Re: [UC] Philadelphia Magazine Article on Community Associations

2010-06-27 Thread Glenn 
"In another dispute, Primavera brokered the following deal: The 
developer paid the dues for each new condo resident to enjoy---get 
this---a /year-long membership in the neighborhood association!/ "



Dave, I'm not so sure that this district wasn't included in this 
story-haha.  Forcing outsiders to join their civic association is a huge 
part of the power play here.  This type of tribute is meant to have a 
psychological effect; proving the power relationship.


 (Why do I know that name, Carl Primavera??)



"The planned result is that developers won't need to get the community 
groups' approval. "  (This sentence is the reason for this story!)



Who loses at the end of this process?

I always knew that groups like FOCP and SHCA would inevitably lose their 
own power while they betrayed all of us.  It looks like the abuses of 
these associations have made us all voiceless now!  Now the quid pro quo 
dealings will be done in back rooms without the involvement of these 
groups nor those who were shut out by them.  (e.g. The Clark Park 
Partnership is closed to members of the public.)


Would excluding "community groups" from zoning matters have been 
possible if these groups had acted according to democratic 
principles???  This description of civic associations is embarrassing 
and essentially true in our neighborhood!  But transparency, inclusive 
processes, and a focus on honest information could not have supported 
the elimination of community voices, which is the point in this PR 
message.  (This story would be strongly contradicted if civic 
associations were respected and trusted in our neighborhoods!)


Now, the "experts" will make decisions in backrooms because the civic 
associations are portrayed as the source of pay to play.  The people, 
caught up in these groups, were too consumed with their cravings for 
power to see this.  But the rest of us should have seen that this was 
the true corporate goal when these dysfunctional groups were first 
anointed!  (All the spin about partnerships with community leaders just 
set up the idiots as pawns).  They dangled the pay to play carrot to 
replace appropriate processes, and the "civic leaders" went for the bait.



Unfortunately this is true:
"These sorts of quid-pro-quo deals are something too many neighborhoods 
expect. "Sometimes," says former city managing director Phil Goldsmith, 
"you've got community groups asking for money or something in return for 
approving a project that should already be permitted under the zoning 
code. People won't like me for saying this, but it's pay-to-play 
politics---on a civic level."


Perhaps even worse, the controversy isn't always about what the 
neighborhood will get in return for supporting a project. Sometimes it's 
simply about control, about neighborhoods telling business owners what 
they can and can't do with the property they bought...


That's a lot of power to be invested in anyone, transforming the leaders 
of neighborhood groups into quasi-public officials. And the question 
going forward is, how can we rein in the power of leaders we never 
elected in the first place? "



Thanks for posting this,
Glenn




On 6/27/2010 3:44 PM, Dave Axler wrote:

The July issue of Philadelphia Magazine has a piece titled "Turf Wars: Neighbors 
Gone Wild." It's about the behavior of neighborhood groups towards entrepreneurs and 
developers in the city. It takes a decidedly pro-business slant  -- not a surprise, given 
the source -- and is focused on groups in Center City and adjacent areas (Fishtown, Queen 
Village, etc.). There's no mention of any West Philly groups such as SHCA.

Despite the article's bias, it makes some good points and is worth reading. You 
can find it online at:

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/turf_wars_neighbors_gone_wild062110/
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[UC] Philadelphia Magazine Article on Community Associations

2010-06-27 Thread Dave Axler 
The July issue of Philadelphia Magazine has a piece titled "Turf Wars: 
Neighbors Gone Wild." It's about the behavior of neighborhood groups towards 
entrepreneurs and developers in the city. It takes a decidedly pro-business 
slant  -- not a surprise, given the source -- and is focused on groups in 
Center City and adjacent areas (Fishtown, Queen Village, etc.). There's no 
mention of any West Philly groups such as SHCA.

Despite the article's bias, it makes some good points and is worth reading. You 
can find it online at:

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/turf_wars_neighbors_gone_wild062110/
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the
list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see
.