Friend of Bill no substitute for diligent oversight
Back on December 6, the White Administration had a big press blitz to announce its plans to remodel certain "affordable housing" apartment complexes in town.
The Editorial LiveJournalists (aka Mrs. White) were a little slow to praise their man's latest initiative, but they finally got around to it yesterday:
The program is dubbed "apartments to standard." Interim city housing director David Mincberg makes the case that upgrading these acres of apartment blocks will attract more stable tenants, reduce crime and spark new business development. If successful, the program could strengthen the tax base and bring higher tax collections, which would provide new revenues for further infrastructure improvements in the same way that former Mayor Bob Lanier's "neighborhoods to standard" program helped revitalize the city core through better street lighting, sidewalks and the like.
The improvements need not be a giveaway that rewards neglectful landlords. City officials are considering making loans on favorable terms to eligible owners. Another tactic calls for the city to arrange for private or nonprofit developers to purchase and renovate apartment projects.
However the plan is structured, it must receive careful oversight to ensure that it does not join the ranks of past city housing projects that have crashed in embarrassments of wasteful spending, fraud and mismanagement. Mincberg has had significant success with his private sector real estate ventures. His appointment to this housing post brings a measure of confidence that such a large-scale, publicly funded apartment renovation plan can achieve its goals.
Why? Because he's a Friend of Bill?
We're all too familiar with the way these sorts of well-intentioned programs have tended to be plagued by fraud, cronyism, and corruption in the past. Let's hope the city's watchdog media and elected officials help to keep this program cleaner.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/17/06 08:29 PM | Print |
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