As noted in the post below, word has reached SGO Staff that the developer behind the Gosling Oaks Apartments complex has pulled their project for the 2009 budget year.You did it!
(For now.)
Special credit and thanks go to the enormous efforts put forth by State Representative Debbie Riddle and State Senator Dan Patrick, especially their district directors Gail Gallien and Donna Bahorich, respectively. Both offices and staffs could not have been more responsive to our inquiries and requests, and have been steadfast in communicating our community's opposition to this project to the developer and the bureaucracy in Austin.
Kilday Realty's statement notwithstanding, until SGO receives official confirmation from TDHCA that the proposal has been withdrawn, we are proceeding under the assumption that this project is moving forward and nothing has changed.
Moreover, this has been a real wake up call, for all of us. SGO is committed to organizing and staying on top of these issues from this point forward, so we never again find ourselves in this sort of situation.
We need and want your input; email us at stopgoslingoaks@gmail.com, and stay tuned to this site for further announcements as we move forward.
Whew Hew!!!! And I just sent my opposing email to the State Reps! Oh well! I saved it, and if need be I'll resend it OVER AND OVER AGAIN! Go SGO!!
ReplyDeleteFANTASTIC TURNOUT EVERYONE!! We plan to be at every meeting, gathering and function until this is put to bed. We moved from NJ to get away from this sort of thing and four short years later we're back into it again. Windrose is our home, we love our neighbors and we're commited to see change for the better...not worse.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, you don't have to deal with poor people for at least another year. Let the champagne flow.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. That was a great meeting. It is nice to know that so many in our community can come together as a common voice.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing the official notice that Kilday Realty has retracted their application.
In the future, I hope all developers will include the Windrose HOA in the Public Notifications Information Form of the HTC Pre-Application.
http://www.tdhca.state.tx.us/multifamily/htc/docs/2009Preapps/09239.pdf
...especially if that proposed development is directly across the street from our meeting house and subdivision entrance. Otherwise, one could easily interpret such an omission as evasive and deliberately deceptive.
I was so proud to be a resident of Windrose tonight. Our collective voice spoke loud and clear: The laws were made to protect us (not just to be manipulated by people who line their pockets counting on communities who don't know their rights). We are empowered by our civic duties as tax PAYING citizens to protect our investments that we worked so hard to achieve. Knowing that constant vigilance is our collective goal will help me sleep better tongiht...and tomorrow night...and next year...
ReplyDeleteThis is a strong new beginning for us in Spring!
Great turn out this evening! Thanks to Mike, David, Michael & Kelly (I think) for taking the initiative to put this together. We will not forget about this issue and will be at the Board meeting on 6/15 for the continuation of this discussion. We've already contacted the TDHCA several times, Dan Patrick and Debbie Riddle's offices.
ReplyDeleteIt is simply not acceptable to stand by and allow this type of project without getting involved and registering our objection. Our family is greatly concerned about the crime rate, traffic problems, overcrowding in our schools and the adverse effect on property values. We are engaged and involved!
-CL
I am so proud of my community! Thank you to all to everyone who did something to make this happen. If it was something small or something big - it all worked we all worked as a team. We EDUCATED ourselves - because the HOA did not...and look what we accomplished in such a short time frame! I think it is amazing when you look at the facts, the past and the present - you foresee the future - we know what it would bring...and we held strong and won! We must not lose this power - I hope and pray we have people like you - the ones that helped the community WIN - apply for the board! We need you. Look what you can do! To have a HOA - that did not even inform the community or back us up - is just sad! No way else to describe it! I elect all of you! THANK YOU! Now we keep on and are ready to bring it on! Then again - if the land is for sale - maybe we all chip in a few bucks buy it and leave it! Plant some trees, a park, I would love to see the land never be built on - no matter what type of "complex" it is.
ReplyDeleteCONGRATS to WR!
