The Big Sell-Out
July 13, 2023
As many are aware, the City’s surplus property on Geneva Street has been officially for sale for some time now. But only officially. You see, they attached a social-engineering clause to any potential sale. A certain percentage of the development must include affordable low-cost housing.
Imagine yourself being a developer expected to pony up more than $2 million to buy a property and having a bunch of highfalutin councilors tell you what you can do with it.
Not surprisingly, despite being in the midst of a booming housing market, no one bit. Go figure.
So after three years, council was left with two choices:
- Drop the social-engineering clause and sell the property at market value to provide maximum value for overburdened homeowners who they just unceremoniously stuck with a massive property tax increase.
- Stubbornly stick to their principles, and if no one will do as they ask, sell taxpayers down the river by giving away the property.
Naturally, they chose the latter.
Wah! We want affordable low-cost housing!
OK, they didn’t give it away. It will be sold to Niagara Regional Housing for, ahem, “a nominal fee.” But let’s face it. If they got more than the Jets got for Kris Draper in 1993, don’t think they wouldn’t be shouting it from the rooftops. They sold us out, plain and simple.
“I am excited to see this property moving forward on the goals expressed by both the last term of Council and this term of Council,” said Mat Siscoe, who occupies the office of mayor.
In other words, we stuck to our guns. The hell with our fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers.
Good job, Mr. “Mayor.” Or not.
With the state of the economy, there has been an increased need for affordability, they say. And on that point, they’re right. Never mind that the same municipal government is one of many causes of the affordability crisis. Another case of government trying to “fix” a problem they created. A familiar theme we keep seeing repeated over and over again.
The first phase of the project involves a four-storey building which will feature Bridge Housing units. A nice little euphemism for a homeless shelter. Why should all the bums be concentrated around downtown and Queenston Street? Let them expand their horizons and experience what the north end has to offer. And there’s the additional benefit of increasing foot traffic at nearby Fairview Mall, where tenants seem to disappear on the average of one per week.
Future site of a homeless shelter.
Along with a bunch of townhouses, NRH says it will, or at least try to, sell about half the property at fair market value to help offset the $27-30 million in construction costs of the affordable low-cost housing. Which will probably be about the same “fair market value” they paid for it. Most likely, it will end up sitting idle for several years before the next council decides to build another shelter on the property. But not before calling a press conference to pat themselves on the back and crow about how much they’re doing to help the community. To show how much they care. No doubt a few crocodile tears will be shed along the way as well. Never let an opportunity for political brownie points go to waste.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. This is the type of irresponsible municipal government you get when only 25% of the rabble care enough to vote.
As Smokey the Bear says, only you can prevent forest fires.
And only you can prevent socialist municipal governments.
| Previous post | Next post |