be recorded, if they were then inspections would be done off a moving list, that was kept track of and if actual repair cost were recorded and they should be because they are income tax deductible, then it would produce what? It would really keep the contractors honest because it would produce a list of how much things cost. Average cost of a furnace to heat 1500 sq ft and the results of that type of furnace on the Utility record the “U” part of the total cost of owning a home.

So we really need PITIUM and you could say we do not, if they cannot get it right...PITIUM

Now that the light is on the auditor office, that actually hold the primary data set, then was it wise to take the light off the federal reserve chairs, not that the light ever shined in their big wide eyes. Because the equations are not balancing in propensity and at all levels. That’s all about what you earn and what you can afford in realty and then a matter of just doing it the way it was intended to be done.

Tremont West Development Corp. is a community organization created for the community.  The by-law state that the membership is the ultimate authority of the organization.  That is as it should be and how it should remain.  The funders we are speaking of are people of the corporate world that have moved into small communities and basically have taken control of those communities.  There are long-time residents that have lived here all their lives and put their hearts and souls into their homes and I'll be damned if just because somebody who can afford a $300,000 tax abated house should be able to move in and say who should stay and who should go. 

My mother has worked all her life with a 3rd grade education and kept 10 kids under 1 roof, clothed and fed by herself in this old house and it means something to us - and in or out of our means, don't talk to me about who's holding who hostage. 

A home is more than a fancy place to live, a home is the room you shared with your sister 30 years ago , the attic where you and your sisters played house 40 years ago , the marks you made on the wall to show how tall you grew, the hole your brother made in the wall when he threw a book at you, the door that got broke when your brothers got into a fight, the keys dropped in the wall cavity and left for  twenty years, the old books in the attic that has twenty five years of dust on them, the chest of seventies clothes your grandkids are pulling out, the old pictures pasted on the attic walls, the kids, grand kids, great grandkids and great great grandkids all having slept in the same house, and being told stories looking out over the same neighborhood - even if it is blighted - this is home - we've all walked through the same door and we're not giving up without a fight and there are many others that feel the same way. 

The changes they are making have nothing to do with legalities or - the funders are not for the minorities that is for sure.

I was refering only to by-laws. I don't know anything about the charter or changes to it. The most recent version of by-laws changes available on the TWDC website is dated 9-22-09 which could not reflect anything discussed since that date. I missed the reference to "charter" changes. I'm not talking about that.

http://www.tremontwestdevelopment.com/code%20of%20regulations9-22-09.pdf

Well, I was and there are even newer revision to the by-laws since the latest draft that was posted on 9-22-09.  So before you start saying that something is untrue, you should check your facts.  As a matter of fact, I do believe that there are a total of about four (4) different drafts floating around and still a final one to come.

That is why I say they are rushing this vote and trying to hurry it up to get all the stuff squeezed in when it would make much better sense to take a little time and even a few more months and have a much better and more rounded document to present to the membership for possible acceptance.  Haste makes waste.

The school should be about construction technology and lead into teams of trades people working on specific areas.

It's  not that complex, as it seems.

Linking information makes things happen faster.

We have a really weird system.

The homes are all registered in the county databases, so is the Sales price, then what you cannot see online are all the registration of liens. That’s why a title search is required and slows it all down. That’s what a warranty deed is it guarantees that all the liens are cleared before it is sold or transferred.

The auditor office files and tracks liens, one type is the mortgage and then also taxes and others can be legal liens as the result of a lawsuit.

As we go we earn and as we go we spend, some of those behaviors can be altered and shift the capital to our own idividual advantages.

If one of the costs is utilities and another is a reserve account, that’s savings and if you reduce a cost by an amount then subsequently saving increase.

Your income defines what you can afford, if we had higher standards then what would happen is that size of spaces would decrease as income are lower.

We need very small spaces that are very intelligently designed and very low cost. Getting ahead is through savings and thats through building a reserve. So the low cost attracts people that can cover the cost and hopefully have a reserve that they are building. Then it’s a matter of educating people on the systems and how things work.