Ask yourself: Does it make sense to build a brand new low-income housing project with a swimming pool, all-brick exterior, furnished fitness center, a gazebo, etc.? The law is written to give priority (a higher score) to the nicest, most expensive developments. Does it make sense to build expensive developments for those who do not have the means to afford such amenities if purchased on the open market? Perhaps there is more to the story than simple altruism on the part of "We the People". Perhaps the public defiance on display this evening was about more than typical NIMBY concerns...
ReplyDeleteThere is an awful lot of money flowing in this political game...
Howard Lederer can sell his 12.5 acres for over $2 Million. Could he obtain that price without taxpayer money involved?
According to this article, http://info.tpj.org/watchyourassets/housing/index.html Kilday Realty received almost $18 million of tax credits over a ten-year period. Not deductions, credits. Don't be confused, credits are the same as cash.
Lobbyists like Kent Hance get a slice of the pie to wield influence to elected officials.
In turn, elected officials from Gov. Perry down to State Representatives receive campaign contributions from all of these players with skin in the game. ***I must point out that I am very pleased that Rep. Riddle is not in this camp. I applaud Rep. Riddle for taking a stand against this government boondoggle.***
Any taxpayer, even the most altruistic and sympathetic to the needs of the community's poor, needs to recognize this bureaucratic waste for what it is: a cleverly disguised cash grab. In the long-run, the low-income families are stuck in a neglected, crime-ridden project with no prospects of improving their situation. The people in the area are saddled with decreased property values, decreased local tax revenues and increased demands on public services.
It's not that our community doesn't want poor people near us. I personally want to eradicate poverty just as much as anyone else. But throwing money into this housing program is at best an exercise in futility and at worst perpetuates and propagates both poverty and political corruption.
It is great news that Kilday has elected to pull the project from the 2009 budget year. However, I believe there may be some misconceptions that some have developed for this group of community activists who are working to improve their quality of life.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the community is concerned about the fiduciary and ethical behavior of some of our elected officials and the developer. The methods used to meet the obligations set forth to provide this type housing have been met, in our mind, at the bare minimum. For example, a small sign posted a significant distance away from the proposed sight with print that is hardly legible from 10 feet should not account for public notification. Additionally, the money being used to fund the project originated with the taxpayers. It is well within our rights (and obligations) to understand what the money is being used for prior to a ground-breaking ceremony. The apparent attempt to “sneak” this through is a concern to us and should be to other taxpayers as well.
Second, it is not everyone's opinion that low income housing is equivalent to crime. Understanding that a well managed facility will not necessarily raise crime rates, we have no details on how the development will be designed or managed to reduce the possible criminal activity. Although there are regulations in place that should be met for residences, there are several examples across the nation of how these regulations are bypassed. We would like to have an understanding of the plans so that we can make a more informed decision as a community before any money is allocated.
Third, the infrastructure is already being stressed. We have severe traffic problems (2920@Kuykendahl), drainage concerns, and other issues that need to be addressed. An incomplete retail space directly across from the planned site has been abandoned for years because of these issues. Schools are being filled as quickly as they are built, and we can not expect KISD to be in the business of development and planning. KISD's primary responsibility should be the education of our children, not researching every possibility of government funded housing within this area.
Lastly, it is demeaning to represent this housing for police officers, fire fighters, and teachers. I agree that all three are paid well below what they are worth, but that does not mean they are all in need of government assistance. There are fire fighters, police officers, and teachers that I am proud to call neighbors that also oppose this development.
Thanks to David, Michael, Mike, and Kelly for organizing this, and bravo to Representative Riddle and Senator Patrick for listening to the constituents.
