This is atrocious, why have federal government dollars been squandered to prop up this organization that is now filled with a bunch of political hacks who don't even live in the area that WSNHS is supposed to serve? Seems to me there needs to be some change at this organization and quick!!!

Buffalo is one of the only cities in the US with more than one NHS organization. NeighborWorks is supposed to fund 1 per city to be a citywide organization. But, the Griffin administration shut down the 1 NHS in Buffalo and created 5 for patronage purposes. It is ironic that the Brown administration is now using the NHS organizations to do the reverse decades later. NeighborWorks should defund them all in Buffalo, since they are purely political animals. In short, two wrongs don't make a right.

Where's the link to the full list of new WSNHS members who perpetrated this shameful deed?

Another Richard Kearn moment in the City of Citizen Oppresion.

Interesting, but it leaves a lot of questions.

1-If Garrett headed up the Board previously, why weren't the issues listed in the article remedied before?

2-If Mike CLarke had "heard" rumblings, why did he continue to work with the group for the past five years?


3-Going back to Garrett - If these practices had gone on for so long, why did he not take action, himself to assure the grant money was being used for what it was given?

4-Why has WSNHS expanded successfully into Riverside/Black Rock in the past year or two if all this is true?

Morgan,

1) I never headed up the board. The board is driven by non-residents.

2) Mike can speak for himself but he stopped working with the WSNHS years ago because of what he saw happening. He has refused to give them any money for years. Ironically the City of Buffalo cut them off several years ago for the same reasons. Their current funding comes primarily from NeighborWorks America and a few local banks that don't realize everything that is happening on the West Side right now and how little the WSNHS is involved in any of it.

3) I spent all my board time exposing issues, raising questions, communicating issues outside the board, trying to instill measurable outcomes, and trying to hold us accountable. They have been trying to get rid of me for quite a while.

4) The WSNHS didn't expand into Riverside / Black Rock they merged some of their operations with an existing, but failing, organization that was already there. I can't speak to whether this has been successful for them other than it kept them alive and, in theory, gave them access to the WSNHS funds. I've heard from several people that Linda doesn't spend any time there - but I don't know firsthand. They have a separate board of directors.

Let me know if this doesn't answer your questions or if you have any others.

Harvey

um...anyone remember the house spinning debacle on West Ferry?! I think this move by the Mayor is long overdue.

Mr. Garrett would have lost the election without any absentee ballots. That is public information. He has served this agency for over six years. If the agency is underperforming he is also part of the problem. However he only likes to tell you that he is the reason for any improvements, but all the failures are because the agency did not listen to him.
Mr. Garrett was a member of the agencies marketing committee. For one years work they produced a incomplete website. His explanation, the other committee members were in charge. That was typical of Mr Garretts tenure. Something went wrong he pointed fingers, something went well he took bows. I served with him for some of those years, he was the reason I left the board. He was a obstacle to progress. Don't blame the mayor, blame the man in the mirror
Mr. Garrett has become a media darling, when in reality he is just like all the other political hacks, lusting for the limelight and deflecting any blame to others.I think this just deflated his political ambitions which he will deny.

Duck,

And how is it public information that I would have lost the election without the 37 absentee ballots to someone most of the residents that showed up for the meeting had never heard of?

The person they ran against me was the partner of Barbara Kavanagh's campaign manager - he's a nice enough guy but I met afterwards with most of the resident members that were present at the meeting (there were only 17 people there voting in person) - they had no idea what had just happened or who this guy was. And we rarely even see 1 or 2 absentee ballots.

In the end this is a little election for a housing agency most people have never heard of. But it's resources are in the millions of dollars that should be going into the neighborhoods. It's not me that's being held down here - it's the West Side residents who could use these resources but don't have access to them.

As far as my political aspirations - I've never run for anything or carried petitions for anyone else. Other than putting up 2 lawn signs in 12 years I've stayed as far away from politics as I could. A strategy I reconsider more and more these days.

For the record I never approached the media on this - they called me. But I'm more than happy to answer any questions anyone has. As for my record on the West Side I'm happy to bring anyone around the neighborhood and show them what we have been doing - and how we are turning things around. Block after block after block. You can meet the neighbors, talk to all the new homeowners, see the new businesses, and ask questions of any of them. One of the questions should be whether the WSNHS was part of any of it.

Duck - I'm putting my name out here. Care to let people know who you are?

Harvey

Duck,

And how is it public information that I would have lost the election without the 37 absentee ballots to someone most of the residents that showed up for the meeting had never heard of?

The person they ran against me was the partner of Barbara Kavanagh's campaign manager - he's a nice enough guy but I met afterwards with most of the resident members that were present at the meeting (there were only 17 people there voting in person) - they had no idea what had just happened or who this guy was. And we rarely even see 1 or 2 absentee ballots.

In the end this is a little election for a housing agency most people have never heard of. But it's resources are in the millions of dollars that should be going into the neighborhoods. It's not me that's being held down here - it's the West Side residents who could use these resources but don't have access to them.

As far as my political aspirations - I've never run for anything or carried petitions for anyone else. Other than putting up 2 lawn signs in 12 years I've stayed as far away from politics as I could. A strategy I reconsider more and more these days.

For the record I never approached the media on this - they called me. But I'm more than happy to answer any questions anyone has. As for my record on the West Side I'm happy to bring anyone around the neighborhood and show them what we have been doing - and how we are turning things around. Block after block after block. You can meet the neighbors, talk to all the new homeowners, see the new businesses, and ask questions of any of them. One of the questions should be whether the WSNHS was part of any of it.

Duck - I'm putting my name out here. Care to let people know who you are?

Harvey

Here is a copy of an email I just received from a former resident board member. Let me know if anyone wants to see the resignation letter he refers to or if anyone would like contact information for him or other board members who resigned for the same reasons:


I recently found out that Harvey Garrett was unethically removed from the board of the WS NHS, an organization he recruited me, my ex-wife, and several others to join. I resigned from the board in 2006 after realizing I was spinning my wheels. We had a workgroup that spent weeks putting together a plan that simply made the organization accountable. They did not want to have any measurable statistics, which we wanted. Up until the time I resigned we still had been unable to get them to agree on the measurable numbers, which we felt were low to begin with.

Ask them to show you how many people they put into houses on the West Side in the past 3 years. They will also spout numbers of people they have educated, but ask how many actually moved to the West Side. They will spout "$1 million in the bank". Ask them how much is money they could actually give out in grants or low-interest loans without dozens of strings attached. It's all a facade to make the organziation appear bigger and better than it actually is.

The organization was more interested in luring Greater Buffalo Savings Bank to Connecticut Street than trying to get more people into homes. In addition, they acted more like a block club for Connecticut Street
than an organization representing the West Side.

In my opinion, the board was not made up of people interested in actually changing the West Side, but many of the board members were there out of convenience based on their location.

Harvey refused to give up and had been a board member up until this incident. I do not believe he wanted anything more from the organization than accountability and to put the money they get on the streets of the West Side. His removal was done to stop his questioning them so they could continue doing nothing.

Attached is a copy of my resignation from the WSNHS in 2006, as well as email correspondence between Harvey Garrett and Mike Clarke of LISC. I have also sent a letter to Neighborworks, their main funder.

