tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post3359100287234554909..comments2024-03-28T13:58:45.797-04:00Comments on The Gossips of Rivertown: Ear to the GroundCarole Osterinkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16010623982526286408noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-92178058600588038412017-08-15T18:40:33.697-04:002017-08-15T18:40:33.697-04:00"No one expects a savior but it seems like yo..."No one expects a savior but it seems like you are auditioning for the job . I wish you luck." You meant no disrespect? Oy! The point is affordable housing is an important issue and the community needs to be involved. That's why I'm not continuing the conversation through email. Too many decisions in this town get made behind closed doors. Too often "the public" arrives at a meeting only to discover that the powers-that-be have already made the decisions. The folks that organized the two community forums (including the one I moderated in May) should be applauded for bringing the issue to the public. But this is something that our local government should be doing. Tom chides me for not appreciating the fact that "many Hudsonsites have actually been working on developing affordable housing and fixing what we already have." So what? Why does he use that fact as a criticism of my opinion instead of an opportunity to reach out to the public and widen the pool of conversants in the conversation? You don't solve these public sector problems through private email conversations; you solve them by engaging the public, all of it, in the conversation. Peter Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12627451247693034161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-12527263871115879002017-08-15T12:56:59.440-04:002017-08-15T12:56:59.440-04:00This is Rebecca Wolff. What has been made clear to...This is Rebecca Wolff. What has been made clear to me in my efforts at bringing public and political attention to affordable housing in Hudson is that one great change that could happen easily would be for more alliances to be formed, formal and informal, between the agencies, officials, and individuals who are responsible for and in charge of--for lack of a better phrase--the various initiatives. Affordable housing is octopus-like and collaborations and partnerships, both for ideas and actions, might be what is missing. Apparently there is a county-level Housing Task Force; perhaps a localized Task Force formed by the people who actually DO the tasks, would be useful.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09038993866581128035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-88349589002788389302017-08-14T20:40:13.767-04:002017-08-14T20:40:13.767-04:00I'm sorry that's how you feel. I intended ...I'm sorry that's how you feel. I intended no disrespect, and was only seeking clarity. I'm glad we're continuing this conversation through email.Tom DePietrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09172962527131295004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-37369087343536917142017-08-14T18:12:13.555-04:002017-08-14T18:12:13.555-04:00Jeez Tom, you're already acting like a member ...Jeez Tom, you're already acting like a member of the club: defensive and arrogant. In my day, and to this day, I believed that public officials were public servants, and respectful of public opinion. You comment makes my point. cheers, -peter Peter Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12627451247693034161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-67714238285142513782017-08-14T13:54:52.066-04:002017-08-14T13:54:52.066-04:00Peter, I'm not sure what exactly you're a...Peter, I'm not sure what exactly you're arguing, but my comment in no way implies that we, the citizens of Hudson, are helpless, or that the federal government is unapproachable. Surely, you don't think the city can afford the repairs to Bliss Towers. And while I appreciate your little civics lesson, and that you moderated a discussion last May, many Hudsonsites have actually been working on developing affordable housing and fixing what we already have. No one expects a savior but it seems like you are auditioning for the job . I wish you luck.Tom DePietrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09172962527131295004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-64607142949217245592017-08-14T12:53:04.845-04:002017-08-14T12:53:04.845-04:00Tom, Unfortunately, Hudson has too many moral impe...Tom, Unfortunately, Hudson has too many moral imperatives and too few public responsibility imperatives. Before we start spending other peoples' money (i.e. taxpayer's money), we need a government that is open--I mean OPEN--rational--I mean RATIONAL--and responsible--I mean operating in a smart and efficient manner. You talk about the federal government as if it's a foreign power instead of Us the people. And you speak of the city ("beyond city reach") as if it's a child instead of Us the people... Last May's forum on affordable housing generated tons of good ideas, but we need to take those ideas and make them work instead of waiting for some mythical savior or -- as is frequently the case in Hudson -- some eleventh hour hail mary pass that is neither good nor responsible.Peter Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12627451247693034161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-9289955113516316822017-08-14T12:40:50.496-04:002017-08-14T12:40:50.496-04:00Or, as Mike Tyson would--and did--say, Everybody&#...Or, as Mike Tyson would--and did--say, Everybody's gotta a plan until they get hit in the face...Peter Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12627451247693034161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-22364142010263400202017-08-14T10:47:16.545-04:002017-08-14T10:47:16.545-04:00For all the "How I would run a housing develo...For all the "How I would run a housing development" theorists, who have never sat in a Management Chair dealing simultaneously with client needs and budgetary restraints and continual community pressures and criticisms, oh it all looks like such an easy-to-do, cushy job. <br /><br />All the pie-in-the-sky theories run smack dab into the brick wall of reality.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13904744235071178921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-32893051935683496692017-08-13T18:50:02.988-04:002017-08-13T18:50:02.988-04:00To clarify a bit: My comments were based on readin...To clarify a bit: My comments were based on reading through the policies on The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website. Our city's code includes a curious chapter, 174, that mentions the establishment of a Fair Housing Commission in 1982. The current status of that commission is unclear, but it does mandate a one-for-one relocation. In any case, as anyone who's spent time in Bliss knows, the building is in desperate need of repair. The estimated costs are beyond city reach, so we must demand that the builders (i.e. the federal government) step up. It's a moral imperative for our community.Tom DePietrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09172962527131295004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5723709701684173708.post-21185165629996842172017-08-13T18:20:30.727-04:002017-08-13T18:20:30.727-04:00Quick point of order: I was the moderator of the M...Quick point of order: I was the moderator of the May forum you refer to; Tiffany Garriga was part of the group that organized the forum. Peter Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12627451247693034161noreply@blogger.com