The Property Rights Action Committee has done a fine job of raising public consciousness of their agenda. However, with increased exposure comes increased scrutiny. I have heard four main messages coming from the PRAC, each of which I think need to be scrutinized.
The messages are: (1) buildings should not be condemned, (2) landlords are good people who have been treated unfairly by government and groups like Project 504, (3) criminal behavior should be targeted, not the buildings where the criminal activity take place; and (4) there is a lot of corruption in City Hall. Here is my critique of these four arguments: 1. In many circumstances buildings SHOULD be condemned. Like any other product, buildings have life cycles. I would encourage anyone on this list to drive by 2100 4th Avenue South and tell me this house shouldn�t be condemned. Even if there wasn�t drug dealing taking place at the building (there is), I would say this building is not suitable for human habitation and never will be again. I�m doing everything I can to work with SAFE and the County Attorney to get this piece of s**t torn down. You can lecture me all you want about the affordable housing crisis�no one should have to live in or near this dump. 2. Landlords may be good people, but many of them use a business model which I believe is unethical. The business model is to buy a run down property, charge poor people as much as possible, defer maintenance on the building, and evict tenants who have to gall to complain about deplorable conditions. In order to keep this going as long as possible, the business model also includes criticizing inspections, city council members, Project 504, tenants who bring rent escrow actions, etc. Finally, these landlords use the affordable housing crisis as an excuse to milk the poor for a long as they can. As long as the PRAC does not ostracize these landlords, the group will not be credible in my eyes. 3. Contrary to what the PRAC says, one cannot separate bad behavior from bad buildings. It�s sociology 101. The built environment influences human behavior. Derelict buildings encourage derelict behavior. Certainly stopping criminal behavior is more complicated than fixing broken windows, but it�s an important piece of the puzzle. 4. I�m not going to go into city hall corruption, its been discussed enough. Dave Harstad Whittier __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Find the one for you at Yahoo! Personals http://personals.yahoo.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
