Seems as if Vito Lopez has pulled his big wad of strings in Albany and shaken loose a $21.5 million loan and another million in tax credits for the Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizen’s Council, run by his girlfriend. The money will go to renovations of two 15-year-old buildings, including new roofs, security systems, and kitchens.
But these are relatively new facilities. Why do they need such extensive and expensive renovation? Possibly because they were shoddily built by contractors chosen for their ability to kowtow instead of build.
I’m not out to get old people and the roof is certainly an important fix, but my kitchen is from 1994. It’s a little worn and none too pretty, but it works. Why should RBSCC’s properties get public money for what is essentially a cosmetic remodeling? Can you redo my kitchen, too, Papa Vito? Being a yuppie newcomer, I like the Wolf ranges with the pretty red knobs.
ricmac01 March 6th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Ya gotta polish those red knobs, ya know?
chillinoncentral March 6th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Papa Vito is quite the powerhouse politician aound here… I don’t think there is a single program available to anyone in Williamsburg or Bushwick that doesn’t go through him. The kind of clout he has gets him plenty of favors from Albany
Anonymous
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'sup March 16th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Heaven forbid that senior citizens get a new roof, new kitchen cabinets and a new stove every fifteen years. This sort of repair work and the funding that it receives is normal and necessary, not part of some conspiracy, or shoddy work. You link to a fifteen year old article that makes no actual claims about anything in particular to make your case, and to nothing that might show that the work done in these buildings was anything less than stellar. Apartments need to be fixed up every so often, get over it.
But while we are at it, how about the shoddy work in the overpriced apartments that you list? I wonder how many of those $1600-$1900 apartments would withstand any sort of scrutiny by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR)? My guess is that they wouldn’t, and that some of your readers, at least the ones that live in rent stabilized apartments, would benefit from going to the DHCR office at 55 Hansen Place to find out how much they legally should be charged and how that compares to what they actually pay.
In my view, you have an axe to grind, but you don’t know how to swing it. I guess as a “market anarchist,” whatever that is, you just swing blindly.
Jeremy Sapienza March 16th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Typical diversion tactic — an accusation of hating old/poor people and tossing in several irrelevant factoids. 15-year-old kitchens should not need upgrading, and certainly not millions of dollars worth for 160 units. So speaking of swinging — a swing and a miss. Next?
'sup March 17th, 2009 at 7:04 am
If you read the article, the money is going to a new roof, renovating the elevator systems, new windows, and new kitchens. It probably also includes other improvements that the brief second hand article doesn’t include. By focusing on kitchen renovation, you make it seem as though this money is being spent improperly, when it isn’t. Why base your attack on a short news article that makes none of the claims you do? This wasn’t an thorough investigative piece, so why try to make it into one?
What is more, your position is based on the extremist position that your tax dollars shouldn’t fund affordable housing, which clearly follows any position labelled “market anarchism.” So Jeremy, you’ve called yourself an anti-state market anarchist on other websites, don’t be ashamed. It seems to me that you believe that the government shouldn’t be involved in funding alot of programs to help people. But admit that this is the basis of your oposition to programs that exist to help senior and others that may need government assistance, don’t make up claims from sources like the articles above, that do not say what you want them to say.
Jeremy Sapienza March 17th, 2009 at 10:02 am
You are making things up. The point, again, is that 15-year-old buildings, if constructed properly, do not need new elevators and other vital systems. Roofs do need periodic patching and replacement, certainly. What my politics are may color my approach but it does not change the facts of reality — these were shoddily constructed buildings done by contractors picked through cronyism.
Through your few comments on this site over the past year, it is evident that you are a Vito Lopez partisan. Fortunately for you, unlike myself, you are anonymous and so I can’t just google you and make a sloppy attempt to analyze your own political philosophy, but even with this handicap it’s not too hard — you’re a welfare extremist. Anyone who screams “gimme!” should get. Especially people who vote for Vito, amirite?
Dresden March 17th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Vito Lopez is dedicated to nepotism – helping his friends – which is the whole point of this. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Andy March 17th, 2009 at 10:23 am
sup = steve levin
marisleysis March 17th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
What did they old people do to make their windows need replacing after 15 years? Hire one of Vito’s cronies to install them in the first place?
Dresden March 17th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
You know what boggles my mind? When I see the cars low income housing residents drive. I think, I can’t afford a car – how can they? Oh, that’s right, they don’t have to PAY RENT! What a ridiculous world.
Vito Lopez LOVES his money and power. And he loves his friends. Grooooooooooss.
Professional Alternative March 17th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Lots of big-screen TVs light up the night outside those RBSCC buildings.
Disgusted March 17th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
According to the article you linked to, the total cost of this project is $29.7 million
divide that by 160 units
= $185,625 per unit
for “necessary” repairs on a 15 year old building…
thats ridiculous!
Jeremy, thanks for pointing this story out… just another example of the old style Tammany Hall patronage game that goes on in Bushwick.
'sup March 17th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
By the way, I’m not Steve Levin, just someone who reads this blog for the music and restaurant reviews, but gets more than a little irritated when I read ignorant comments like the ones above.
First, the article mentions how some of the money will be used, namely on renovations, but couldn’t it be the case that the money is going to financing the project as well as renovations? You link to a real estate blog posting, isn’t it possible that this blog posting isn’t a comprehensive examination of where the money will go? Affordable housing isn’t a profitable business, sometimes it requires ongoing government assistance, something again I’m sure you wouldn’t support regardless of who was associated with it.
Jeremy, you and your friends above don’t have a clue. You make these conclusions without knowing, or caring to know, the most basic aspects of affordable housing finance. You make glib, cheap comments about community leaders and residents that make you and your friends come off like an adolescent, not like some sort of muckraking journalist. So what if people have tv’s, maybe someone in their family gave it to them. Should they not have affordable apartments?
As a “market anarchist” I’m not sure whether a liberal democratic politician could do anything to earn your support, let alone your respect. As for me, I would never look to earn the support of someone who basically supports business against democracy.
Jeremy Sapienza March 18th, 2009 at 9:43 am
“Business against democracy”! That is so puerile. I really wish you would stop pretending you understand my political philosophy (or lack thereof). Your statements betray such a total ignorance of my positions that I am astounded you feel confident enough to try to use them to discredit me publicly. There’s a lot about me you can’t find out from Google; knock it off, stop trying to slander and slime your way out of this, and deal with the issue at hand.
“Affordable housing” is not a profitable business, no, but you need to stop skirting the issue, which is that relatively new buildings do not need “renovation” money in sufficient amounts such that they could be entirely rebuilt.
My “friends”? I don’t know these people. They, like you, are readers sharing their opinions. But because they disagree with you, they are “adolescent” and their opinions “cheap.”
Jeremy Sapienza March 18th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Oh and “So what if people have tv’s, maybe someone in their family gave it to them.” — LOL.
'Sup with 'Sup? March 18th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Here is a quote from the New York State Housing Finance Agency Press Release:
“The HFA financings will renovate a five-story building at 143 Himrod Street and a seven-story building at 55 Goodwin Place in Brooklyn. The 156 current tenants will not be displaced during the renovations… The renovations include new kitchens, a new roof, upgraded elevators, window replacements, and a new fire alarm and security system.”
http://www.nyhomes.org/index.aspx?recordid=1004&page=9
All we are asking is why a project built in the 90′s needs 30 million dollars in renovations? ‘Sup’ doesn’t address this obvious question but just makes ad hominem attacks.
We’re still waiting for a coherent explanation… with every lame attack, its apparent that there is no way to explain this.
Dresden March 18th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Wow! Almost $30 million! Vito Lopez is a scumbag.