Great work- keep going. Sounds like your organizations should be tapping into the new money mentioned in the News today- investing in concentrated blocks rather than the past scattered-shot approach. Hard work I'm sure but it is working!
Great work- keep going. Sounds like your organizations should be tapping into the new money mentioned in the News today- investing in concentrated blocks rather than the past scattered-shot approach. Hard work I'm sure but it is working!
Chicknlil:
A response to these questions is needed from the agency. The two non-bank mortgages are likely subsidized by NYS DHCR (state equivalent of HUD) or HUD.
The difference between mortgage totals & purchase cost apparently went to closing costs.
The house obviously was massively rehabbed. Heart of the City got #23 for [deleted] from Wm Lidner on 9/13/05, selling it for [deleted] two years later on 10/26/07.
RK
Colin - It sucks to be middle class too, but I am not bitching about it! :-) $73,000 is a bargain for this house in an established and improving neighborhood. How do the income restrictions work, are you unable to purchase the home if you earn more than the threshold, or are you ineligible for assistance if you don't meet those thresholds?
Urbanesque:
I think you are mistaken. The house very likely has substantial subsidies, the likely rationale for restricting the income of the buyer.
From County Clerk records, Heart of the City sold the house to Lorilee for [dollar amt. deleted}
They then gave her a mortgage for [deleted] on top of a BURA (City Hall) mortgage of [deleted]. Both those mortgages are lilkely to be forgiven in some way if contractual conditions are met . . . residency in the house for a certain period, etc.
In addition, Lorilee got a HSBC Bank mortgage of [deleted]. Her mortgages total [deleted] purchase, also meaning she likely needed to pay nothing down.
And, Heart of the City may have served as "construction manager", an in-kind contribution.
Could somebody from the agency confirm which information is correct?
The wisdom & cost benefit of such subsidies in neighorhoods, versus endless mult-million subsidies to developers to build ever-more housing in a shrinking city . . . . with about 26,000 housing vacancies . . while seeking $100 milion to launch a plan to demolish 1,000 empty buildings annually for a decade . . . is another question.
Dick Kern (in Mpls)
Kernwatch - So you are saying that the house was sold for [deleted]; but the buyer's obligation is actually [deleted], if she meets certain conditions and stipulations? Who pays for the remaining [deleted] if the contractual obligations are met? Who gets the [deleted] difference between purchase and mortgage price?
Does anyone have more information on how this program works? Was the buyer selected, was she chosen, or was this deal offered to her based on her income restrictions?
I can't believe that they covered over that magnificent artwork in the first picture. Did someone preserve that specimen of urban culture for a museum or did we lose this priceless and irreplaceable piece of artwork when they removed the asphalt shingles? What a shame to the 'urban artist' who spent time declaring his / her love for a fellow human through this canvas!
Seriously, this is a great improvement for these houses and this neighborhood. I hope that many of our other 'neglected' and run-down neighborhoods get the same treatment, this is a testament to what good people can do when they concentrate on one neighborhood or issue and really focus on making a change for the better. Kudos to all involved.
Congratulations to you and everyone, Chris! I got to visit your neighborhood last year on a couple of tours, and got one of the first copies of your well-researched book on the history and architecture of Plymouth Avenue. Also had the chance to talk with the great folks of Heart of the City at one of their open houses. Many of the individuals and organizations working on Plymouth Avenue are dedicated to historic preservation. Projects like this are where the rubber meets the road in terms of preservation playing a real world role in community revitalization, and is a great example of cooperation across many lines and uniting many interests. Plymouth Avenue is one of my favorite streets in Buffalo - I hope everyone will check it out for themselves on November 16!
You don't know me, where I came from, or what I have done to improve my lot in life. I am not stingy, I do not have a lot in this life but I am very giving and caring. I volunteer with many community organizations and I remember you from your work with Allentown, remember the fiasco that your arrogance started? I am sure that you do. Now let's talk about your rude assumptions! Try walking a mile in my shoes before your make your assumptions.
heather_b... please do us all a favor and move to the suburbs. your attitudes about the positive things happening in our city are horrible. maybe williamsville would suit you better. :)
heather_b, it is a well known fact that homeownership stabilizes neoghborhoods. Additionally, gentrification of neighborhoods is good, except when social gentrification is added to the mix - and that, my dear, is exactly what you are proposing here.
