In an incredibility distorted piece of writing about the NIZ, Alan Jennings has personified Allentown into a poor outsider of a different culture, which the surrounding blue bloods don't care to help. The supreme irony is that the NIZ will not help the poor of Allentown. The poor of Allentown had no input into the NIZ. Even those with more of a share stake, had little, to no knowledge. Conversely, minority businesses and their low-income customer base were displaced by the project. The project's purpose is to gentrify Hamilton Street, and push the poor out of sight. None of the proposed components of the project will help the plight of low income. CUNA recently recognized these realities, and is seeking a Community Benefit Agreement. What is it that causes an Alan Jennings to compromise his principles so much? Simply put, the designers of this project are the gatekeepers of grants. Once a year, the social agencies gather at City Hall like baby birds. Pawlowski distributes the Community Development Block Grant into their hungry mouths. Likewise, Jennings is dependent on the generosity of the other large players in the Valley, all proponents of the NIZ.UPDATE: Bernie O'Hare weighs in on Jennings
UPDATE 2: Alan Jennings' organization was apparently paid $25,000 to set up a sting, showing that local realtors steered white and minority potential home buyers in different directions. I can testify, for free, that the City of Allentown did NOT inform the displaced merchants that they might qualify for a NIZ backed loan. Not one of the 34 displaced property owners where made aware that private parties were eligible. (Alan Jennings serves on the NIZ Authority)
Lost respect for Allen a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteScott Armstrong
Some of the baby birds have left the nest.Case in point,the rescue mission which holds at least one contract for 130,ooo a year from the city of Allentown for cleaning Walnut to Linden sts from 12th to 4th sts. The homeless rendered 4 taxpayers jobless.Good work Ed.
ReplyDeleteAllentown blue bloods are becoming a little long in the tooth these days. The colored Depends wearing crowd spends a lot of time lately counting those among them newly diagnosed with Alzhimers. They dispense advise to the minority minions they collect who salivate at the prospect of being one of the chosen few. Those who the have been promised entre into the inner sanctums of their Tilghman street diner breakfast meetings. Those challenging the almighty are cast out quicker than a stroke of Sen Joseph McCarthy's pen. Ph Alan, Alan. You have NIZ fever. You know not what you say.
ReplyDeleteFunny how Alan is so excited about the new arena, a venue that will be enjoyed almost exclusively by upper income white suburbanites. Won't Alan feel guilty sitting in the Pawlowski luxury box on opening night, when the only local minorities in the building are mopping floors and selling consessions? Shouldn't he be agaisnt this?
ReplyDeleteWhere is his editorial? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteRead the article. The arrogance is absolutely incredible. No wonder Allentown is so screwed up with people like Alan and his "dandy boy" mainline wannabe friends.
ReplyDelete@8:07, at the beginning of this post, click on red words, distorted piece of writing
ReplyDeleteMost understand alans point of view however he needs to respect the suburbs point of view that they dont feel responsible for the needs of the poor from the entire north east of this country.
ReplyDeleteGW, the NIZ does not benefit the poor in any way, not even the rising tide theory. what aspect of the allentown arena project do you think could possibly assist even one low income person? before you answer, consider the 34 merchants and their customers which were displaced, including a center city daycare. those stores were the walmart for the inter- city poor, who do not own cars.
ReplyDelete"SOCCER DENYING IMPOVERISHED CITY SHOWS STADIUM RISK : MUNI CREDIT"
ReplyDeletewww.bloomberg.com
Romy Varghese
6/21/2012
must read material about the "success" of PPL Park in Chester, PA
One ongoing problem is equating the NIZ to only the arena.It maybe first, but it's not all the planned investment.
ReplyDeleteThere are other than hockey seats to be considered. You can't renew the business zone this significantly and only impact"blue bloods". A lot of the blog views are narrowly focused.
@12:18, i do not see anything about the NIZ which will improve the lot of allentown's low income. considering that's jenning's core mission, the post is fair.
ReplyDeletei have received an anonymous harsh comment critical of jennings. such harshness must be signed to appear on this blog.
"Stadiums tend NOT to be good neighbors at developing the areas around them," said Victor Matheson, who teaches sports economics at the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.
ReplyDeletePeople are often 'grasping at straws' when they turn to such venues in hopes of spurring economic gains in distressed communities, Professor Matheson also says.
Doesn't using sports venues to distract from the problems of a city go all the way back to Rome and the Colosseum?
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that we've learned nothing from history.
Sounds like another $25,000 of federal money wasted. Jennings and CACLV are hardly an impartial party to be running a sting operation.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure they had their preconceived notions on the subject, and used the opportunity (and our money) to document the conclusion they wanted to reach.
I'm sure the next step is to shake down realtors and others in the community to keep from getting on Jennings' hit list. That's the way the poverty game is played in this country.
CACLV did not conduct the investigation.
ReplyDeleteThe poverty pimps continue to thrive in Allentown.
ReplyDeleteWhite boy goes after white boy. Are you kidding me?
ReplyDelete"Doesn't using sports venues to distract from the problems of a city go all the way back to Rome and the Colosseum?
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that we've learned nothing from history."
...
And how is Rome doing today?
MM said- "..what aspect of the allentown arena project do you think could possibly assist even one low income person?."
ReplyDeleteIt's seems fairly obvious to me that some folks will say almost anything to get what they want. The mayor, motivated by a desire for higher political standing needs a "homerun" project to establish himself as a statewide candidate. He only wants his resume to say that "he single handedly saved a dying rust belt city". Look at the credit Cunnigham takes for the small role he played in Bethlehem. Those real estate/developers are whores. Alan Jennings is a curious case. Is he the proverbial good guy gone bad? Has he become a parody of himself? Has he taken his eye off the ball?
VOR
Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete"CACLV did not conduct the investigation."
True, and Nixon had nothing to do with Watergate.
VOR