Revitalizing Utica

[dgriffin]

But Hope VI was a controversial program. (It is said that the program displaced more of the poor than it housed.) In fact, it was designed to induce private developers to become "stakeholders," and was criticized nationally for not implementing proper safeguards in that regard. So what uniquely happened in Utica re Hope VI that makes the locals more culpable? The construction jobs went to the unions and the local construction companies I'm guessing? What's new?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Ralph]

You would have had to been involved in Hope VI from the very inception and planning stages to fully see what was going to take place. Yes, it did involve private developers to become stakeholders as well as many other factors, really quite involved. It touched on retail development as well….a total transformation. And the jobs were all supposed to be with local crews and up and coming talent (never happened).

IF what was originally proposed (and written into the grant proposal that HUD accepted) in the beginning was done it would have accomplished just what it was designed to do, or made a damn good start on the process. Instead, in the end all we got were a bunch of cheap new houses and some re-habs done. And it was NEVER just about the houses, it was about the Community.

But face it; when you go buy that new Jaguar with all the amenities and gadgets…….in the end it is after, all just another car, and parking it in your driveway on James St. doesn’t make you any better a person. It just gives you something to flash as you drive by.

Same thing with the new houses they built……..it’s just so much flash when you drive by.

Didn’t change a thing for anyone else.

[dgriffin]

Yup, I understand that a government program doesn't necessarily bring a renaissance of responsibility and self-support. In fact, it often has the opposite effect, as we all know too well. But I was reacting to Gear calling the "stakeholders" "Pigs at the trough." Was that really true? Did they scarf up funds that could have been more useful elsewhere, lining their pockets at the expense of the new homeowners?

I can appreciate the same crew of developers would be standing by waiting for profits from Hope VI. They were supposed to be, although not to the point of illegalities or immoral profiteering, if the latter is something that can be defined these days.

[gearofzanzibar]

Oct 11, 2009 16:44:11 GMT -5 @dgriffin said:

But I was reacting to Gear calling the "stakeholders" "Pigs at the trough." Was that really true? Did they scarf up funds that could have been more useful elsewhere, lining their pockets at the expense of the new homeowners?

The "inefficiencies", that being the kind word to describe the massive cost overruns and skimming, of the home construction phase of HOPE VI are pretty well documented. The program was paying BMW prices for Yugo quality "homes". That meant that not only did the program fail to build nearly as many homes as planned, but that the overall build quality is, to be generous, less than optimal.

It didn't have to be that way. Factory built pre-fab homes can have a superior level of fit and finish for less cost than stick built because of the efficiencies of mass production. Instead, many of the HOPE VI houses were pre-built shells that were then fitted out with utilities by crews- the absolute worst possible approach from a cost effectiveness standpoint, but one that provides lots of opportunities for "employment and educational" funding. Again, that's the nice way of saying "graft".

[dgriffin]

Interesting. Although counter-intuitive, today's factory built homes are usually more expensive than stick built, from what I've been told. So they were purchased from a national firm and local contractors were allowed to finish them with electrical, plumbing, etc. All part of the workings of the economy, some would say, and from a previous description, one of the program's goals. If done honestly.

Wonder there wasn't some agency beyond the local municipality, with responsibility for the project. Usually, there would be a state or federal office policing the spending and approving the work.

[rodwilson]

So Dave, I've got a Wal-Mart note for you Turns out they're going to make quite a contribution to the Thomas Lindsey League banquet being held this weekend. Bastards! There's a doc on CNBC running this week about the "New" Wal-Mart. It's on my DVR and I'm looking forward to watching it.

On a side note I had a discussion this week regarding said league and the political garbage that went on regarding the launch of this league was amazing. Like these clowns have nothing to do than battle a kids ball league?

[dgriffin]

The "New" Walmart will no doubt be a new PR push. Unless they've found another way to make money.

I still laugh every time I think of the Reverend Billy and his troupe performing an Exorcism on the company sign in front of Walmart's World Headquarters in Bentonville, AR.

Before they were thrown off the property.










Great film!

Gotta go. Off to my local Walmart!

[rodwilson]

Def one I missed. In the movie Wall-E (Pixar just doesn't miss) the world is essentially driven into ruin by a company call 'Buy N Large". A knock at big box but the allusion is unmistakable.

[rodwilson]

Hey Dick, how are you making out with your submission of your idea to the city? Any feedback?

[dicklaurey]

Rod- He has the investor data package and an overview of the project.
No response to date.

[chris]

There's a doc on CNBC running this week about the "New" Wal-Mart. It's on my DVR and I'm looking forward to watching it.

I caught part of this show as I was channel surfing. Nothing new here...still the same people that America should be afraid of. (kind of reminds me of Obama....everyone thinks he is the next best thing to sliced bread ...with all the promises of change etc but just smoke and mirrors)

In the clip I watched it said most of their employees leave after 3 years as they just can't afford to work there any longer. Are fighting for better pay, medical etc. Trying to get unionized. What I didn't like was the part of seeing them in China training their factories they are associated with over there. What are they doing in China... I felt they should be working with American factories.

Walmart is not about the American people they are about lining their pockets at the cost of the each American.

A while back when I read how ruthless they were in running their business I decided not to ever shop there and give them my business. They actually put Rubbermaid out of business. Maybe their stuff is low in cost but it is crap. You get what you pay for.

[Deleted]

Huffy bikes used to be made in the U.S., but thanx to WalMart are now built in Mexico. The scumbags at WalMart put the squeeze on Huffy to lower their prices or lose the account with WM. When Huffy balked, what did WM suggest to Huffy? Open a factory in Mexico to cut down on labor costs, so they could lower the cost of a bike. So Huffy bikes, a company that had been in business for close to a century had to bow down to WalMart or go out of business. And 200 people in southern California lost their job. WalMart is anti American, pure & simple.

[dgriffin]

MSNBC.com

The best corporate citizens

Poll asks who’s most socially responsible, and the winner is ... Wal-Mart?


Wal-Mart's low prices haven't helped it gain a high perch in the public's esteem. At least, that's the conventional wisdom. Critics accuse the retail giant of destroying neighborhoods, exploiting its workers and discriminating against female employees. But when American consumers were asked to name a U.S. company that was socially responsible, they named Wal-Mart above all others.

The retail giant trounced second-place McDonald's (yes, McDonald's). In fact, 28 percent of consumers picked Wal-Mart Stores as the most responsible company, compared with 17 percent for McDonald's and 16 percent for third-place Microsoft.

“I was surprised by Wal-Mart given all the bad press,” says Charles Fombrun, Executive Director of the Reputation Institute, which surveyed 30,000 consumers worldwide about their perceptions of social responsibility. “But low prices are an element of social responsibility. Consumers think, ‘They’re doing right by me.’ ”

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15991495/


It's all about perception ... and PR. A variety of sources on the topic (most referring to the BBMG survey) at:

www.creativeinvest.com/research/walmart.html

blog.wakeupwalmart.com/ufcw/2009/03/via_the_chloreg.html

zakstar.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/wal-mart-labeled-socially-responsible-by-college-students/

www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/walmart-the-most-and-least-responsible-company.php

[concerned]

gee I got my flu shot at Walmart a week ago. I hope I will be ok. So far no side affects.

[rodwilson]

Just the fact that you can get a flu at Wal-Mart but can't get one from your Dr. because Wal-Mart bought them all might be indicative of a problem.