I do not think that affordable has to be equated to poverty warehouses, that’s only when you set income requirements and if open to those that qualify to the lowest possible prices it will results in mixed incomes.

That’s a safe place to move up from or to build up a reserve, think about it, it is common sense.

If you have a home that is falling apart then it should be sold to the government, then instilled with value and all needed repairs and then sold at the market prices. No profit no gains a breakeven. Those building a reserve in the low cost housing would be waiting for those homes.

Very affordable low cost housing, backed with bonds, slowly recovering the costs of construction or restoration. The people that maintain the rentals would be the same that restore the homes as they come on the market. They would be salaried public workers and no profit would be involved, they would be about highest quality for the best costs. That’s about the best product made locally, its about getting that with incentives to the suppliers. Providing them trained workers, health care and affordable housing, it all keeps costs down.

The sales of or rental all get done through the parcel data, "for Sale: for Rent:" thats only a check box in data field, is that complex? Is that too complex? It would freak the title bureaus out and make the realtors have a breakdown. Qualifying would get people registered into the system, its all related to being able to afford it.

That’s what the land bank should be doing….let me run the land bank. I have a degree in QBA and know every piece of land in the city. Want 500sq ft for $250.00 a month?

That’s possible if you get into the supply chain and also cost components.

Architect and engineers they do not get into material and labor cost reductions, they just use existing assumptions. How about offering your labor a unit of housing…that’s a big differed cost.

Its about changing environments and the power in that, its about people seeing it understanding it and having a clear path into it.

Make it easy and affordable, then make sure all the taxes are collected and managed and spent intelligently within the same criteria, to keep it up and to seek ways to reduce maintenance cost. Efficient long term an sustainable. I'll live in a concrete cube, if its nestled in green and surrounded with amenities. If it bores me then I have to save and educate myself out of that.

My mother was raised in a two room farm house and with 14 brothers and sisters, they all seemed to come out ok. In fact the oldest mentored the youngest even paid for them to be educated. But thats rural Ireland and not the inner city.

Taking personal responsibility yes, but we also have a responsibility to make it even possible to be independent, to make it all clean safe and affordable to everyone that wants it and is willing to work for it.

They need to stop playing games and make it all real.

FYI:

The county recently filed a tax foreclosure on behalf of the Board of Revisions against Frank Giglio's property. ( see Cuyahoga County Civil Case No. BR 01 002401) 

According to the County Auditor's Office, Frank owes $ 181.48 for parcel # 004 10 028 and $ 1,236.66 for parcel # 004 10 027.  A couple questions quickly come to mind:

1.   Of all the empty, vandalized eyesore properties that are filling the streets of Cleveland, why the rush to foreclosure on this property?

2.  The inspector that I wrote about in the past concerning his bully attitude as well as spraying flea spray in the eyes of Frank's cat, good old Richard Huberty, is now a convicted felon. Good old Dick was one of the inspectors indicted in the Federal Corruption case.  Since he is now squeeling on anyone that he can, he should really step up and be a man.  He should tell the truth about the Frank Giglio ordeal.  Considering the corruption in Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland Buidling and Housing, the FBI needs to investigate this sickening case.  Old Dick needs to be questioned to find out why Frank was constantly harassed by Tremont West, Councilman Cimperman, the Building and Housing Deparment, etc.  Kinda makes one wonder what kind of bribes were taken and who wants this land so desperately.   

The old Grace Hospital for parking?  A new exit ramp?  ???????????????????

