Council gives $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity

The Peabody News article: Grant for Park Street rehab project OK'd after council grilling. (Ignore the headline, someone goofed)

I want to start off by saying I have nothing but respect for the Habitat for Humanity organization and the people who support them. They offer a much needed service and an interesting way for people to become involved in their community.

However, I am unhappy that the City Council has decided to scrap the rotating loan program (outlined by Community Development) in favor of a one time gift of $500,000 to Habitat for Humanity. This is not the best use of these moneys and it will only garner 8 new affordable residences. They will also be destroying one of the existing (historic?) buildings in favor of saving two others (5 & 12 Park St will remain, 14 Park St will be demolished and replaced with a new 4 unit condo building).

Now, this is a blighted neighborhood that certainly does need a shot in the arm. But I really was impressed with Jean Delios and her plan for a revolving loan program to assist developers in the renovation of existing properties in especially blighted areas. I feel that just a few months was certainly not a fair trial for such a new program. The City Council should have given it much more time to work.

And I also believe that Habitat for Humanity simply looked around for the deepest pockets it could easily find in this circumstance. A well targeted campaign to raise the funds for this project might well have netted $500k or more even in these difficult financial times. There are a great many people who have a vital and vested interest in seeing downtown not just survive, but thrive – these are the folks who could have stepped up if given the opportunity.

Now I will make 80% of you really angry when I add this next bit… Here is yet another reason we need a new zoning plan for the City of Peabody. To be spending half a million dollars of Peabody money (yes, it is targeted for affordable housing but it is still money) on a project that is NOT part of a comprehensive new plan for the Downtown is reprehensible. It is a waste of taxpayer opportunity if not money.

I am all for new affordable housing in this City. We will need it soon enough if we hope to thwart new 40B projects being railroaded into the City. But to spend precious money on an non-integrated solution for our ailing Downtown is sad and regrettable.