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WHEDA Subsidized Housing on Kenosha's North Side

Attached is an email I received from a very concerned resident of Hunters Ridge in Kenosha regarding a local Broker/Developers desire to build low income subsidized single family housing on 37 lots in the Meadows at Hunters Ridge to be mixed in with the $300,000 Plus homes already in this and adjacent neighborhoods.

Read the EMAIL below, then CALL BEAR REALTY of Kenosha at 262-694-2327 and tell Steve Mills and SR Mills that you don't want this in your neighborhood!! Then call ALL of the Government Contacts below and tell them you want this stopped!!

Hello Neighbors –

Please read the important information below –

   Mr. Steve Mills of Bear Realty purchased the 37 available lots across the street from Hunters Ridge (The Meadows of Hunters Ridge – Behind Piggly Wiggly- East side of 30th ave)

·    He is planning to develop the lots with 4 & 5 bedroom governmental homes. (Minimum rental of the homes will be 15 years.)

·    The developer (Mr. Mills) has applied for Wheda dollars to build these homes. WHEDA works closely with lenders, developers, local government, nonprofits, community groups and others to implement its low-cost financing programs. We also work with developers to finance affordable rental housing, and support economic development and agriculture through our small business guarantee programs.  http://www.wheda.com/

·    Once these homes are built, anyone with a voucher can apply to rent the homes. They can come from anywhere in the US. (Has anyone seen Cabrini Green in Chicago?)

·    GJohn Ruffolo, our Alderman, found out that this matter is already at the state level because the city of Kenosha zoned the subdivision for homes.

·    Fact: Our district in Kenosha (The 4th District) already has 60% home rental. Only 40% of us own our homes. What that means is: We already have quite a few apartments on the north side of Kenosha. We don’t need any more.

·    Wheda gives out their loans in May/June time frame. We need to stop Mr. Mills from getting a Wheda loan.

·    We will be holding a neighborhood meeting this week and G. John Ruffolo will give us an update on the situation. (You will be notified of the date, place & time)

What can you do to stop the Government Housing project being built across 30th Avenue?

·    Call our government officials and send them emails – Let them know you are opposed of the Mills/Wheda housing project on the north side.

·    Here are the numbers/email addresses you will need:

Peter Barca – State Legislature Representative - Majority Caucus Chairman (Make sure you contact him- a lot of influence)

Phone:

Email: Rep.Barca@legis.wisconsin.gov

John Steinbrink – State Legislature

Phone: 262-694-5863 or 608-266-0455

Email: Rep.Steinbrink@legis.wisconsin.gov

Paul Ryan – US Representative – House/District 1

Phone: 262-654-1901 or For time sensitive inquiries, please call my Constituent Hotline toll-free at 1-888-909-RYAN 1-888-909-RYAN (7926).

Email: use the following link for a form you can fill out

http://www.house.gov/ryan/email.htm

Robert Wirch – WI Senator

Phone: (608) 267-8979

Email: Sen.Wirch@legis.wisconsin.gov

Herb Kohl – U.S. Senator

Phone (608) 264-5338

Email: use the following link for a form you can fill out

http://kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Russ Feingold – U.S. Senator

Phone: (414) 276-7282

Email: use the following link for a form you can fill out

http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html

Also, let’s not forget to let our Mayor know that we oppose this project… He voted yes to the Governmental Housing project on the South Side.

Mayor:

Keith G. Bosman
625 52nd Street
Room 300
Kenosha, Wisconsin 53140
262-653-4000
mayor@kenosha.org

Office Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

County Executive:

Jim Kreuser

262-653-2600

CoExec@co.kenosha.wi.us

Here’s G.John Ruffolo’s information as well. (Our Alderman)

Phone: 262-552-7833

Email: gjohnruffolo@kenosha.org

Additional Links -

http://www.kenosha.org/mayor/index.html

http://www.kenosha.org/ccindex.html

http://kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

http://feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html

http://www.house.gov/ryan/kenosha.htm

http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/section.asp?linkid=59&locid=19

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/w3asp/contact/legislatorpages.aspx?house=senate&district=22

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/w3asp/contact/legislatorpages.aspx?house=assembly&district=64

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/w3asp/contact/legislatorpages.aspx?house=assembly&district=65

http://www.co.kenosha.wi.us/countyexec/

http://www.co.kenosha.wi.us/cb/cbminfo.phtml?distnum=4

Thank you – Your Hunters Ridge Neighborhood

Posted by Ralph Nudi on 04/13/2010 08:40 PM

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5 Comments on WHEDA Subsidized Housing on Kenosha's North Side

APR

2010

This issue was also in the Kenosha News today April 14, 2010.

