Richfield, magnificent Richfield, according to the StarTribune article on February 11, 2008 by Mary Jane Smetonka, is the suburb to emulate. Richfield has kept their original homes which keeps Richfield affordable. Affordable. You rarely hear this word in Columbia Heights and it is a good word unless Big Government is using it to justify TIF (tax incremental financing – its an IOU for your children to pay off) use for a new Big Government developer friendly development.
What are our Big Government City Council plans for Columbia Heights? Part of it involves the total destruction of all affordable housing. Homes around 800 ft sq that were good enough for GIs after freeing Europe, will be torn down. There is nothing voluntary about this program. Then the City will be inspected to Death. This will be done to generate revenue and make housing more costly, like a tax, to bring the City up to costly Big Government Standards.
In addition, the inspections will reduce the percentage of living units devoted to affordable duplexes. The great thing about a duplex, is that they make housing affordable for both the renter and the owner. The Council minus one has stated that 6.7% of living units in Columbia Heights are found in duplexes and the average in the surrounding suburbs is 2.3%. The plan is to destroy 4.4% of the City's existing duplex living units, pushing about 800 people out of the city, to make Columbia Heights “average.”
Then the Council minus one will end the “duplex wars” and bring order with Metro Council committee approved development that all looks the same with association controlled housing stock units. Naturally it will cost much more to live in Columbia Heights so you will no longer live there. In fact, the Council uses the phrase “affordable luxury” and the word “upscale.” Does that sound like it includes you?
After the “duplex wars” and the “GI wars” are well over, the City Council will look back at the golden years when Columbia Heights looked like affordable Richfield. Then the Council minus one will start a new era of destruction to achieve the latest in city developer development, Richfield mania.
Richfield (insert Columbia Heights) has avoided most problems of an aging post WWII inner suburb with tight boundaries and a pushy Metro Council to become upscale. Richfield has avoided gentrification, still has easy access to Minneapolis' downtown by bus/car and has affordable little GI ramblers for young families. In fact Richfield, I mean Columbia Heights, is down right hospitable.
Save affordable Columbia Heights, before it's too late. People, our neighbors, should be number one. Tell the Columbia Heights Big Government Council what you think of their plans to drive you out of your city when you go to vote and at their Council meetings, the second and fourth Mondays of the month.
Bob Odden, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Minnesota
1201 42 ½ Ave NE
Columbia Heights, MN 55421
612-987-2063
www.lpmn.org
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