Bob Franke (former exec director of Forever Elmwood) is another board member that resigned for many of the same reasons.

Thank you for your time, feel free to contact me with any questions.

Michael Rizzo

Seems as though the people on the WSNHS board do not live in the neighborhood and do not have the Neighborhood in mind when they act to prop up people like Linda. Linda by the way drives around in a Jaguar!!! Millions of dollars in the bank, drives around in a nice new jag "works for the west side" Doesn't seem to fit!! I don't get how this has been able to go on for so long, seems like we need some new blood in there!! Someone who actually believes in the West Side not someone who will sell out to politicians whenever it is most convenient.

Here's Mike Resignation letter:

June 26, 2006
West Side Neighborhood Housing Services
Board of Directors

Connecticut Street
Buffalo, NY 14213

Attn: Robin Johnson

Dear Robin:

Effective immediately I am resigning from my position as a Resident member of the WSNHS board of directors. I would like to outline some of the concerns and reasons for my departure.

To start with, I never sought a position on the board, but was nominated and elected by members at an annual meeting. I agreed to become a board member in order to help improve the housing conditions in my neighborhood. At the April 2006 meeting of the board, an agenda item to change the bylaws to disallow more than one person from a household to sit on the board at any given time was brought up “because there had been some concerns from certain board members”. It was obvious that this motion was aimed at Deanna and myself because we were both very vocal about our concerns about the agency. As I looked around the table, not one person made eye contact with me during the discussion. This is even more of an insult considering we have a board member who’s son is on the staff – and this isn’t considered a conflict of interest.

Obviously the real issue was not that two people from the same house were on the board simultaneously, but that they voted alike, and with several other resident members, and several new members, it was possible that there would be a split in the voting. The “old guard” was disturbed by this and quite obviously, felt threatened.

One of the main reasons for my resignation is the lack of direction, enthusiasm, vision, and responsiveness this organization has shown as long as I have been aware of its existence. From the time I placed a call looking for information before I purchased a house in the area, until now. It’s obvious to me that this organization is more interested in perpetuating it’s own existence through promoting itself to funders than doing the actual hard work in the neighborhoods. We cherry pick many of our board members based on their support of the agency and antagonize those who are verbal about their concerns.

When the board requested the removal of a few board members for lack of attendance and violating the bylaws of the organization, only certain ones were actually told to resign. The city representative (who attends and votes with the old guard when asked) was still a member at the last meeting I attended, even though he had violated the rules for several years.

Basic information requests, information I feel is necessary to do my job as a board member is routinely denied and the items asked for were treated like huge tasks. Too many things are kept (hidden?) from the board. When the staff was evaluated by Neighborworks, the only information the board received regarding it was that it was done via phone. We never saw a hard copy or were given a summary of the report, and as far as I know, there were never any changes implemented. I do know that Linda received a copy of the report since I spoke to Neighborworks at the time and they indicated that it had been delivered to Linda and that it was a very negative review. We still haven’t seen this review, primarily requested by resident board members, and were told by Linda that the reviewer was not doing a good job and that she registered a complaint against her with Neighborworks. We routinely protect our staff over our neighborhood and it generates a great deal of animosity in our service area.

This organization prides itself on having “a million dollars in the bank.” Why? The purpose, as I understood it, was to put people in houses and help keep people in their houses. As I saw it, tens of thousands of dollars in grant money was collected, much of it that was not of any value, but it looked good.
When the Strategic Planning Committee proposed changes to how the organization would report to the BOD, there was grumbling from the board and the staff. I don't believe the true goal of this organization is to make things better on the West Side. I don't believe everyone actually believes in what they're doing and cares about it.

This organization also still hasn't done enough to broaden its outreach to anywhere other than Connecticut Street. That has been a problem and appears that it will not change. If any change to bylaws is made it should state that not more than one individual from the same street cannot be on the board. The Furguson Street project has been very positive, but was not initiated by us – we just responded to a “no risk” request by several other organizations who already had a plan in place. Although it’s a good use of our vast resources, it’s an even better example of what we could really accomplish with those resources if we were a proactive organization who cared about reviving the West Side.


The neighbors in the West Side have a lot of concerns about how this agency operates. The WSNHS has repeated press releases listing all the resources we have available yet we don’t report the number of home owners we’ve created on the West Side. Linda is always bragging about how many people we’ve helped, but in the neighborhood the stories are mostly about how bad of an experience they’ve had with the WSNHS – some of our staff are notoriously rude and unprofessional. Promises are made that those staff members will be gone soon, yet they continue to make us look bad. We pump up our numbers by giving 4 hour classes to people outside our service area while let our own neighborhood die. In the neighborhoods we are a joke.

One of our resident board members has been repeatedly asking us to provide real numbers to the neighbors on the West Side showing what our real service levels are and the board doesn’t want to release them because we are embarrassed and afraid that we won’t be able to justify 5 staff members and over a million dollars in the bank. 5 staff members and a million dollars in the bank to create one new home owner a month? Most of those only taking a 4 hour class?

Resident board members who air their complaints at board meetings are met with hostility and made to feel uncomfortable (or in the case of Deanna and I – even driven out by ridiculous accusations). Our characters are also smeared outside the board meetings. The WSNHS is more interested in intimidating residents who have concerns about our neighborhood’s needs in order to protect the organization, than listening to and addressing those concerns and protecting the neighborhood we are supposed to be serving.

The neighborhood sees the WSNHS as an organization perpetuating itself in order to keep their jobs rather than to provide badly needed services – and they are right on target.

I joined this board in order to make a difference in my neighborhood. I obviously joined the wrong board. Hopefully the new board members understand their roles and will take leadership positions to help take the organization into the 21st Century.

Sincerely,
Michael F. Rizzo

Okay, that's Harvey and Mike. Where's the rest? Most of those noted on the spreadsheet as political have either been on the Board, live in the West Side, have West Side roots going back generations, or are in city hall depts that assist neighborhoods (N Dry - Save Our Streets, P Soul - Licensing - PLUS an ingrained W sider, and others.) Seems one sided? Check out who did what - remember that economic development is important to bringing back neighborhoods. No wonder they worked hard to bring a bacnk in that could work with future homeowners. Makes sense to me. Oh, and I have it from a reliable source that HG got a few friends to contact the media on this one.

Sorry FeeNorm - I didn't get anyone to contact the media for me. I have their phone numbers - I could have contacted them myself if I wanted to. Unless you want to name names it's your word against mine (and I notice that you aren't even using your real name).

But I do agree that just hearing from a couple of folks doesn't make something credible. If anyone wants to really see for themselves what's going on at the WSNHS pay your $2, join as a member, and start asking questions. Don't take my word for anything - go find out for yourself.

Harvey

Harvey Garrett has written a lot here. The truth is, he is the latest person to be driven over by the Buffalo patronage bus. I won't attack Linda C., I don't know her or of her Jag. But, the real ugly issues in this instance is that the unaccountable City Hall "gang" has struck again and taken any legitimacy away from another captured "community-based" organization.