1.) The first commenter says: "Mr. Steve Mills of Bear Realty purchased the 37 available lots across the street from Hunters Ridge (The Meadows of Hunters Ridge – Behind Piggly Wiggly- East side of 30th ave). He is planning to develop the lots with 4 & 5 bedroom governmental homes. (Minimum rental of the homes will be 15 years.)"

FACT: The city has extensive and well-developed zoning codes which regulate the use of the property. If the proposed use complies with the zoning for the property, then the property owner can lawfully develop the property for that use.

2.) The first commenter says: "The developer (Mr. Mills) has applied for Wheda dollars to build these homes. WHEDA works closely with lenders, developers, local government, nonprofits, community groups and others to implement its low-cost financing programs. We also work with developers to finance affordable rental housing, and support economic development and agriculture through our small business guarantee programs. http://www.wheda.com/ .

Once these homes are built, anyone with a voucher can apply to rent the homes. They can come from anywhere in the US. (Has anyone seen Cabrini Green in Chicago?)"

FACT: WHEDA has been an important source of real estate funding for many years and has well developed guidelines for its application. The will of the people of the State is such as to support the important social needs of the citizens of the State that are met by the WHEDA programs.

The State and Federal government have many laws prohibiting discrimination in general and also specific to real estate. The cementer’s view regarding Cabrini Green suggests some form of discrimination.

The commenter fears a tenant may come from Cabrini Green, a storied 1940's vintage public housing project on Chicago's south side. The commenter might be very surprised to learn that Cabrini Green was originally occupied primarily by persons of Italian heritage, according to the Chicago Housing Authority.

More information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabrini-Green

3.) The first commenter says: “GJohn Ruffolo, our Alderman, found out that this matter is already at the state level because the city of Kenosha zoned the subdivision for homes.”

FACT: According an article on page A4 of the April 14^th, 2010 edition of the Kenosha News, G John Ruffalo plans to bring a resolution regarding this project to the Kenosha City Council. It should be noted that not only did City Council zone this area for residential use, but City Council also approved the division of the original large parcel of land into small residential lots. The development of this area is certainly not a surprise to the Alderpersons.

4) The first commenter says: “Fact: Our district in Kenosha (The 4th District) already has 60% home rental. Only 40% of us own our homes. What that means is: We already have quite a few apartments on the north side of Kenosha. We don’t need any more.”

FACT: No authoritive source was cited for the percentage of rentals in the District. Are the percentages cited accurate or are they “embellished” to bolster the commenter’s claims? It should be noted that neither the City nor the State can lawfully regulate the form of ownership of the property, and hence, tenancy is not a consideration.

5.) The first commenter says: “What can you do to stop the Government Housing project being built across 30th Avenue?”

FACT: It’s abundantly clear that this is a private housing project, not a “Government Housing” project.

OVERALL: The public should know that homeownership rates peaked at nearly 70% just a few years ago, aided in great part by “no doc” Alt A mortgages, 120% mortgages, adjustable rate mortgages and various other mortgage terms which are not sustainable in the American economy, and are currently creating an enormous mortgage default rate.

It has long been US public policy to encourage home ownership because it creates social stability. Hence, government programs such as the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and others were created.

From 1900 through 1950, homeownership rates were less than 50%. The US Census tabulates these values which you can find at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/census/historic/owner.html

Although it may not be popular with all members of the community, there will be more rentals, not less, in the future for the simple reason that banks will not expose their depositors funds to the risk of loss by granting mortgages on the easy terms seen in the past decade. Limited financial resources will encourage more families to seek a rental rather than a home ownership situation. Multifamily development is one of the few bright spots in the economy this year for these reasons.

Robert W Fay

Broker/Owner

Great Lakes Real Estate Services, LLC

Kenosha, Wisconsin

'The homeless shelter, the low-income housing in Brass area. Why more??

APR

2010

I wonder... if the north side has a large percent of rental units, is it because that's where the two colleges (three, if counting Gateway Tech) are located?

This seems like another "not in my backyard" reaction.

On Saturday I passed a group of people at 80th Street and 39th Ave carrying protest signs. The signs' message (printed with Bear Realty name) opposed the low income housing proposed for 80th Street. First, Walmart was bullied out of building on that property. Now one of the few large tracts of open land inside the city, near retail and on a bus route, is not suitable for low income housing.