To May 27 10:57 pm poster: Hey, Stupid - If you had a functioning brain cell and actually read about this project you would know it has NOTHING to do with socio-ecnomic status. Or race, so don't go there either. It's about a developer failing to get the input of the WHOLE community in which he is proposing a development. None of the local businesses around here knew anything about it - I asked. If you would get off, or better yet fall off, your high horse and think it through you would see why everyone is up in arms. For example, mobility issues: Kuykendahl is very dark at night and this community has little in the way of sidewalks, and none outside of Windrose. Or do you never leave your cave to notice? How would these folks get around if they have no private transportation of their own? Oh, wait. My mistake - you, Mr/Ms Holier-Than-Thou would take everyone everywhere, right? You would be the first one to shoot your mouth off when they become a traffic hazard because they have to walk in the road and/or get hit by a car on Kuykendahl. Do us all a favor. Don't participate, including putting idiotic posts on here. We don't need your kind. With more than 150 people in attendance last night there are plenty of others who are willing and eager to get the job done to be sure our community is included in notification of what goes on around here in the future. Hey SGO - can we block this twit?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to everyone. Yes, we have won this battle, but we have not won the war. We must continue to organize, and our 'membership' must grow. We should start by having a Block Captain for each street. I will let my neighbors know that I will be the Block Captain for my street, unless someone else want to do it. I will make sure that everyone on my street is aware of what is going on, and knows about the Blog.
ReplyDeleteWe need to get all the other sub-divisions within a five mile radius to join us and then we will have some 'clout'. CLOUT, is a group that Dan Patrick formed several years ago, before he was a politician, to fight property taxes in Austin.
I do think we need to display some signs so that we can be sure everyone is aware of what is happening.
Now that we have this momentum,we should not back-off.
To May 28 8:52 poster. Oh yes you do need "idiotic posts" like the one you referenced to help you recognize what self-righteous snobs you are.
ReplyDeleteYou don't represent the "whole community", and frankly, I was embarassed at the way Spring was represented on the news yesterday evening.
Your self-congratulatory posts sound like you cured cancer or brought peace to the Middle East. If you'd put the same effort into community service as you did into this project, there might not be a need for low-income housing.
If you were FOR the taxpayer funded low income project, I have one question. Where were you last night? Cowards. You obviously don't have the courage of your convictions. If you did, you should get a sign, stand up and make yourselves heard. But you were nowhere to be found. We're open minded toward people who can prove they have a vested interest in the local community and make a logical argument for the development. But, if you are from outside the area and are only here to mock those who do get involved in their community affairs, take a hike.
ReplyDeleteTo 9:29 am'er: I would be curious to know what credentials you can offer that give you the right to call SGO and their supporters self-righteous snobs? Because they care about their community - YOUR community - doesn't make them snobs. And, you have no idea what community service activities any of them - SGO or other community members - participate in so that comment pretty much shows your ignorance. You are correct in your assertion that they do not represent the whole community, but it certainly appears they represent more of it than you do. If you are such a leftie, why don't you organize YOUR supporters and do your own thing? Or is it just too hard to be standing in a crowd of 1? or 10? or even 100? By the way, if you are so embarrassed by the way Spring was represented, feel free to move. In fact, we can probably get you into a nice apartment complex. Cheap. Or is that just too beneath you? You know, that's a good question. Would you move into a low-income housing complex on a permanent basis? If so, prove it. If not, stop being such an antogonist.
ReplyDeleteThe people of Spring are not snobs, they just want some autonomy in the decisions affecting their area. Spring is NOT an incorporated area, meaning we do not have a local municipal government. There is no city of Spring and there probably never will be with the ETJ of Houston firmly in place.
ReplyDeleteWhat this means for Spring is that we are reliant on the county and state for laws and governance. Take a look around and you can see how far that goes.
There are things that only a municipal government can provide that the county and state can not. Urban planning, police protection, sanitation, water, just to name a few.
All unincorporated areas of Harris County are loosely serviced by a band of MUD districts and HOA's with very limited powers. That's how we get our local services. Rules and regulations are usually unheard of. That's why it's so easy to pull a fast one on unincorporated areas and put in things that don't fit with the community whether that is low income housing, a strip club, or anything.