Ironically, the list of the City Hall "gang members" does not include the Mayor. Either he is: a coward and uses his flunkies to do his bidding, has no control over the underlings in the hall, or he is undermining the people of Buffalo in order to build his empire using the most devious strategies. Any way you look at it, Brown needs to resign from the office. Among other things, Brown is out of compliance with the City's charter, since there is no OSP director and all of the responsibilities for that job have been assigned to a person lacking the credentials to do them.

It is now in the hands of NeighborWorks and the local banks that prop up this fake organization WSNHS. NeighborWorks needs to defund the organization since its membership is not resident controled anymore. It is a City department now and should be treated as such. The banks should also defund WSNHS since it is not performing. The money could be used more wisely if given to LISC and its partners.

There should also be an ethics investigation of all the Mayor's staff who hijacked WSNHS. All of those thugs should be investigated and fired for violating the public trust.

This is the reason Buffalo is a failed city and a place good people leave.

For clarification: I only received one phone call about this incident, the day after it happened, and at that point a I had already heard the story from two of people, neither of whom is a friend of Garrett. Nor was the person who called me Friday morning.

I first learned about the effort to vote Garrett off the board two or three days before the annual meeting from a person with whom he has no relationship at all, positive or negative. I confirmed the story with two other people, one of a friend of Garrett and one not, before calling Garrett on Friday afternoon.

Why that chronology should matter, I have no idea: WNYMind has picked out the critical points of the narrative.

Apologies for the bad typing.

This is not a particularly controversial or debatable matter. Mr. Garret stood for demanding accountability from an organization whose primary mission of self-preservation and expansion relegates the very real and challenging needs of the West Side to secondary status. Removing him from the board makes it easier for continuing the status quo, something this community has always valued more than decisive and meaningful action.

There is little that is more cynical than the proliferation of not-for-profits that feast on poverty that should never exist in a wealthy country such as ours. The WSNHS is just another cog in the machinery of the poverty industry that profits most when conditions are bleakest. The organization doesn't deserve our attention or support. If the efficacy of public investment is valued, this organization should probably be dissolved.

Finally, no comments made from behind the shield of anonymity afforded by these forums deserve to be taken seriously. It's unproductive to give attention to anonymous opinion.

B.

It is very convienent to dismiss "ideas" you do not agree with due to the messenger. Robert Franke seems to ignore the core issue, a runaway City Hall that disregards the best interests of the community for petty politics and local power plays.

If Franke really believes that the nonprofits in Buffalo should all be eliminated, since they perpetuate poverty, the burden of proof is on him. This is pure sillyness. He is correct in saying that WSNHS has lost sight of its mission (the core reason for its existence) and moved to the default position of preserving itself with no concern for the community it was created to serve. But to assume that all nonprofits are just cogs in a poverty machine shows that Franke has no knowledge of experience with what these organizations do.

If there is a poverty machine as Franke claims, then where does private business and local governments like Buffalo City Hall fit in? Neglecting the basic needs of society for profit and political gain should put them in the heart of the machines engine.

So, Robert Franke has a lot of explaining to do.

During his ENTIRE tenure on the board Garrett did not come up with a single substantive idea for the agency. He, like so many other "activists", have no concern for the regulations governing the agencies they attack. Perhaps an article should be written about Garrett and his attempts to circumvent the rules to enable a friend to obtain a loan. Garrett is a self-serving jackass, with a good PR machine. I know, I was there when he joined the board. And as for Franke, let's look into his background at Forever Elmwood. They had hoped to gain control of the WSMHS, and lost. They are, what we called as children, "sore losers". The NHS is following the advice of their national funder and expanding services throughout the city. If Garrett, his band of followers, Clarke or anyone dislikes that, Oh Well! The membership spoke at the annual meeting. I am willing to debate the merits of this agency with anyone, in a public meeting, not in the surreptitious blogs to which I am forced to respond. Artvoice should devote more time to the truth, and less time to articles that rank just below their ads foe sex services in the classified!

Mike,

How about you provide us with some more information on this loan for a friend that I was trying to circumvent the rules for? I don't have a clue as to who you are talking about. Some proof would be appreciated. I've also never heard of Forever Elmwood trying to take over the WSNHS - that would also be an interesting story. Proof here also please. I'm sure if you can prove either of these the media would be interested as well.

You should also inform everyone about the circumstances under which you left the board. You were Board Chair when the agency employed your son. I pushed hard against this as inappropriate patronage (even though your son really is a decent guy) and you were forced to leave the board. I remember your resignation letter which was read at the board meeting but we were never given copies. You blamed me as the reason for you leaving the board. I've always wanted a copy of this letter - could you post it here?

Oh, and thanks for using your real name this time.

Harvey

Whoops - my name got left off the top of that last post. Yes it was from me.

Mike Flynn speaks in half truths. NeighborWorks may be trying to reduce the number of NHS organizations in Buffalo and reverse the patronage model adopted years ago, but I know NeighborWorks does not endorse City Hall controling any NHS. In fact, NeighorWorks requires that NHS organizations have majority membership by residents of their service areas and NeighborWorks does not support City controled NHS organizations.

When NeighborWorks finds out how Buffalo City Hall hijacked WSNHS, they will likely pull all of its funding.

Leave my real name? I have posted once - and my name is clearly evident. You, like Dick Kearn, are oblivious to the rules, (BTW: The comment about Elmwood was to have everyone better understand the circumstances around Franke's departure.)
You had expectations of re-election and lost, accept it and move on.
And re my departure, prior to any hiring being done we requested clarification from City Hall, and were told it was OK - and then they changed their opinion. HUD said OK and after a year reconsidered. And if you believe there was anything that did not work out with that hiring, bring it out into the open or leave it as history. My recollection of history is not the same as you "pushing against it" but regardless it was a good hire.
Let's meet for a cup of coffee sometime - perhaps unlike Dick Kearn you have the cojones to do that
See you around

NeighborWorks requires member NHS organizations to do the following:

Build and maintain active, working partnerships among the residents, business and financial institutions and local government

Maintain a diverse board of directors reflecting the community's gender, racial, ethnic, and income composition

Maintain a diverse staff in terms of gender, racial, ethnic, and linguistic composition as necessary for effective communications and positive community relations

Designate a geographic territory for operations and demonstrate the capacity and resources to serve the designated area appropriately

Analyze the community revitalization needs clearly, with active community participation, so that appropriate strategies are designed

Assemble the financial commitments to support the operational and programmatic activities of the organization over time

Create ongoing community revitalization in low- and moderate-income communities

Collaborate with other organizations and service providers to avoid duplication of services

Develop resident leaders and grassroots group

Build and maintain strong management systems to ensure the successful delivery of programs and services


IT LOOKS LIKE WSNHS HAS FAILED IN A NUMBER OF CRITICAL AREAS. TIME FOR NEIGHBORWORKS TO CUT OFF THE GRAVY TRAIN. CITY HALL SHOULD SUPPORT ITS OWN DEPARTMENTS.

Mike,

I'm available for coffee next Wednesday and Friday morning. Unless you want to wait for the new coffee shop to open up on Grant Street in a couple of weeks.

And I don't think approval from City Hall or HUD makes patronage acceptable. I'd still like to have more information posted here about your accusation that I tried to circumvent rules to help a friend get a loan - unless you don't have any credible information on it (which is certainly the case since it never happened). Do you even have a name for this friend?

