What appears to be an urban development program with good intentions has now left the city of Evansville shaking their heads. It’s no secret that those living in the Evansville area aren’t too happy with the government program “Front Door Pride.” There are many reasons why we should be excited that our city is giving a genuine effort to rebuild our urban core, but at the same time, there are also many reasons why we should demand Front Door Pride be reformed. Why is Front Door Pride in need of reform?

For starters, the program fails miserably at taking into account its market. Obviously, anytime you are paying around $200,000 to build a home and then selling it on the market for a little over $100,000, you have to wonder if A. Your program understands capitalism B. Your program is sustainable. Yes, I do believe that the Front Door Pride neighborhood deserves to have nice houses. I think it’s a great thing to drive through some of these neighborhoods and see change taking place in an area that once had no hope. But I also fail to see how a neighborhood who has been hit hard by the economy can afford houses that are priced over $100,000 even after the city takes a major financial hit.

One organization that Front Door Pride should look to for guidance and advice is Habitat For Humanity. Located just a few blocks down from the Front Door Pride homes, you will see Habitat For Humanity houses that are priced in the $50,000 range. And if you drive through their neighborhood, you will see that just about all of these houses have been spoken for by needy, and much deserving, families who simply cannot afford the lavish Front Door Pride homes.

Another failed policy that Front Door Pride needs to reform is their practice of buying houses here, there, everywhere. When you drive through the Front Door Pride neighborhoods, you will see nice and new $100,000 plus homes that the city just completed standing right next to homes that are just barely standing. One look at this alignment will tell you that this nice, new Front Door Pride home is probably going to lose some of its value because the city failed to build their houses together. On the flip side, the Habitat For Humanity homes were built together in blocks. As a result, the entire neighborhood has been completely transformed, the property values are all about the same minus a few perks on each lot, and the spirit of the neighborhood has been effectively changed. This is what we need out of our Front Door Pride program.

As someone who believes that the key to turning around Evansville is through successful implementation of Smart Growth practices, I also believe that the city and Habitat for Humanity should consider building high-rises in these districts in order to improve Evansville’s urban density while using less land at the same time. High-rises would also do a better job of improving neighborhood relations than the basic one room/one level houses that are split from their neighbors.
Lastly but most importantly, I can’t stress enough that the Front Door Pride program needs to be moved around the city regions from time to time. Although I’m glad our city started with the 4th Ward since it has been hit hard by the economy over the years and has seen very little, if any, government investment in it, I do believe that it is time for the Front Door Pride program to begin laying down roots in other Wards once it has been reformed.

When you have some free time, take a stroll through the 3rd Ward neighborhoods that are bounded by Main Street, Franklin Street, Virginia Street, and the old Hercules Motor Company buildings next to US 41. I have taken several pictures of these neighborhoods and have enclosed them for you to see. Please click here to view Pictures

The condition of this region is something you have to see in person in order to grasp the gravity of the situation. Once the manufacturing companies around the neighborhood moved out, these neighborhoods have been left to fight for themselves.

If done correctly, these neighborhoods can be a source of pride for our city. They can help us attract small manufacturing and technology companies to the old Hercules Plant buildings as well as Berry Plastics, they can extend our Downtown investments, and they can show that our city is committed to bringing prosperity and hope to all Wards in the city.

At one of the mayor’s traveling town hall meetings, I sat down with Mr. Philip Hooper of the Department of Metropolitan Development. He told me that many of the young professionals who recently moved here to work for the company SS&C were looking for urban housing where they could walk or take mass transit to their office. He also said the city was interested in rebuilding the Jacobsville neighborhoods with young professional housing so that Main Street was connected from the Ford Center to Bosse Field.

There is no reason that our Front Door Pride cannot be revamped and partially relocated. The neighborhoods in the 3rd Ward are simply unacceptable, especially when they come with so much potential. Instead of Front Door Pride spending double on a home and then leaving it all by itself, shouldn’t our city be building affordable housing in bulk in all wards like the 3rd Ward? Shouldn’t those representing the 3rd Ward be fighting to bring both public and private urban renewal projects to this area?

It’s time for urban renewal in the 3rd Ward, it’s time our Front Door Pride stopped hiding our back door embarrassments!

FOOTNOTE: Posted by CCO without opinion, editing or bias.

EPD Activity Report: February 22, 2013

INDIANAPOLIS – House Democrats and Republicans had the chance this week to provide their priorities for the next biennial state budget.

Let’s take a moment to see how they compare.

The Democratic budget offers middle class Hoosiers a choice: either a cut in their income taxes or taking a credit that will reduce the textbook taxes middle class families pay each year.

The Republican budget offers no tax cuts of any kind. We tried to give House members a chance to vote on the governor’s proposed 10 percent income tax cut, but the Republicans refused to let us debate and vote on their own governor’s plan.

The Democratic budget gives every public school in Indiana an increase in state support each of the next two years.

The Republican budget cuts state support for 30 percent of public schools in the first year and 40 percent of public schools in the second year.

The Democratic budget creates private sector jobs through funding for infrastructure projects that will improve our roads, bridges and sewers, and construction of new buildings at our state universities. It also calls for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, a program that has been estimated by the Indiana Hospital Association to create as many as 30,000 new jobs.

The Republican budget rejects the job creation that could come from the Affordable Care Act, and offers only a few opportunities to create private sector jobs.

The Democratic budget was rejected by the Republican majority.

As a result, in the next few days, we will be voting on a Republican budget that does not cut middle class taxes, does not increase funding for all public schools, and does not create very many new jobs.

Let me ask you this:

Would you vote for the Republican budget?

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As always, please contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns related to our state government. Here is how you can stay in touch: call my office toll-free at 1-800-382-9842; write to me in care of the Indiana House of Representatives, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204; or email me at h77@iga.in.gov.

State Representative Gail Riecken
Indiana House District 77

As always, please contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns related to our state government. Here is how you can stay in touch: call my office toll-free at 1-800-382-9842; write to me in care of the Indiana House of Representatives, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204; or email me at h77@iga.in.gov.

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State Representative Gail Riecken
Indiana House District 77

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