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In December, we carried a story on 98 King and the proposal the Valley CDC made for the Community Preservation Awards (CPA) program to convert this derelict building to a 8-unit SRO. Since then, the proposal for seed money has been approved, the building has changed hands, and the CDC has been "buttoned up" with an initial $5,000.00. Completion of this conversion to SROs is scheduled for a long way off—2011. I wonder if it's going to stay like it is today for two years? Here's hoping it
doesn't take that long.
Read the full earlier article here
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI am a strong supporter of Valley CDC. They have done amazing things for people in Northampton and Easthampton. Valley CDC has been responsible for helping alot of businesses, locally owned, get their start. They have helped alot of people buy their first home. They have also added alot of nice affordable housing in this area. I was at the annual meeting last month in which they did introduce all their new properties and properties they hope to own in the future. The rehab that they have done is superior to what has been done to other affordable housing in the area. Their director is responsive to the needs of their tenants.
I can understand a neighbors' concern when there is an empty property that is not well secured. When I was in real estate, in the higher crime sections, those houses usually ended up in smoke. Thank heavens, Northampton is not one of those high crime areas.
Give Valley CDC a chance. They are very approachable and willing to talk with people who are skeptical. They also are very vigilant about tenants that are problems, although they have to deal with them legally within the courts.
Mike, Although Valley CDC does do a tremendous amount for the city as far as affordable housing goes, why does Valley CED feel they are entitled to over a half a million dollars of CPA money for this round of funding alone? The CPA amount for this round is a little over a million dollars and Valley CDC has applied for over half of it. A couple of other issues with Valley CDC, I am not sure the commercial space will actually end up commercial space. Take 15 North Maple Street. That was also suppose to have commercial space in it, which was originally stated to the neighbors of Florence, but now that space is “office space”, not commercial space. The Go-West building in Florence was also renovated with state and federal monies for “Enhanced SRO’s” by Valley CDC, and after completion was sold to an LLC for a dollar. In the Northampton zoning regulations there is no such zoning for Enhanced SRO's. People continue to use this word because it sounds good but they doesn’t exist, so how can they build it if it’s not in our zoning regulations? Just some food for thought.
ReplyDeleteValley CDC is one of the over 350 non-profits registered in northampton as per guidestar. it is also one of the many non-profits in town which has a for-profit management company. with money being collected by the for-profit, where is the money going? whom is it supporting? if the non-profit, then there is a tax problem. asking for more than half of the cpa funds that are available this round seems extraordinary, not to mention the previous rounds.
ReplyDeletelike sherri, i was also invited to the annual meeting, but i did not attend. i have collaborated with valley cdc on some housing and tenancy issues; i acknowledge the good they do and the assistance they provide.
i am relieved that cdc works strongly with h.a.p. however, my concerns are:
1. the quick ease in which cdc is able to receive cpa funds
2. the town's quick approvals for any of their requests
3. their quasi non-profit status
4. why some other institutions think that they should be guaranteed housing slots in cdc properties without proper screening procedures.