I also would like more information on this whole Elmwood Village trying to take over the WSNHS story - you made the accusation to discredit Bob Franke - any credible information on this that you would like to share?

By the way - I didn't have expectations for reelection. I knew this was coming - I just didn't do anything to stop it. I wasn't sure if either the WSNHS or City Hall was foolish enough to think it would go unnoticed - but I had no expectations of being reelected once I saw the list of new non-resident members that were brought in on the last day before you could join and still vote.

The WSNHS always thinks that they can just attack the characters of those that they see as detractors and they will just go away - and I expect a lot of attacks over the coming weeks to myself and anyone standing up for me (in the past two posts you attacked Bob Franke, Me, Mike Ckarke, and Artvoice).

The WSNHS has lost way too much credibility over the years for this to be a successful strategy without real proof. Now you will need to provide evidence to back up your accusations. Just suggesting things and then backing away from them once you are asked for proof will not help your case.

Harvey

All who are concerned about this situation might consider contacting Kathleen Gerardi, District Services Manager at NeighborWorks.

kgerardi@nw.org

Please mention this article and thank her for their ongoing support. Anyone from out of town who contributes money to a Buffalo nonprofit deserves a big thank-you.

Politely ask her to defund WSNHS and redirect the money to a more deserving agency in Buffalo. Do you have a recommendation for a better nonprofit recipient? Please chime in. We need to know who is getting good results for the charitable dollar as much as we need to know who is not.

Cynthia,

On the West Side PUSH, Heart of The City, WEDI, Westside Ministries, and a few others are pretty productive with very limited resources. What we really need is a productive housing organization on the Near East Side though. Someone who could focus on the Midtown / Coldsprings area, help to shore up Hamlin Park, and get the Fruit Belt medical corridor jump started. This would be perfect for a NeighborWorks affiliate.

Harvey

First: An apology to Mr. Franke; inferences were made in previous posts that after a phone conversation with Mr. Franke, needed retraction and public apology. They were offered in a context not intended by this writer. At no time did I mean to state Forever Elmwood was intent upon becoming a housing agency for the WS.

Second: Some "critic" history" and how vocal critics were addressed. A long-time critic of WSNHS, Dick Kearn, was invited to bring his ideas for change to the organization. He refused, as it is easier to criticize than do. He was invited to join the board by me, personally and on three occasions. He refused. He stated he had a plan that he had proposed on a number of occasions, he refused to produce it. He was given the opportunity to speak at an annual meeting, he refused although he was right there in the Amici Lodge. What is never public is the harassment of individuals, staff and volunteers, engaged in by Kearn, including visits to the NHS office during which he acted quite threateningly towards the staff. He was distrusted because of his dangerous and menacing approach to people, not his approach to issues, not because of his criticism of the WS NHS.

My challenge to the main character in the Artvoice piece, one who was on the board, is show me the plan you proposed for greater successes and point out the way in which the organization failed to accept even a substantial discussion of that plan. (Assuming any or all aspects of your plan were doable and legal under the charter of the WSNHS). There was no plan. Critics without a plan are just that - critics. At some point they need to grow into the role of planners and real contributors.

No part of the foregoing discussions, some centered around the strong "suggestions" from NW that Buffalo reduce the number of organizations it funds, nor of the discussions held at the request of NW to bring nearly all the city (excepting South Buffalo) under one NW charter. (That effort failed due to the unwillingness of two east side agencies to cooperate. However, Black Rock NHS and WS NHS are combining efforts in the spirit of the NW suggestions.) Nor is there mention of the adverse reaction of some board members of the WSNHS to these suggestions. My comments, many written in the heat of the moment, and some for which I would apologize, spring from the lack of a balanced approach in this article to the issues facing the city and, in particular, the sense that city hall "controls" something on Conecticut Street. There is not a single WSNHS employee who is there because of his/her "political" connections. I defy anyone to prove otherwise. WSNHS has long challenged city hall to better understand the partnerships that need to occur if we are to be successful. It is a need that cries out for collaboration, with confrontation if done in a constructive manner. That the organization remains "friendly" with city hall is not a sign of capitulation, but rather a recognition of the political realities long facing Buffalo.

I am aware of no instances where WSNHS was invited to a meeting to join in constructive discussion - rather they are invited to meetings to be the target of those very critics who refuse the acknowledge the limits of the NHS and its charter. It is also something which needs all parties to understand the limitations on each organizations abilities.
One glaring example of the "community" misunderstanding abilities is the leap from WSNHS having $1MM dollars "in the bank" and how that money is used. I know there are community members who feel the organization should buy, rehab and sell distressed properties. However, the dollars need to be invested with some guarantee of getting the dollars back - more simply, WSNHS does not have the legal means to buy/inherit a property that in in a neighborhood where homes are selling at $30,000 and invest $75-100K in rehab unless there is supporting grant money from another source to make up the difference between rehab cost and selling price. We are also expected to make judicious, rational loan decisions, albeit with an eye to making some loans which are riskier than those a financial institution would make, and this does indeed require us to deny a loan because of the risk involved and/or where the committee determined there to be a great likelihood of default and non-repayment. That is a fuduciary responsibility of the Loan Committee and the organization.

Artvoice can best address this situation by conducting more of a "fair and balanced" approach to this issue - but not in the Fox news sense but in reality. Perhaps there needs to be a more public forum which is conducted not in the spirit of attack but in the spirit of everyone seeking common goals and short-near-and long term successes. I would welcome the opportunity to participate in such discussions.

Mike,

1) This is a public forum. Artvoice has almost 300,000 readers. I don't think you like that it's a documented public forum where you can't just make accusations without backing them up.

2) "Critics without a plan are just that - critics. At some point they need to grow into the role of planners and real contributors." - Are you suggesting that I'm not a real contributer to the West Side? :) If so - that is a very ridiculous statement and I'll let not only my reputation - but also all the new homeowners, trees, gardens, garden centers, parks, refugee programs, housing programs and partnerships, and rehabbed (formerly vacant) houses, speak for me.

3) As far as your request for my plan goes - myself and other resident board members have been making recommendations for years that go unheeded. Re-read Mike Rizzo's resignation letter.

4) I'll simplify it though. We are doing a tremendous job on the West Side. Property values are going up fast, crime is dropping, vacant houses are being reoccupied at a shocking rate, the new Garden Center we formed has been a huge hit, people are moving back to the West Side in droves. With it's 7 staff members and $1 million+ in the bank - I'd like to see the WSNHS help a little more. Just imagine what could be done considering we've accomplished all of this so far with no resources and no paid staff.

I believe that Artvoice's way of addressing this has provided a public form for discussion Mike. I don't think the WSNHS likes the public discussion when it's documented and in front of so many people.

I do appreciate you apologizing to Bob Franke. You did make the crazy accusation that the Elmwood Village was trying to take over the WSNHS and you got called on it. You said: "They had hoped to gain control of the WSMHS, and lost." Your whole demeanor appears to have changed now that you realize you will have to back up your character assassinations. You jumped on here and tried to immediately discredit everyone who was attacking the WSNHS. This is a role you have been playing for years and it's really sad this you think this is the best way to address criticism.