 OLD POSTING: 

I am a former, long term employee of Cleveland Housing Court, and I met Frank Giglio about 15 years ago at this court.  He has been harassed by the city and councilman for a long time.  He was sent to jail and had a one million dollar bond at one time.   A much higher bond than most child rapist, murderers, etc.  His yard was bulldozed, he was spray maced in his face, taken to jail and his dog to the APA.  He has been incarcerated many times over this house.  I personally seen one of the housing inspectors spray flea spray in one of Frank's cats' eyes.  I also witnessed this same inspector bully and threaten to hit Frank.  I helped Frank clean every square inch of this house to save his belongings from being dumped in a dumpster.  This house needed repaired, but the house was a very beautiful home with tile fireplace mantels, unbelievable wood work, etc.  It was a very solid home and did not deserve to be demolished.

Unfortunately, Frank did not fit in with the councilman's vision of Tremont.  There are three homes directly across the street from FRank's house that have been vacant and boarded up for at least 20 years.  Why couldn't this house sit the same way?  I have been Frank's friend for many years and know for a fact that he suffers from severe mental health issues.  The court, city and councilman are all aware of his mental health problems.  Aren't we supposed to look out for people like this? 

And to stip his house of firplace mantels, windows, doors, etc., before they tear the house down? What kind of BS is this?  And the poor guy had to go to jail again over this.  Unbelievable.   Now the councilman and others involved can now take the land as they have desired for so long.

 !@#^$*)^% councilman, city building and housing, Tremont, housing court, and anyone else involved.

needs to squeal.

thank you lmiller...

Yeah,,,,, at some point one would think that people will wake up and start voting with their brains.  The best we can do is Frank Jackson?  It is what it is.... :)

Major Jackson had me fooled in the last election...but not this time around.  Some Clevelanders know that he has been asleep at the job...but unfortunately, from the results of the primary, not enough Cleveland voters realize this yet.  I agree...it is what it is.  So sad.

I don't know how you can say Jackson is asleep.  Didn't you notice how city services immediately improved when he took office?  Our streets got plowed - even our allies on occasion which had never happened before.  We have street sweepers regularly.  His problem is with his public relations department in that they don't get out the good word.

Immediately upon taking office he began to reduce expenses. He has been a good steward of our public finances at a time when all other NEO municipalities have laid off/reduced pay of workers. Not one person has been laid off due to the economy.  That's a big plus.    

He's slowly getting rid of dead wood in all departments (not well publicized) which is a real fete with all the various unions.  (The Building Department is still huge problem though).

I never saw Jane Campbell, or Mike White for that matter, and I've seen Jackson in my area right from the get-go. 

I've always gotten satisfaction from Mayor's Action Line, sometimes within hours. 

He's not exciting nor charismatic, but I think he has done a pretty fair job. 

I must be living on the wrong street.  I don't recall having my street plowed any more frequently with Mayor Jackson in command.  What I do remember is having the plows come down the street after my husband and I dug ourselves out of our driveway...which took us 3 days and some helpful neighbors....and plowing the snow right back in front of our driveway so we had to shovel again.  I don't remember when the last street sweeper came down our street.  This winter I will keep a record so I can back up my memory with documentation. 

I agree that having no layoffs of city workers is a plus.  I will give him credit for that one.

I haven't seen Major Jackson since he was campaigning for his last election, but I did notice that there is an office on Clark Avenue now...or at least there was...I haven't checked lately. 

I am disillusioned...I was hoping for so much more from him.  How about the school issues and the crime issues in the city?  How about doing something to make it safe for people that live here in Cleveland?  

Jackson wants the city and the county to work on public health together….I found that very insightful.

He was quoted as saying that he wants that from county reform, he wants that but does not feel that issue six is about that. Its political and not functional reform.

The city has health services, it has clinics and the county has a hospital as well as community health centers.

In a region that is shrinking our health care providers are in flux, some hospital have closed and other new facilities being built.

Its important to know that there is good access to care…but not redundant costly facilities.

The county offers health care from the bottom up, it cover the poverty in full and then offer prorated costs up the socioeconomic layers. In that is Medicare and Medicaid funding which is finding it way into private care providers as well. Those private care providers also offer the same free care and prorated care as metro does. Free to the poverty line and then prorated up to 400% of that poverty line.