I did not attend the meeting, as I'd heard that the developer had withdrawn his proposal. If this is the kind of hostility you show toward the opposition, then my input would have come across as personal attacks and that's not my intention.
ReplyDeleteFor your information, I grew up and went to school in this area and it sickens me to see our beautiful rural area being bulldozed and turned into generic suburbia. Some people didn't think Windrose should be built.
Seems to me that some people are starting to lose sight of what this blog is really about. It is not for "INFIGHTING" among the residents. It is for a PURPOSE- to protect our community. UNTIL, you have had to flee your home because of an influx of low income citizens, UNTIL your school district becomes so vilolent that the teachers are afraid to be in the halls during change of class, UNTIL you are afraid to go to the Wal-Mart after dark. until you are robbed in the daycare driveway,dropping your small children off, so you can go to Your job to make a living, UNTIL your neighbors home is ramshacked in the middle of the night. Until it happens to you, believe me, YOU have not walked in my shoes. Come together Windrose. !! Stop the bickering!! Let's work together for this cause and the future of our community.
ReplyDeleteAh, well done villagers! Another victory for the age old practice of alarmist hate-mongering! All of the "reasons" given for opposing this project are a specious veil that doesn't begin to cloak the virulent xenophobia my neighbors espouse! And I'm sure you will mock, block or otherwise eschew my opinion, but the only statement that makes any sense on this blog is this:
ReplyDelete"For your information, I grew up and went to school in this area and it sickens me to see our beautiful rural area being bulldozed and turned into generic suburbia. Some people didn't think Windrose should be built."
Previous posters have derided the erosion of the rural charm of this area, while sitting inside their very own contribution to the erosion of the rural charm of this area!
It is with great hubris that Windrose residents can cast aspersions on those people who would choose to "better themselves" by living in this area as well. Therefore, its a blessing that this project was cancelled -- you did all of those future Gosling Oaks residents a huge favor!
Happy to help.
ReplyDeleteThe Fox News piece made us look like moronic NIMBY's.
ReplyDeleteThe bigger picture is that there is no town of Spring. It is only a blob of an area with no municipal government. The prevailing attitude of most Texans seems to be that if you don't own the land, then don't complain what is built on it. Texas is driven by market economics, not zoning. I am all for that, except that failures usually make the community pay as well as the loss by the developer. Do you think that the guy who built the development at the front of Springbrook wanted to build a crap hole that's falling apart and lose millions? I am sure he did not. But when developers lose, so do the communities they build in. We clean it up, we pay the price in lower home values. That's why FM 2920 and Kuykendahl looks like it does. No traffic planning, some good development, some bad development, a hodge podge of suburban blight.
What can you do?
Unless we become a city, we cannot enact ordinances that could limit our community exposure to problems. For example:
Requiring a traffic plan for developments
Requiring landscaping
Requiring a bond for poor workmanship and inspections
etc, etc.
This will lead you round circle to the problem with city governments as well. Developers avoid cities with excessive regulations and then the cities beg the developers to come and give exceptions to their rules to build their tax base.
No regs are attractive to developers, but the community should have some say in it.
To the Windrose Resident... Yes, I am an Alarmist Hate Mongerer. I am alarmed of the possibilites if this project proceeds. I am alarmed crime will increase. I am alarmed that our schools will be dragged down. And if you don't think that won't happen,then you need to pull your head out...
ReplyDeleteWe see how these people "choose to better themselves" everytime there is a disaster and they empty the stores with everything they can run away with.
Yes, our 'beautiful rual area is being bulldozed". It's called progress. Your Pollyanna world is crumbling before you.
Moved to West Texas, become a librarian, huge some trees, and leave us alone.
P.S. I didn't know there were any words that started with the letter X.
Did you hear about the Houston homeowner that got stabbed and killed at the Metro stop when he helped identify a home burglar yesterday? It happened mid-day. Need anyone say more about what low-income housing brings to an area?