Harvey

Now that WSNHS is calling itself the Greater Buffalo NHS, what does that mean for its by-laws, service area (which overlaps with the other NHS organizations in the city), etc....? Greater Buffalo, is that just the city of Buffalo or the entire metro area now? This seems like a power play to make WSNHS, I mean GBNHS, the only NHS in WNY and to get NeighborWorks to defund the others and force a merger.

I think that rather than turn WSNHS into the regional NHS, NeighborWorks should just defund all of the old political organizations and name a functioning nonprofit like Belmont Shelter Corp. or HomeFront the regional NHS for greater Buffalo. That would make a lot more sense.

PS> Contacting Kathleen Gerardi, District Services Manager at NeighborWorks is a great suggestion.

kgerardi@nw.org

NeighborWorks should be very concerned about this scandal.

Also, the NY Attorney Generals Office might want to add this to their long list of investigations about City Hall and its conflicts of interests, etc....

Seriously, who cares? Harvey do you even have a job? Why don't you just fix your own house and shut up!

Matthew - uh ok. You've won me over with your logic. I honestly don't know what I was thinking over all those years of trying to make my neighborhood a better place.

Harvey

You didn't answer my question- do you have a job? Lot's of people care about their neighborhood and work hard to make it a better place. They just don't have 24 hours a day to spend promoting themselves like you do since they actually have a job to go to. I live in your neighborhood, please fix your house!

As West side residents, of which there seems to be a shortage on this blog, we have had the pleasure of working with Harvey Garrett on numerous occasions. He and the West Side Community Collaborative were instrumental in our acquisition of our home, a beautiful old 1880 charmer that was at one time vacant and on the city's demolition list. From our vantage point, Harvey has been an enormous asset for this community. He gives of his time and expertise freely. He is a tireless advocate for sustainable community progress and improvement, for *real, lasting change*. He lives and breathes the housing issues of Buffalo, with his work in Judge Nowak's court, his work with West Side Community Collaborative, his work with city inspectors, etc. Harvey asks good questions and has the experience and knowledge to understand what the answers to his questions mean. Perhaps that scares some people/organizations. Harvey demands accountability and lives to the standards to which he holds others. Perhaps that scares people too.
There have been many improvements in our area of Buffalo's West side in the last few years, but as far as we can recall, none of them were projects in which West Side Neighborhood Housing Services was involved. In fact, we have contacted WSNHS on at least two occasions, and our telephone calls went unreturned.
As West side homeowners and residents who are working to improve our community on a daily basis, it is definitely the case that the people who live in a community are the ones that are best able to not only improve it (sometimes with financial assistance), but more importantly are able to sustain the improvements because these people are invested; it is their home. Harvey's goal has always been to find more people that want to and are capable of investing in this area. His are success stories. WSNHS (or GBNHS, if you prefer) should have appreciated the dedication and efficacy of a leader like Harvey.
The curious amount of absentee ballots is very disconcerting. Do these people really believe they are informed enough about the vote they cast to have made a responsible decision, or are they simply doing someone else's bidding? Who is that someone else? Did that someone else tell these people how to vote, and did these people listen? It would be great if all the new members got involved in this organization, because certainly most of them bring real experience in the complexities of Buffalo's housing situation to the table. Wonder how many of the absentee ballot new members GBNHS can count on for continuing involvement in the work that has yet to be done on Buffalo's West side? Wonder if they'll ever vote again?
We plan on joining GBNHS, that's for sure.

Scott and Erika - thanks. You two have done an amazing job with that house. You are one of our best examples of what can be done with vacant houses instead of demoing them. Your whole neighborhood is really starting to come along.

Matthew - For the past 5 years I've been the unpaid Executive Director of the West Side Community Collaborative. I've also done a little high-tech consulting work over the years to pay some bills. My background is in International High Tech Strategic Planning. My degree is in International Business and I also have 10 years of banking experience. I left a 6 figure job 6 years ago in order to take a year off to volunteer in the neighborhood. What is your job? Are you doing anything to make Buffalo a better place? I hope so - I find it very rewarding.

By the way. My address is 414 Richmond Avenue if anyone wants to come check out my house. Or you may have seen it on HGTV. The restoration was featured on a program called - If Walls Could Talk. Be sure to walk around the block to see my Carriage House. I lifted the whole 3 story structure up a few years ago and put in a new foundation. Last year I put on a new roof with copper gutters and a beautiful faux slate shingle to match the same roof I put on the house. This year I just about finished restoring the Essex Street side. I stripped all the woodwork and rebuilt the whole facade - it's stunning. I'm also just about finished rebuilding the front porch and half turret. Matthew - how is your house coming?

Harvey

Harvey- you're a fraud and a lot of people know it. People who find giving back to the community rewarding don't blast their name all over the media to promote themselves. They let their actions speak for themslves. The mere fact that you have blogging about an article written for you makes your true motives crystal clear.

wow, Matthew... now that's some venom! care to explain your baseless charges? really, ...FRAUD?

just exactly what do you think are Harvey's "true motives"?

we believe it is perfectly normal for an ensuing discussion to evolve in a forum such as this, and it is also perfectly natural for Harvey to participate in such a discussion. it would behoove you to provide supporting evidence for such serious accusations, and in its absence, perhaps you should cease the ad hominem attacks.

One last thing before I leave for work (if you know what that is), I know you have a busy day of blogging and self promotion err um rewarding community activity, but I found it quite compelling that your immediate reaction to your house being called into question was to refer to a a TV show. More promotion Harvey, do you get it? By the way, when is this restoration going to be finished?- it's been 12 years! I used to respect you Harvey, but this poor harvey I am the victim whining is just got to stop!

The only whining going on here is from you "Matthew".
Buffalo used to be the "City of good neighbors". "Matthew" used to "respect" Harvey and is his "neighbor". Did he ever think to offer his respected neighbor any help on his house if it bothers him so much?? Right... just sit back, whine and peck at the keyboard. I'm glad your not my neighbor. Might I add, "Matthew" (or whatever your name is) you do more of a service to the Westside community at your job, passing burgers thru the window, than you do adding to this forum.

Mike Flynn, your a jerk.

37 absentee ballots and you do not see anything wrong!

Look in the mirror and see why Buffalo sucks.

Matthew - just trying to answer questions and be accountable. By the way - you never did answer mine.

Harvey

First: Anyone who feels the need to post as a pseudonym is a coward - Harvey, Scott and Erika, Matthew and me for examples - we are the opinions that have merit in some form or another because we will publicly use our names. Whether you agree or disagree with us, we are willing to publicly state the opinion and our name. Are there any others out there who are willing to state their real name? (BTW: Harvey stated in an initial response to me that it was good to see me using my real name - I NEVER posted here until that first one with my name, I do not need the cover of a "cute" pseudonym.)
Second: My understanding is that Harvey lost the ballot directly that evening, regardless of the absentee ballots. So perhaps that is a non-issue? If I am misstating, my apologies (won't be the first time, won't be the last)but someone should get the facts.
Third: The name change was never proposed at the annual meeting, but was discussed in another meeting as a result of Neighborworks desire to see their associations with each entity more clearly stated in the organization's public name. There is nothing sinister or self-seeking in looking at this name.
Finally: I look in the mirror each morning, and outside of seeing less hair and the need for a shave, I am not at all concerned with what I see.
Best to all for a happy holiday!

