12 PCSR 12-28-1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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jVaple Grove attem is to foil r.. p much-needed housing pproject As the co-applicant of the Elm Creek Village years as mayor, he has had the ability to ,Senior and family housing project in Maple request such a community from developers Grove, I feel it is time to set the record seeking subdivision approvals.To my knowl- straight. The city made its most recent at- edge,he has not done so. tempt to stop this project Monday night when it held a special City Council meeting Sen. Patrick McGowan, IR-Maple Grove, pn the project without notifying the propo- states that he "resents my wanting to make nents. race and prejudice an issue and not the merits of the project." In fact, the citizens The city manager, John Elam, stated that I made race and prejudice the issue. The prof- t'did a number on the city" and that "five ect meets all requirements, as evidenced by years' worth of work went down the tube for its 6-0 approval at planning commission. what that man (me) said." He further states that I want to "avoid meeting city standards The council demands changes to the plan and walk away with as much cash as possi- that,if made,it will then attempt to use as an ble." In fact, he can state no basis for any of excuse to defeat the project. We weren't these allegations. To what "five years of fooled. • Work" is he referring? I am unaware of any effort on his part to provide this much- Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 needed housing. The city has, however, used contains the Fair Housing Act, which makes $28 million in tax increment financing for it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of such companies as SciMed to create jobs for race, color, religion, sex or national origin. people. The Fair Housing Amendment Act of 1988 added hand fmilies with The City Council requested that we remove children. State law addsns marital status and the family housing component and request status with regard to public assistance. Ap- seniors only. This in itself discriminates parently this is news to all of the aforemen- against a group protected by the Fair Housing tioned parties. Act of 1988. The various parties' attempts to lay the The mayor, James Deane, states he has a blame on me for their actions, words and dream of a "blended community where low- deeds is deplorable. Wake up, Maple Grove, income people are dispersed throughout the and take responsibility for your actions. community" and blames the federal govern- Bradley A. Hoyt, Excelsior. President, Hoyt )nent for"the problem." In fact, in his many Development. •