JAN

2011

Today I received the following comments via Email -

From: Debbie Belcher Email: dbelcher630@yahoo.com

Subject: wheda (Sent via Activerain)

First of all, You should never encourage anyone to not help people like us, I am a single mother who is unemployed and can not find work and will be thrown out on the streets very soon due to this. How dare you tell the people to not be for this program. If someone is willing to purchase property to help people like us especially single parents then you should keep your 2 cents out of it. I used to live in IL and caprini green is nothing like it used to be. I am from the suburbs although I used to work uptown/downtown and it's not all that bad. They actually built and are still building very high properties out there to get the bad out. I just can't believe in our economy today that you would post something like this up to not help people lik eus. One day you'll be out of a job, what then. What goes around comes around, right.

Message details: From: Debbie Adams Email: dbelcher630@yahoo.com

Subject: Your website (Sent via Activerain)

I am requesting your ignorance to be removed

Dear Debbie:

While I respect the fact that you are a struggling single mother, I think that you are missing the point. I believe that there is a place for everything, and if you or anyone else is in a position where you need help getting on your feet, people who are more fortunate do have a moral obligation to help others, including making sure that children never go homeless or hungry.

I think we can ALL agree on that. Where we disagree is in where and how to help. Calling me ignorant because I disagree with one of those proposals does nothing to further your cause. This post was not about how to solve all of our economic woes but rather one specific program that in my educated opinion hurts more than it helps.

Some people live in 6 Million Dollar Houses in Lake Forrest, should I expect the government to help subsidize a developer to build a house in that neighborhood so I can rent it for an amount based on MY income? Sure I would love to live their, but I can't afford it, and I didn't earn it. (Yet) The difference is, I don't have a sense of resentment, jealousy or entitlement toward those that live there. Instead I am happy for them and hopeful that some day I or my children will achieve that level of success in spite of the adversity that we all face in this economy. I also understand that bringing down the value of their assets means less taxes being paid by them, and a greater burden on those of us less fortunate. The wealthiest of Americans pay the greatest share of taxes in this country, and I want to keep them wealthy so they can continue to afford to pay. Winston Churchill once said - Capitalism is the UNEQUAL distribution of wealth, but Communism is the EQUAL distribution of misery.

These subsidized homes (which it appears for the time being, are off the table) were going to be built on single family home sites that the original developer had received approval from the city to build quality homes similar to the quality of the surrounding homes. Some of the people already living in the neighborhood have worked hard and saved their entire lives to build and buy homes here and in the two surrounding neighborhoods, and don't like the idea that their property values could be destroyed in a very short period of time by having the Government subsidize 4 bedroom homes and then renting these homes to people who have not worked and saved their whole lives to live there.

While there are exceptions to the rule, there are many out there who "game the system" and have no regard for the properties they are living in or the neighborhood because they didn't earn it. Their children haven't learned the same lessons that I am teaching my children that if you want something in life, you have to EARN IT, beause their parents are living the culture of entitlement and hand outs and feel they deserve the same lifestyle that I am living, even though I work and they do not.

The developer was going to make a substantial profit off of the taxpayers dime by building this subsidized housing, while taking actions that would lower the values of many homes he already developed, built and/or sold to other residents in the area. It had nothing to do with philanthropy and everything to do with capitalism, but when that capitalism is on my (the taxpayers) dime, it is not capitalism at all.

Yes, someone in a tough situation deserves TEMPORARY help to get back on their feet, to make sure there is a roof over their head, and food in their children's mouths. Yes I do pay taxes and give to my church and donate to charity in order to help those families. We do things like feed the hungry and donate to the poor. We even have a tradition in my family that the adults choose a charity to all donate to at Christmas in lieu of expensive gifts to one another. We make sure the children are part of that process and they understand the need to help your neighbor.

This is the most generous nation in the world an in spite of our flaws, we have equal opportunity to succeed, but what we do NOT have is a guarantee to equal outcome. It's up to you to determine your outcome.

There is a difference between charity and social engineering. If you want to live in a country where everyone gets the same, I suggest you read the works of Karl Marx and choose a country where the regime was inspired by his works. (A word of caution - don't expect to choose your own profession or your home in one of those countries, and don't expect the right to speak your mind there either)

APR

I get that all you pathetic rich people are scared that some big bad monster may come and steal your precious belongings in the night if any of us dirty poor people live that close to you, but let's get real, most of us have cars and can very easily find your place even if we don't live right across the street. And the fact that this little piece of internet treasure was so readily accessable on the web means I'm certain I'm not the only dirty poor person that found it. That being said, when you begin dealing with the fallout of your selfishness(i.e. being robbed, arson, all those fun things us poor people enjoy doing) I will be standing on the sidelines pointing and laughing at you trying to save all of your expensive rich people things. Have fun sleeping with one eye open.

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Ralph Nudi

Kenosha, WI

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Weichert, Realtors® - Precision

Address: 4235 Green Bay Rd, Suite 202, Kenosha, WI, 53144

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