Mike,

First - when is coffee? My email is harveyagarrett@gmail.com if you want to contact me offline.

Second - I couldn't agree with you more on using real names - especially when making accusations.

Third - I think that the WSNHS should release all the ballots if they want to clear this up - and I think that will eventually happen since it's a 501c3. They should also be here answering questions themselves if they don't want to appear as though they are ducking anything.

Harvey

It is good to see longstanding problems at WSNHS finally being PUBLICLY discussed.

I have watched in dismay for about 20 years as the WS has been in precipitous decline, while WSNHS was too-often part of the problem, not part of the solution. Now PUSH & Garrett's WS Collaborative have brought new energy to longstanding issues. But WSNHS still appears to be doing little, as on average they have rehabbed merely 2 houses a year.

Since January 2007, WSNHS has filed one acquisition rehab deed ($55K, 116 19th) as 11 WSNHS loans have gone into foreclosure. Is that the record . . . one step forward, 11 steps back?

Is there another way to measure their true performance as WSNHS now apparently has seven staff and an admin budget of $730K (See lists at www.NW.org)

I was involved with Quintana in efforts to reform WSNHS in 1995 when the-bd-president Candelario pulled the same unethical trick that Chiarenza & the Mayor's Office have pulled now. It is especially troubling that a new housing commissioner imported from Cleveland would stoop to such unethical behavior, as he faces overwhelming odds citywide.

As colorfully stated by past board president Flynn above, there are longstanding issues between WSNHS & 'activists'.

Flynn threatened to "rearrange" my face because of my criticism of the agency's repeated dramatic 'housing malpractice', making me reluctant to meet with him without a neutral third party, which he rejected. My joining a board which was closely tied to the WS machine, underlined by annual meetings at longtime machine headquarters (Amici Lodge) made no sense for me.

Time after time, WSNHS involvement in a neighborhood sped its decline instead of helping to stabilize it. High weeds, trash, & long-open dangerous derelict houses too often were hallmarks of WSNHS-owned properties. Indeed it was 84 Manchester, across from my house that finally got me taken to court by Chiarenza for "catfood-on-paperplate-assault", one of a series of depressing events leading to my decision to leave Bflo.

Chiarenza has been executive of the poorly-performing agency for about 10 years, as her two predecessors were fired for non-productivity.
There has been too little focus on Chiarenza, who has been central to many questionable activities at WSNHS.

It is past time to review Chiarenza's record at WSNHS.

Dick Kern

Mr. Flynn, Kern, & Garret, I'm not very familiar with the Buffalo NHS's, having only recently moved into the area, but know a little about what these agencies do as I've worked for a non-profit housing agency in the past. We had similar problems there, too, where we had money to put on the streets, but no one wanted it.

I am aware of the restrictions placed on federal grant monies which hinder certain activities that can normally be expedited with private funds. Sure, a lot can be done with unrestricted grant money, but if WSNH's money comes directly or indirectly from the government, you can't just throw it around or give it away…a point that many here seem to be missing. Not every federal dollar given to non-profits is a grant. Some of it has to be paid back in the form of a loan, and if you have any experience with the low-income community, you would know that a family will wait years to make the necessary repairs to their home if they know a grant or deferred loan may be available. They’re not going to take out a loan. How much of WSNH’s $1MM is unrestricted?

Also, it is my understanding that only certain funds can be forgiven, which makes acquiring properties and selling them after rehab extremely hard. I don't believe that anyone here really gets that point. You cannot rehab a circa-1920 single- or two-family home for less than $80,000-$100,000 when you factor in the cost of Lead Paint repairs or abatement. You could do as much to that home with 1/2 of the amount in private funds. In the end, the home is still only being sold for Fair Market Value, so if you get $50,000 back, you’re lucky. Do the math: Where is the rest of the money coming from? Do you just take the $30-50,000 loss and call it a success? Where’s the fiduciary responsibility in that? What lender is going to give you money when you repeatedly make bad financial decisions?

Mr. Kern...Are all of those foreclosures that you put on WSNH's plate primary or secondary mortgages? We are considering purchasing a home on the West Side, and understand that WSNH offers secondary financing for closing costs up to $5,000. If they're only secondary, less-than-$5k loans that WSNH has provided, what can they do about the foreclosures? One would think that the primary lender that initiated the forclosure would be worse off and/or more to blame. I might add that when I called and expressed interest in purchasing a home on the West Side, they staff at WSNH was very helpful in giving me the information that I needed to make my decision.

Also, after this article was published, I took it upon myself and looked at the county clerk's website to see if WSNH was as “inept” as some critics and these stories have claimed. I found many, many mortgages filed by WSNH that are much larger in amount…between $15k-$35k. Those are likely rehab loans and grants, correct? From the information I found, I'd estimate that well over $1MM has been reinvested in the community over the past 3 or so years. If WSNH only recently decided to expand its territory or service area, one would assume that these investments were made directly in/on the West Side. Again, I don’t see news articles about their investment. Does WSNH not have marketing money to publish their success stories? One would think that they should find some if they don’t.

Another question that has gone unanswered is what Harvey did to correct the issues during his tenure on the board? A web search of his name brings up many projects associated with other agencies, but why not on WSNH projects? With over $1MM in the bank, one could assume that he did not do his part to help get that money on the street. What was his or the board’s plan to expend the millions of dollars in restricted (?) money? How many customers did he/they send to WSNH for loans to buy or repair their homes? It seems to me that everyone sees and commends Mr. Garrets contributions to the other groups he helped, but doesn’t question why he did not dedicate more time to help get WSNH’s money out of the bank and onto the streets.

In the end, whether Mr. Garrets removal from the board was warranted or not, or ethically right, it seems as if WSNH still does a lot for the community...even if they don't call The News or Artvoice every time they do something.

John,

Thanks for your comments. Once again, I don't call the media every time we do something. We do a lot and the media picks up some of it. And I also didn't contact the media on this. You don't find a lot in the media on the WSNHS because there isn't a lot to report that the media considers news. You'll have to ask them about this - I just try to focus on getting things done.

As I told Geoff Kelly, when he contacted me about this, and which he included in the story, the WSNHS has some new staff that is starting to get money on the street. One program that never resulted in more than $20,000 a year saw a $400,000 impact this year. In the past it was always explained away as "nobody wanted it" - apparently that wasn't the case. We have gone on for years with staff that didn't understand the programs, were lazy, and certainly weren't being managed. The WSNHS has 3 new staff members that are bright, understand the neighborhood, and know how to get things done - although I still don't think they are being managed. I'm also encouraged by the increase in primary loans I'm starting to see on the West Side - given the current situation in the lending world this could be one of their critical new roles.

Unfortunately much of the programs that the WSNHS uses to show success don't go into the West Side - for years all the new homeowners we were claiming did nothing more than attend an 8 hour class after being sent to us by a bank with a house and mortgage already in process - few of them were from the West Side. We now have three staff members, if we can keep them and give them what they need to do their jobs, they can and are getting WSNHS resources into the West Side neighborhoods.

