Subjective summary of Ventura Village meeting from neighboring observer:
The opposition to the proposed small [20 unit] low-income income housing
development was a classic but ugly display of blatant race and class
prejudice by [overwhelmingly] white homeowners. A parade of speakers
complained how the low-income housing residents - whom the speakers
obviously have never met -would not take care of themselves or the property
and promote more crime. One of the speakers proclaimed that the low income
housing would create a "cesspool." A large portion of the audience loudly
cheered in response to this explicitly classist, racist and downright
disrespectful term to describe other human beings.
The Ventura Village organization leadership also outright cheated to make
sure that support for the low income housing was voted down. They did not
allow residents of the neighborhood who appeared for the first time to vote,
on the grounds that they were not members long enough. The organization's
by-laws reportedly allowed anyone who lived or worked in the neighbrohood to
join the organization and vote at meetings at any time. It was clear that
many of the new members had shown up specfically to support the project,
which is the most viable explanation of why they were not allowed to vote.
It was also obvious that a large number (and probably majority) of those
excluded from voting were people of color, whereas the vast majority of
opponents of the projects were white. The racism of the process played out
on many levels.
One of the opposition speakers did make a partially legitimate point. She
basically noted that PPL was not trying to build in Kenwood or uptown where
residents would probably not allow the construction of such units. Yes,
there should be low income housing units in Kenwood, uptown, Linden Hills
and other more affluent neighborhoods and suburbs. If the Ventura people
cared about that, they could work on supporting low income housing in those
neighbhorhood. It does not excuse the narrow-minded greed and intolerance
of people in need.
The previous poster mischaraterized the PPL efforts as some sort of
attempted coup by developer Basim Sabri. This is a specious attempt to
distort the real unsavory agendas at play. Sabri had no apparent financial
interest in this project. I believe that his active participation was
prompted by other CNIA community activists who are active involved with the
PPL project. Ultimately, his personal motives are an unimportant side issue
and diversion.
The underlying conflict appears to be between homeowners who want to
gentrify the neighborhood by removing low income residents and replacing
them with more affluent homeowners, versus community residents who want to
improve the neighborhood for the benefit of the current ethnically and
economically diverse residents.
Jordan Kushner
Powderhorn
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2001 3:48 PM
Subject: [Mpls] Ventura Village Meeting
> There was a very boisterous Ventura Village Meeting where the people from
> People For Pride In Living and Basim Sabri and his fellow henchmen tried
> to unsuccessfully pack the meeting and push forth their own agenda and
> attempt a coupe of the Ventura Village Neighborhood organization, much
> like they did in the Central Neighborhood. V V, was very organized,
> however, and thwarted the takeover. Has anyone else had this similar
> experience. I understand Basim was a part of the take over of The Central
> Neighborhood. Are they just so hungry with greed that they will do
anything
> to get theri way?
>
> Rob - Ventura Village (North Phillips)
>
>
>
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