Anyway, the cost of ONE affordable housing apartment worth $350,000 draws public attention. Please read the lower part of the above link, check out how our community is suffering as the tax-payers money used like that, people earn $33000/year is still homeless.

For 1500 Pauline, it was built late 50s and early 60s. There are 47 units. Are there all 47 units water infiltrating in the wall? There are many buildings in the neighbors built in 50s, I guess they have rusty beams too. Are the owners to demolish them? In January Urban meeting, people was told HUD inspectors had shared that the building is in borderline. However, people feel proud to get more money to demolish and rebuild new than getting money to rehab. Don’t forget that we still have to assist & subsidize the current tenants up to five years.`

Please also check CAPER, City of Ann Arbor, Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report, one of the five year goals is “Expand & Supply of Affordable rental housing & Preserve the existing housing stock” Of course, people at Urban County feel proud as being able to get more funds from the Federal, but don’t forget that as the Housing Fund get drained up, there will be no more money to fund other projects.

Please also check [link], especially the lower part, you’d know that they don’t strictly exercise the rules of “Conflicts of Interest”. Besides, it’s not true that if they don’t invest in Rehab, we will lose 1500 Pauline. We can get the money from CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), Home Funds, other entities from various federal state & local sources for housing programs including City of Ann Arbor general funds for housing & human services supports, Ann Arbor Housing Trust Fund, Supportive Housing program funds, Washtenaw County General funds for Human Services, Federal Emergency management Agency Funds.

I don’t mean to find out who made faults, no one is found fault here. However, as the State Budget is in red, plus over 4000 people are homeless in Washtenaw County, housing fund need to be used with great care. It’s happy to get more fund from the State, but we need to keep the long-term goal in mind—providing more housing to keep people housed. If 1500 Pauline really look bad, do you think I’d take the pictures to show different government bodies? Water infiltrates most units?? I even knocked people’s door to get inside to take pictures. Even, the resident joined other “Public Commentary” asked, “Are the buildings in such disrepair?”