You are right that it is not easy to help residents in low income neighborhoods to become homeowners. For all the reasons you mentioned and more. But the WSNHS has used your exact words as an excuse for not showing more progress "nobody in this neighborhood wants our money" for too long. The problem the WSNHS is having right now is that there are plenty of other housing groups popping up on the West Side to fill the gap being left by the WSNHS that are finding ways to make it work - PUSH, WEDI, West Side Ministries, Heart of The City, and the West Side Community Collaborative are making major inroads.

The WSNHS's solution is to expand their borders all the way to Main Street - which means into the Elmwood Village area where it would be much easier to get the money out and ease the pressure they are under for showing progress. I'd be fine if the money was going into the East Side, Lower West Side, Black Rock / Riverside, or any other area that needs it most. These housing agencies exist because it's hard to get a loan through traditional means in these neighborhoods. Other groups on the West Side are making it work - and they don't have a fraction of the resources that the WSNHS has.

The concerns over the WSNHS not getting more money on the streets of the West Side is not new - and it has been growing steadily. The WSNHS has a terrible reputation among the other housing agencies, the neighborhood, and the elected officials whose offices take all the calls. This latest situation was the tipping point for a lot of individuals and groups. All the other housing groups on the West Side work together and work closely with the community. The WSNHS has almost no connections to the community and very little in the way of productive partnerships with the other community organizations on the West Side - although I'm sure this is the opposite of what they tell NeighborWorks. Their emphasis has always been to create strong relationships with funders and supporters outside the neighborhood.

As far as my role in the WSNHS. I brought them most of the (very few) houses they have rehabbed in the past few years - and I found them the new home owners for most of those houses. I also connected them with the partner that did the actual rehab on those houses because I liked their job skills training work. I worked for almost 3 years to get the worst employee fired because no one at the agency was taking all the community complaints about this employee seriously. And I've been working for years to institute some sort of measurable goals and usable financial reporting, a strategic plan, and a marketing plan. Part of the reason you might not see a lot of questioning of my contributions to Housing on the West Side is because everyone sees me out there every day and knows what I do.

In the end the WSNHS is extremely difficult to work with from the inside or the outside. They lean way too much on the "no one wants our money" mantra and they attack their critics rather than addressing issues whenever the pressure to deliver increases.

By the way John - what agency did you work for in the past?

Harvey

John:

Where did you find evidence of all those substantial WSNHS loans? I posted an analysis of WSNHS loans filed with the County Clerk in 2008, on SpeakUpWNY on October 15. I have found no more WSNHS loans filed since then, while another WSNHS loan entered foreclosure.

I can find merely $105K of WSNHS loans going to the WS in 2008. Where did you find the many much larger loans?

My concern with foreclosures versus rehabs is "wins" & "losses". The WS has been losing homeowners at an alarming rate over the past decade, as poverty & vacant housing has mushroomed. Unless WSNHS puts more new homeowners on the WS than WSNHS clients are losing their homes in foreclosure, WSNHS is "losing".

Incidentally John, have you decided to buy in Bflo, & if so, where? Wher did you live previously?

Dick Kern

COPY: http://www.speakupwny.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23413&highlight=wsnhs&pag e=2

October 15th, 2008, 01:55 AM #17
kernwatch
Join Date: May 2004
Location: former west sider, now in Mpls.
Posts: 1,496

2008: 15 WSNHS loans totalling $147.7K

It is never clear how WSNH generates the big numbers in their confusing annual reports.

So far in 2008 WSNHS has filed 15 loans with the County Clerk totalling $147,670. That is an average loan of about $9840, much larger than typical loans in past years averaging several thousands each.

As far as I can see, all the loans were to existing owners, not new homeowners. And 3 of the loans totalling $42550 were not given to WS owners (52 Easton $39K, 208 Highland $10.4K, 2232 Kenmore $2194). That means about $105,000 went into the WS.

Meanwhile 5 WSNHS loans from earlier years have entered foreclosure so far in 2008 . . . as WSNHS has not sold any rehabbed houses to new home owners in 2008. That amounts to five steps back, NO steps forward?

How does WSNHS come up with these impressive stats?

Thanks for the replies. I should have clarified an earlier point...I worked for a General Contractor working with NHS of Chicago, not directly for NHS. Having done so for a few years, I understand the restrictions placed on these monies. It got to a point where they asked us to help advertise their loans for them, word of mouth, since marketing money was scarce and everyone wanted the grants.

Mr. Garrett, what funding sources are available to these other housing agencies that you mentioned, and what restrictions come with them? You need to first make sure you're comparing apples to apples. Surely if they're similarly restrictive, you could have used your knowledge to help WSNH better expend their funds...? I heard about a particular project on 19th (?) Street where one of those groups is investing quite a bit in 5-6 properties...something like $200k per property? I find it hard to justify that type of investment, when no property on that street is worth more than $60,000. Pretty sure it mentioned the City and/or Affordable Housing Corp as being the funder for that...?

Mr. Kern, regarding the numbers that I found for WSNH at the clerks website, between January 1, 2006 and today, there were 117 mortgages filed by WSNH for a approx total of $1,005,000, give or take a couple thousand. I don't know how many of them may be outside of the WSNH service area, since I don't exactly know how to read the location or property codes on the site. Some appear to be downpayment assistance as they near $5k, but others range from just a couple hundred up to $35,000. Regardless, that IS indeed an impressive number, in my opinion. I'm sure it could be better...we all would like to see that increase, I'm sure.

After a call to the WSNH office, when I inquired about their funding sources and available grants/loan products, I found that the figure I calculated does not include a significant number of mortgages filed by WSNH under specific lenders' names, such as those rehabs funded by Federal Home Loan Bank and Affordable Housing Corporation of NY. I asked if there were monies available through AHC for rehab and was told that all $300,000 had been awarded over the past two years...but they had another $400k from AHC coming soon. Add another $300k to that number I calculated for 2006-2008. I was told that the Federal Home Loan Bank grant was a city-wide program and funded through a collaboration of Community Based Organizations...and they weren't able to provide details on how much went where (in the city) as the employee who handles that program was out of the office.

I understand your concern with "wins" vs "losses." It seems as if WSNH is using Rehab as the means to an end, since the properties are getting no better on their own, and no one is going to decide to purchase in a distressed area. I agree that more of an attempt needs to be made in one area, like the project mentioned above, but with there being so few homeowners on any given block, if WSNH's funding is anything like it was in Chicago, many of those rental properties cannot be assisted.

Regarding my home, I have rented an apartment in Elmwood Village and hope to make a purchase over the next few months.

Harvey comes from out of town and when his job evaporates, he stays behind to help rescue our neighborhoods and this is how we repay him.

I heard he was arrested in '05 for mowing uncut grass before the garden walk. A guy who was working hard to bring a successful garden walk to his neighborhood. Signing on for the responsibility to restore his home is no small feat. As challenging as it may be, even after the arson fire to his house, he is making progress.

He is part of the creative class in Buffalo. Unfortunately, this is often how we treat our creative class.

He has done more for my neighborhood than any other person or business I know and he did it for free. Crime is down, the kids are outside, people are working on their property and it's contagious.

People question the numbers and they're right, sometimes it simply doesn't add up. Fiduciary responsibility and all. We can't tear down all the houses that do not make sense to fix on paper. We have to find a better solution.

You can say "In the end, whether Mr. Garrets removal from the board was warranted or not, or ethically right...", but by essentially stuffing the ballot box, City government is killing our grass roots.