Once a person is accepted by neighbors, a feeling of belonging takes place and that feeling of belonging translates into self-respect and respect for others. This property was not acquired by all those you would deem worthy of ownership for many years. It was left abandoned and, in turn, also off the tax rolls. No one came forth to do anything prior to this excellent example of neighborhood revitalization and restoration vs. demolition. Now it is owned by someone who quite probably has a deeper respect for homeownership than you or I, for that matter, all the while that taxes are revolving into the city's general fund, an abandoned property is remediated with a new owner, and YOUR property values increase as a result. So, you see, you benefit, as well.
Stop being so stingy and realize that the concept of Karma is way more than a concept - it is a reality. Make a few deposits in your Karma Bank - you never know when you'll need to withdraw...
This is a great project, but we are perpetuating Buffalo's poverty cycle. How do you think the nearby neighbors feel about their house when we are basically giving a similar, yet newly renovated, house in an adjoining street away because someone can't make enough money? How do you think it feels to work hard for your house only to see a neighbor get the same house for nothing? It is a feel good moment for the wealthy who want to do something for the poor and make sure that they stay out of their neighborhoods, but think about the message you are sending to the lower middle class who don't qualify for these incentives. Why work harder when if you make a few dollars less a year you can get your home, food, child care, education, metro pass, heat, electricity, and medical care for free? Welcome to the welfare world of Buffalo. Why work for a better life? You are better off not trying and getting everything for free! This is how many of my neighbors live, they are home all day and in the bars in the evening, they don't work, yet they receive everything they need because apparently they can't do it on their own. For those reading, please know that THEY ARE LAUGHING AT YOU for your generosity.
heather_b: you do understand that Lorilee L. Greene had to BUY this house, don't you? She wasn't given anything - and when I last saw this house on the MLS it was priced aroung $75-80K.
I can see why your sky is blue, jackass! Why would I want to live in the suburbs, I have lived in Buffalo my entire life, I worked very hard for my house and everything that I have and continue to work hard to make my life better. I know that I could have stopped trying and taken the easy way out. Yes, there are sacrifices with both approaches but in the end I have dignity and self-respect that seems to allude my neighbors. No Phil, I am not a wealthy steam bag who feels that I am not getting 'all the breaks', I am someone who is disgusted by the abuse and apathy, and the ever increasing taxes. I had drink with a few people from the neighborhood last month who told me that I was stupid for working a second job on the weekends. This is the same mother f**ker who gets his kids christmas presents from the church and toys for tots. There will be a truck outside of his house next week to drop off his thanksgiving turkey.
I noticed that anti "VINYL SIDING" STEEL has refrained from any comments in reference to this positive development that has taken place here. Perhaps he will come around and see that there are many good reasons and aspects to use this material when done tastefully. The industry has made vast improvements in the MAINTENANCE FREE application of its products..minimizing the costs of long term affordability of these rehabbed properties!
1. Again -- this house wasn't given away! It was listed at $73k when my wife and I were looking in the neighborhood. The income restrictions didn't give the buyer anything except a shot at home ownership. Moving people from renting to owning is a good thing.
2. It's a very bad idea to base your views on an issue on a conversation in a bar, or on any anecdotal evidence, for that matter. The indisputable fact is that being poor sucks, and poor people struggle to get by, regardless of your undocumented conversations with unknown poor people with the gall to speal to you in a bar.
Who is heather talking to? Chris, skyisblue, Phil? It may be time for your prozac, miss.
Riiiight, heather_b, poverty is such a gravy-train! Have you been reading Rubin Bolling's "Lucky Ducky" cartoons and missing the sarcasm?
http://dir.salon.com/story/comics/boll/2002/12/19/boll/index.html
Urbanesque --
As far as I could tell, the threshold prevents folks making more than those amounts from buying the house. I don't think there is any "assitance" involved -- the threshold just limits the pool of potential buyers, it doesn't provide help for the buyer. I just wanted to point out that nothing was being "given away," despite what heather_b might think.
And you're right, it is a good deal, though it's far from the best deal in the neighborhood. Anyone buying anywhere outside the Kleinhans/semi-Allentown area is a sucker!
This house was built two years before mine and from the description of the interior layout, it sounds very similar to my house. I sure do applaud the salvation and restoration of this building .........but........has anyone ever seen plastic siding that successfully imitates wooden clapboards. I can spot plastic (and aluminum) siding from a block away.
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