ReplyDeleteTake a deep breath everyone … The primary reason for this blog is to give people a means to communicate quickly with each other on this and future matters. In response to several of the posts, we would all like things to be the way they were in the past, but change does happen. Take a drive through Old Oaks off FM 1960 and Walters Road. The proliferation of “For Sale” signs looks like an election year. I’m sure they too wished things had never changed. That’s the thing, we cannot change what has been done, but we can shape the future if WE ALL get involved. At this point, we need to come together with the same PASSION being displayed in these posts to help grow the future of Spring and the surrounding areas.
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved into the area, I too loved the fact we were tucked away in a rural area with a feel of the suburbs. I still love showing my child the goats and horses on the various lots off Spring-Cypress. But progress and building is coming no matter what. That is why we need to be active in making sure what is built is done without misleading the tax payers and is a beneficial aspect for the entire community. Developers and the like will not go away. Things will be planned for this area in the future and we need to know how to respond to these issues. This announcement and the community response is a step in that direction.
And please, do not make this an upper-class turning their noses up at the lower-class. My family lived paycheck-to-paycheck with my dad working several jobs just to make ends meet. I worked two years unpaid to get the experience I needed to make it my profession. Spend a day at Search or the Open Door Mission if you really want to make a difference for the "poor" in this community. And before you post … I have and continue supporting. This again is people trying to play an active part in the way their tax money is spent in shaping the future of this area. The various races and ethnic backgrounds of people that represented our area at the meeting on May 27 also shows there are no hidden racial agendas in play here either.
THANK YOU again State Representative Debbie Riddle, State Senator Dan Patrick, as well as District Directors Gail Gallien and Donna Bahorich for all the efforts put forth for your constituents!!! And another BIG THANKS to David, Michael, Mike and Kelly for organizing this community outreach. Keep us updated on any future developments. Let’s stay vigilant in shaping our future.
I agree with the mayor of spring, although that really isn't the answer since incorporation will bring more taxes and a ton of regulation in way of permitting for everything, being an avid constructeur (joe handyman) I would hate to have the town come by and make me buy a permit as they did up north where I'm originally from. My profession is in a/c and all the work I do in the unincorporated areas suddenly became incorporated and bound by more regulation i'd have to charge more for my services. I know I do a kickbutt job so there's no worry there but paying a fee to do my work is the reason I shy away from the COH areas. But having our own PD and paid FD would be FANTASTIC! I come from a long line of LEO's and would love to Serve and Protect my own neighbors. Where I came from in N/E NJ it was required to be a resident of the town in order to be a PO there. Having the attitude of having to protect something that doesn't concern you just because you don't live there didn't sit well with the townfolk much like the way the people who write stupid stuff in regards to this dilemma. If those of you who have objection to the way we at Windrose feel then invite the developer to build in YOUR neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about jury duty is this, if you believe in the system, you take your turn and do your duty. The thing about prisons is this, everyone agrees we need them, but nobody wants to live next to them. The thing about low income housing is this, don't expect high income people to want to be around it, otherwise they would have bought in a low income area, and stuck their extra cash in some kind of investment.
ReplyDeleteIf we support the candidates that win, we can expect them to support us when we need a favor or two. If the PoFolks want favors, let them win some elections, that's how our system works.
I think the take home lesson is:
ReplyDeleteStay involved. Be a part of your community. Don't expect someone else to do it for you.
As a Spring resident, I am so glad to hear the news that GO is not going further at this point. We do not need ANY more gov. sub. housing. Gov. Sub housing only brings in the worst of the worst. I read the Chronicle this morning and I happened to have gone to school with Les Kilday. He is a very good person and comes from a highly regarded family, BUT this is all about the money. LES - Please build your GS Housing in an area that already has GOV. SUB housing. Stay out of Spring, Texas. I moved out here to escape the crime ridden neighborhoods. Keep Spring Clean !!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete