HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972 07-06 Maplewood Low Income Housing Draws Pro, Con Comments DISPATCH 4• 9,4,a7- ,I,i ,,,, ,-- /-„<„,-
eid.d #44;t4°C*44
•
Maplewood Low Income Housing
Draws Pro Con Comments
By JIM BROEDE bulk of your taxes go into year-old father as well as
Staff BROschools. We spend$15 mil- other elderly people on
People opposed Writer to a pro- lion of your money each fixed incomes had need
federalpp236 to a pro-gram year. This village (Maple- for low rent accommoda-
posedhousing project in Maple- wood) spends only$1 mil- tions proposed in the de
wood fors economic rea-
lion. velopment.
sons are nitpicking," hu- The school district takes
man rights activist CIar_ about 70 per cent of the His ( b en father)
b
ee Harris suggests. tax dollars, the village income has ecut offewe
Harris, chairman of the only 10 per cent,he said. because of retirement,"
Coun-
s t a t e 's Human Rights Harris admitted that cll told the Village Board and a Maplewood government subsidized
resident, has called for housing for low and mod- "But what the opponents
approval of a 175-unit erate income families of this project say is that
townhouse - apartment "doesn't always pay its lyelived most of your
government-subsidized fa- way." life in Maplewood and
cility at the southwest "But I'd advise the o that you I taxes. But now
p-
can't pay, move
corner of Larperneur and
Century Avenues. ponents to look at the out.' "
But there was a osi- need for this type of hous-
tion, some based on eco- mg, he said. Rohricht said denial of
nomics, at a public hear- "I hope eve haven't lost the project might come
ing last week. our conscience," he add- back r haunt council
Opponents point out that ed,, "by saying that we members.
Map othe dont want people with in- "When your incomes
annual $90,000 tax return comes lower than our are minimal, you'll hope
Own.,. that a project like this ex-
from the development
would be about$9,000. Harris also defended the fists,"he commented.
The same development, "quality" of the 236 pro- John Carr, who identi-
under private enterprise, gram construction.
would bring the village fieri himself as a Catholic j
$18,000 in taxes,they said. than'wh t we live iess n,"lhe saidity i opponents'fearnarian from s�that
"If you're really that asserted. "I'd be proud to low-moderate incoming
c o n c e r a e d about the have this type of housing housing would draw loads
taxes,you should be at the in my backyard. I'd much of people from the central
school board meeting," rather see this than the cities of St. Paul and Min-
responded Harris, who's commercial structures neapolis were "unfound-
also a member of the going up in front and at ed."
North St.Paul-Maplewood the side of my house." "We had the same fears
District 622 School Board. Other citizens supported in Hopkins," he stated.
"You're nitpicking over the housing proposal,too. "But Hopkins built a 236
an insignificant amount of James Rohricht, 2125 development. And I don't
money," he stated. "The Duluth Place, said his 74- think it's as nice as the