A few weeks ago, my grandson's Suki dog ran off. Whenever that happens, it's because she's chasing squirrels or rabbits, and she's never gone for more than twenty minutes. But this time, she failed to return, despite a cold rain that chilled everyone to the bone.
The very next day, a brigade of kids descended upon downtown Allentown, near Bucky Boyle Park, to hand out flyers. It paid off. After two days, we got a call from a very nice lady who had seen one of the flyers. Suki's identifying information was on her collar, but she lost that during what must have been one wild night. We were all happy that Suki was back home.
Now I went with this small army of leafleteers to make sure that none of them got lost, too. What struck me and the kids themselves, is just how many Allentown homes are completely empty or boarded up. Notices of eviction were posted along nearly every block. Some entire blocks were completely empty.
Anyone who thinks we're "in recovery" should take a walk in downtown Allentown.
At last week's LC Comm'r meeting, CACLV Excutive Director Alan Jennings described Allentown's dilapidated housing stock as its biggest problem.
"The housing stock in Allentown is the biggest problem that Allentown's got. It's crime problem is related to the housing stock that attracts people who cause the problems that we've got. Until we address that issue by improving the housing stock in downtown Allentown, we're going to have problems in downtown Allentown for a long time to come. If it were up to me, I'd put all this money [HUD grant money] in downtown Allentown to improve the existing housing stock in Allentown. I think we'd address a lot of our crime problems, too. That wouldn't be fair to the rest of the County."
Jennings, incidentally, lives in a modest row home in downtown Allentown.
13 comments:
jennings, and these organizations, have been around for 20 years, and have poured untold millions of dollars into center city allentown, yet????
because jennings is a professional advocate, he says we need more money and more legs on the chair.
bernie, i suspect you saw city notices, not private landlord eviction papers. the city has tagged hundreds of buildings as unfit, rather than working through their concerns with the property owner. i can tell you that generally allentown row homes are pretty durable things, brick and mortar. it takes a rough element of tenant to destroy them, and we have attracted a rough element. may i mention that the same people have run allentown's housing programs for the twenty years, and now they stand in front of councils explaining the problem and asking for more money. they, and their programs are the problem.
Remember, Jennings is all about "integration" and not necessarily "affordability". You won't ever hear him say there is not enough "affordable" housing in the cities and boroughs. He will say that the problem is in the "suburbs". He wants subsidized affordability in the suburban communities, period.
1) Unless he recently moved, Jennings does not live in a row home or in "Downtown" Allentown.
2) I'd like to know where this entire empty city block is? In 25 years in Allentown I have never seen such a thing.
"1) Unless he recently moved, Jennings does not live in a row home or in "Downtown" Allentown.
2) I'd like to know where this entire empty city block is? In 25 years in Allentown I have never seen such a thing."
As for #1, it probably depends on what you mean by "downtown." He certainly is not in the war zone.
As for #2, go to some of the side streets near Bucky Boyle park. Believe it or not, there are a few entire blocks that are vacant.
" Jennings is all about 'integration' and not necessarily 'affordability'."
What the hell is this supposed to mean? Is there something wrong with integration?
I actually thought that, in some respects, his views parallel Molovinsky. Jennings claims this is NOT a home entitlement program, but an effort to bring housing to those who can afford it. That presumes people with jobs. He blasts A-town's housing stock, claiming it is the reason for A-town's crime, and he may be right.
Michael Molovinsky has just posted this comment, which for some reason does not appear on this blog:
"jennings, and these organizations, have been around for 20 years, and have poured untold millions of dollars into center city allentown, yet????
"because jennings is a professional advocate, he says we need more money and more legs on the chair.
"bernie, i suspect you saw city notices, not private landlord eviction papers. the city has tagged hundreds of buildings as unfit, rather than working through their concerns with the property owner. i can tell you that generally allentown row homes are pretty durable things, brick and mortar. it takes a rough element of tenant to destroy them, and we have attracted a rough element. may i mention that the same people have run allentown's housing programs for the twenty years, and now they stand in front of councils explaining the problem and asking for more money. they, and their programs are the problem."
MM,
First, I don't know why your comment failed to post and apologize. Second, those were mainly city notices. Third, a lot of the people in that area knew exactly what houses were vacant. They'd tell us.
incidentally, jennings lives in a comfortable, not lavish twin home in the west end. not entirely the same thing, but similar spirit.
Yes, I know it;s a row home and it may be west end. Definitions of the west end differ from person to person.
"Definitions of the west end differ from person to person."
It's near LV Hospital on 17th/Chew. I call that the west end, but it is lower end of the west end housing market. It's not downtown but it is still very urban. To most people, Downtown Allentown runs to 15th Street. The neighborhoods between 15th and 17th can be labeled either way. once you cross the hospitals and schools on 17th street, you pretty much enter the west end. I always considered west park to be part of the west end.
Alan lives by Muhlenberg college.... that's not arguable as west end, it just is. I mean, I think its a dumb point to harp on, because I don't think you have to live in Center City to be aware of and care about the issues in downtown, but I don't think its good to put out inaccurate information either.
It may be a twin, but there are no row homes on his street.
Does Jennings have a real job::??
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