Broadway market!

[Michele J]

I think one of the challenge with landbanking is the area that should be taken off the grid are never defined. Who makes the call on what block goes and what block stays?

Another item that would be nice to see some numbers on is moving some homes from block to block or from one side to another. I know it is very 'SimCity' but I think it could work.

I did extensive research on a 4 block area several yrs ago...I posted on suwny several times..I will look for the info and repost it.

[Michele J]

On Ruhland Ave between Sycamore and the railroad tracks there were once 51 homes,Now there are 13 homes
out of the 13 left there are 6 that are occupied, 5 by homeowners 1 is a rental.This is what is commonly
referred to as " The urban prairie" greenspace is abundant,many trees line the street but years of disinvestment,
neglect,white flight,and terrible renters have ruined what one neighbor referred to as" a once beautiful street filled with well kept wood frame bungalows"

will also add the other streets ..

[Michele J]

Gittere st another street in my study

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gittere st between Sycamore and the railroad tracks once had 43 homes.. now there are 16 houses left,
out of the 16 there are 9 occupied homes 7 are homeowners and 2 rentals.I received a call from the Fillmore
district councilmen David Franczyk's assistant telling me of an elderly woman who was leaving Buffalo to
go live with a family member out of town and she would be willing to give the house away..I went to see it,
A well kept home,no basement but tons of gorgeous woodwork,a big kitchen and newer roof,fenced in yard and
garage it was in between a half burned house and a vacant,graffiti filled dump.I asked everyone I could think
of and nobody wanted it..We advised her to try to list it and it didnt sell..Months later I was taking a few
people on a tour of the area and the house was wide open..front door stolen and junk all over the steps..just
heartbreaking..but as my volunteer work for the court had shown me numerous times this was not by any means
the last time I would witness this.

[Michele J]

What needs to be done,what I have been saying for years is a very strategic landbanking plan,work on putting the few people left into homes on streets that only have 1 or 2 vacancies,save that street and landbank their old street..offer them a free house,pay them the assessed value of their old house..it will save us millions wasted yearly on upkeeping streets with only a few viable homes left on them.
Save area's teetering on the brink and landbank area's too far gone to invest in..
__________________

[NBuffaloResident]

Hmm, now what a bunch of great ideas, should we run for government? Why can't they come up with this stuff, isn't that what we vote them in to do?

Have you contacted your district councilman yet?

I know Golombek is pretty open to input from his constituents, and so is Kearns.

Not sure about the rest of them.

[300miles]

What needs to be done,what I have been saying for years is a very strategic landbanking plan,work on putting the few people left into homes on streets that only have 1 or 2 vacancies,save that street and landbank their old street..offer them a free house,pay them the assessed value of their old house..it will save us millions wasted yearly on upkeeping streets with only a few viable homes left on them.
Save area's teetering on the brink and landbank area's too far gone to invest in..
__________________

Why do you think our city govt is so reluctant to try land banking? Even on a small scale? It's never talked about by anyone in office.

[shortstuff]

Gittere st another street in my study

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gittere st between Sycamore and the railroad tracks once had 43 homes.. now there are 16 houses left,
out of the 16 there are 9 occupied homes 7 are homeowners and 2 rentals.I received a call from the Fillmore
district councilmen David Franczyk's assistant telling me of an elderly woman who was leaving Buffalo to
go live with a family member out of town and she would be willing to give the house away..I went to see it,
A well kept home,no basement but tons of gorgeous woodwork,a big kitchen and newer roof,fenced in yard and
garage it was in between a half burned house and a vacant,graffiti filled dump.I asked everyone I could think
of and nobody wanted it..We advised her to try to list it and it didnt sell..Months later I was taking a few
people on a tour of the area and the house was wide open..front door stolen and junk all over the steps..just
heartbreaking..but as my volunteer work for the court had shown me numerous times this was not by any means
the last time I would witness this.

Oh dear, this is a sad story. I like your idea's Michele, you seem like someone who should be on the council you still have heart and soul. The city needs someone like you with your insight, pride and motivation.

That poor lady, and that story is one of many. Buff, I don't live in the city anymore, but everytime I go downtown or in areas I once lived like Peckham, Grant Street it simply astounds me as it looks today reflecting what it once was.

[Michele J]

There has been much talk of landbanking..Sam Hoyt tried,several others tried..Its a hard sell IMHO because poverty pimping is a very lucrative business..hundreds of millions are sunk into neighborhoods under the premise of "revitalization" newbuilds make many rich etc..there would be no need for millions to continue to flow into the biggest money making area's because the area would be greenspace.

[joe d.]

There has been much talk of landbanking..Sam Hoyt tried,several others tried..Its a hard sell IMHO because poverty pimping is a very lucrative business..hundreds of millions are sunk into neighborhoods under the premise of "revitalization" newbuilds make many rich etc..there would be no need for millions to continue to flow into the biggest money making area's because the area would be greenspace.

HEY..THIS SOUNDS JUST LIKE ...drug enforcement and it's laws!
Imagine if illegal drug use, sale and imprtation was stopped...hundreds of thousands in this country and others, WOULD BE OUT OF A JOB!

[shortstuff]

There has been much talk of landbanking..Sam Hoyt tried,several others tried..Its a hard sell IMHO because poverty pimping is a very lucrative business..hundreds of millions are sunk into neighborhoods under the premise of "revitalization" newbuilds make many rich etc..there would be no need for millions to continue to flow into the biggest money making area's because the area would be greenspace.

What about Habitat, is that still in effect in the city? I know they refurbished homes like the ones we are talking about and giving it to families that participate in the refurbishment. If the families participate somehow and put heart and soul into their "home" maybe pride might maintain it's beauty.

[Michele J]

Habitat does terrific work..but they have some restrictions on what they take on..and arent doing hundreds of rehabs a yr..maybe 20-30 a yr.

We have a huge supply of houses with nobody to fill them..there is no demand.We need to save/mothball properties that have historical significance and green demo thousands of vacant,blighted properties.

[FMD]

Michele should run for office.

[Michele J]

Michele should run for office.

ty for the vote of confidence but I would never get elected..Im not good at conforming and wont kiss ass..2 big strikes against me right out of the gate..

[NBuffaloResident]

ty for the vote of confidence but I would never get elected..Im not good at conforming and wont kiss ass..2 big strikes against me right out of the gate..

RUN MICHELE, RUN!!!!

I don't want someone who conforms in office. I want someone who kicks ass and takes names.

If you run for any office that I vote for in Buffalo, I'd vote for you.

[shortstuff]

RUN MICHELE, RUN!!!!

I don't want someone who conforms in office. I want someone who kicks ass and takes names.

If you run for any office that I vote for in Buffalo, I'd vote for you.

I concurr, because for one, she sounds intellegent and understands the plight of the city. Secondly, she can kick ass and shape the city.

I agree with your stance Michele on demo of non-historical housing, and sealing the historical one's for one day, people will buy them.

What happened to the people who owned them, did they just leave and does the city take it over?