Buffalo Rising Online

I am heartened by the 500 rehabs announced. These should be celebrated and put in the Lime Light.

But how about we start to sell these types of properties to NON-faith based or polically connected people. How many times do we hear here or in other media outlets about people who want to buy a house from the city to live in and rehab themselves and get the door slammed in their face. Too often..

This is nothing more than one politician giving into the those wil political power. It would be good news if thouse hundreds of people who want to homestead and take over these vacant houses also got the kind fo support and professionalism as others. And the best part.. is they could all be taxed again.

I wish lord Byron would cross main street once and awhile and do something on the west side. All his press of late involves the low to no tax base east side.

I am really glad that things are happening on the East of Main. you get three articles in the opposite direction and you have everyone else saying that nothing is happening on the East Side. I just wish that Lord Byron would actually help everyone equally and not pander those with political connections. East side churches are notorious for their long politically connected string. That is fine and dandy. They deserve all the attention they can get but at the same time the individual who wants to homestead on Fillmore or buy a vacant house on the west side should receive the same treatment.

allentowndiva --

Brown held a press conference on the west side when he announced the 500 rehab plan and gave the two properties to PUSH. It was in the paper and everything.

lol...his focus is the east side colin, 2 mil for MLK park, get the usless market going, smaller projects like this, damn, throw the money to the side that actually pays the taxes.

Well, this is good. But what we need is to make it easier for Grassroots Gardens to get approval for rehabbing vacant lots. There are a bunch out there that they've asked for and no response is given. They're struggling to get ahold of lots to beautify the city. They need them - sooner rather than later. We need people in office to get on board, but they worry about what they're going to do with the lots in the future - maybe something - maybe nothing. What would it hurt to put a garden there in the interim? GRG recycles, shares, and redistributes all their plants. There would be no waste. Let's just put it in gear and get it going for goodness sakes. There's no sense in waiting.

allentowndiva... they do, have you ever driven on a street in the east side.. if so, you might want to get your suspension checked. They easily have the WORST maintained roads in all of Buffalo. Part (not all) of the East Side's problem has been the government's quick willingness to follow the public and throw in the towel at the first sign of problems. This leads to a community where the residents don’t feel the government ever does anything for them. It also is a problem because no one would ever invest money in a neighborhood not even the government cares about.

Giving over a couple properties to a church is hardly something that is going to break the bank or get in the way of anything positive going on West of Main. Be happy that maybe there will be a few less blighted properties as neighbors. Remember the east side is only across on street from Allentown and midtown. Investment there is added security for you.

I'd rather see these churches spend money on thier community than on themselfs. Too often we see Preachers collect money only to cater to thier expensive outfits, cars and home. Sad but true. I'd rather the peoples money go to something good like cleaning up it's neighborhood.