If we are covering up to 400% of $10,800.00 a year, the poverty line for an individual, that’s $43,200.00 a year those below that pay prorated costs. That’s the insurance gap, over that you should be paying of insurance and below that as well on the lesser prorated amount.

The funding should go to the insurers that to cover the gap in rates and to the hospitals that cover those at or below the poverty line.

The determination of the status has to be done outside of both, it has to be done by the IRS! What you earn and what you pay or can pay is what determines your entitlements and or obligation to pay.

I go further and say that you should not be legally allowed to take a policy with potential obligations beyond your means. That you should not be allowed to have 20% co-payment up to $10,000.00 if in fact your income can not support or repay that level of obligation. It should require a reserve account, it should require an account with that much in it held to cover that amount. That is a degree of self insurance and is the most cost effective method.

We need banking reform, we need to stop allowing banks and financial institutions to push people into defaults the rest of us will have to pay for. We need a less risk near zero risk system.

The government option should be the default for those that do not select a private insurance provider. Those that can afford to pay and choose not to buy. That pricing should be based on up to 400% of the poverty line a discount that is reimbursed to the government and also to the private insurer an individual selects.

Do we need the federal government to do this? We are already moving in this direction, in fact you local health care community is charting the course. It doing it in degrees but not collectively not in unity and they should be.

I do not car what the average Joe thinks about it they do not see it all, they are inherently limited. If you ask for compensation or discounted rates then you must totally disclose. That how it works now and will in the future if you want free or degrees of discounts related to your income limitations then you must disclose that in full. Those that earn above 400% of the poverty line can afford insurance at the current rates.

The government option is the only price control, it has to exist. Other detail have exist but those are at the discretion of the providers as to what they accept and do not. It is also the discretion of the patient to determine what is best for them. Part of that is to insure that bankruptcy do not occur, so selling what is risky to those that are high risk cannot be permitted. We cannot live in a society were those that are within a legacy of high risk are not held accountable to that risk. We cannot control that but can make those that can held accountable to it. The right to make your own choices and also to be held accountable to those personal choices. That is the definition of fair.

You would think that with all the high income developments with high income wage earners paying high income taxes to the city that they would be able to plow the streets better. The streets are funded by general tax revenue.

They plow the streets mains first, when those are clear then the secondary streets get plowed.

How fast that happen is a function of income taxes, the more you pay the more that can be done. In a city with such low wage earners its amazing it gets done at all! But then that may be why they choose to do the main streets first because half the income taxes come from people that only work in the city and if they have trouble getting in then they may all decide to move everything out to someplace that can afford to clear the streets.

Maybe being treated like you’re second class seems unfair but considering so many are actually fourth and fifth class be grateful you ever get plowed. I always though Cleveland did a really good job considering what it has to work with, which isn’t much.

I wonder though if they have lists of names of people that give them grief and then say do their street last. I lived in the city for many years and my street was always cleared and I never got stuck once. I do not have an eight cylinder SUV with four wheel drive either, a four cylinder with rear wheel drive and I could handle it, it never went beyond my ability to get in or out…but for most of my neighbors with there bald tire and inherent lack of problem solving skills it was often a challenge as so fucking much for them often is. Must be rough…being such a bunch of victims all the time.

Seriously what else is there to complain about?

I didn't think you were a jerk Oengus, but your post sure as heck makes you sound like one.  What gives people who do not live in the City the right to have the main streets plowed before the side streets are plowed?  What gives them that right to the services that the City of Cleveland offers?   And what gives so many of them the right to speed through the city with little to no regard for the speed limit, even in school districts, with little or no regard for the flashing school lights.  What gives them the right to come into the city and make a mess and a commotion at the Q and Progressive Field and the other entertainment centers that are located in the city? 

I think the people that live in Cleveland deserve better treatment and I want a Mayor that realizes who voted for him.  It was not the people that do NOT live in CLEVELAND.  I expect our mayor to do what is best for the residents of CLEVELAND.  And he has not done this.  No vote from me.