The Mayor already exercised his muscle in swaying the vote of 7 Council members to vote against the local councilman, ushering in a potential parking lot over a much needed park. In this "deal" the City paid for the asbestos removal and demolition of a house that was on the demo list for less than 12 months, then sold the land to the lowest bidder, not the highest. This was against the wishes of 250 residents on a signed petition which had been sent to the Mayor from the community.

I don't know about Harvey's role in WSNHS, but good or bad- all these new members muscling you off? He deserves better treatment than that.

Hey Harvey- As long as they spell your name right! lol

Joe - I'll let you and Dick battle out the filed loan numbers but many of the loans that the WSNHS told you about are through programs like HSBC's Shop Buffalo. WSNHS administers the program for them but the loans are not specific to the WSNHS boundaries. I can assure you that the WSNHS did not invest $1 million since Jan 2006 in the West Side. The unanswered question should be, and always has been - how much did the WSNHS invest in the West Side each year (not mortgage dollars leveraged or any other way of pumping up numbers). For the past 5 years, year by year, how much money made it into the West Side - and how much money did the WSNHS spend in operations and people? The numbers will look significantly better this year because of some new staff - but if these guys leave it will fall back down again. I've been asking for this information for the 6 years I was on the board - so good luck and make sure you get it in writing with someone's signature.

I'm glad you clarified that your experience is in working for a general contractor and not a Housing Agency. You made it sound like (in fact you said outright) that you worked for a Housing Agency in the past and that was a little disingenuous of you. You made it sound like you had more credible experience than you really do in this area. You don't really understand the challenges - or the solutions until you work in the trenches with these homeowners (like Scott above). You are starting to sound like a shill for the WSNHS. They are capable of reporting their own numbers - they've just always chosen not to which is part of the problem. I'd be careful with second-handing the information they decide to give you verbally.

The funding sources that are available to all these organizations are available to the WSNHS as well. I'm also not a fan of too much subsidizing - it's not scalable or sustainable. It's not my preferable method but if done strategically it can jump start private investment - which is the area I prefer to move us towards.

Scott - Thanks again - I'm still in awe of what you guys have been able to do with your property and how great the neighborhood is coming along. For the record my job didn't evaporate - I actually left on my own and I wasn't arrested for mowing the lawn but they did prosecute me for it. To make it worse it was City property. So yes - I was prosecuted for mowing City property, as part of a neighborhood clean up, in preparation for Garden Walk. This is truly the most bizarre City I have ever lived in. It's also one of the best - and well worth everything you have to put up with in order to stand up for things here.

Harvey

Sorry harvey that I couldn't respond sooner, but I was at work all day, though I see you were able to find time for 4 or 5 more posts during your very busy day. I am "accountable" to my employer, and my family not you, but since you asked my house is in good condition and we are very happy here. I really don't have anything else to say on this subject as I feel I have wasted enough time already. Bottomline there was an election, you lost- move on or run again next year. I wish you luck. And look at the bright side- you will now have that much more time to brag about yourself or take credit for someone else's work.

It is good to see that Sam Hoyt has responded strongly to a disgraceful display of unethical government intrusion in neighborhood issues.

COPY: http://buffalorising.com/story/hoyt_pulls_funding_from_west_s#sca

Hoyt Pulls Funding From West Side NHS

Today, 5:10pm By RaChaCha

Ever since ArtVoice broke the news about the suspicious ousting of West Side housing activist Harvey Garrett from the board of West Side Neighborhood Housing Services, everyone has been wondering: What will happen next? Will this stick? Will there be some kind of investigation? When will the other shoe drop?

One dropped yesterday. In a letter to board Chairman Ramon Morales, Assemblyman Sam Hoyt announced his intention to pull his legislative initiative funding from West Side NHS—funding which has amounted, according to Hoyt’s office, to tens of thousands of dollars in just the last five years. In his letter, Assemblyman Hoyt openly questioned the independence and effectiveness of West Side NHS. Hoyt also cited the suspicious circumstances of last week’s board election, especially the unusually large number of absentee ballots, and the eleventh-hour addition of many City Hall employees to the membership roll just before the vote.

What will be the next development in this situation? Stay tuned.


The full text of Assemblyman Hoyt’s letter is below:


December 1, 2008



Ramon Morales, Chairman
West Side Neighborhood Housing Services
c/o Riverside Federal Credit Union
245 Vulcan St.
Buffalo, NY 14207



Dear Mr. Morales:

I write regarding several concerns I have about recent changes at West Side Neighborhood Housing Services (WSNHS). As you know, I have long supported WSNHS and its mission of improving housing opportunities on Buffalo’s West Side.

I am deeply disturbed by the manner in which Harvey Garrett was voted off of the board at the last membership meeting, which I attended. Mr. Garrett has been a staunch advocate for better citywide housing policies, and has done much, both as part of the WSNHS and as the executive director of the West Side Community Collaborative (WSCC), to revitalize the west side. Mr. Garrett is also the housing liaison for the Niagara District in Buffalo’s Housing Court, and a member of both the Preservation Council for the City of Buffalo and the Landmark Society of Western New York. Clearly, Harvey Garrett is a man with outstanding housing credentials who has played a very active role in west side housing concerns.

While I understand that I may not have all of the information regarding why Mr. Garrett was ultimately voted off of the board, it appears to me that it was a result of the politicization of the WSNHS membership. While only 17 members were present at the membership meeting, I understand that 37 people—many of whom had joined on the last day they could join and still vote, and who also happen live outside of the west side and work for the City of Buffalo—submitted absentee ballots to remove Mr. Garrett from the board. It is this politicization that troubles me most of all. WSNHS was created to be an independent housing agency serving a community in need. If WSNHS will now be dominated by a political faction more concerned with its own agenda than what is best for the original service area that seriously undermines the mission of the organization.

Though many of the individual programs WSNHS offers are worthwhile, WSNHS has now put itself in a position where WSNHS’s continued ability to be independent and effective must be seriously questioned. Therefore, I will no longer be providing the legislative initiative funding that I have secured for WSNHS—which has equaled tens of thousands of dollars in the last five years alone. There are other housing organizations that remain truly independent and focused on revitalizing the neighborhoods on the west side that would benefit the most from additional resources.

If you would like to meet with me to discuss these concerns further, please contact Michelle at my office at 716.885.9630 to set up a time and date. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

SAM HOYT
MEMBER OF ASSEMBLY

SH:tgg

cc: Commissioner Deborah Van Amerongen, Division of Housing and Community Renewal
Deborah Boatright, NeighborWorks
The Honorable David Rivera
The Honorable Maria Whyte

Oh yeah, Sam Hoyt is "ethical." I almost fell out of my chair. Sam you wouldn't like the NHS- they don't have interns there!

Sam Hoyt, despite his past mistakes, got this one 100% correct. Pull all the funding from WSNHS and fund "independent" organizations that answer to residents and not politicians. There are organizations actually doing good work in the community, some that have been mentioned here already, so why flush money down the WSNHS toilet.

Lord, I hate politics. I’ve had the pleasure to work with many tireless West Side community activists, among them Harvey Garrett and Linda Chiarenza. I’ve witnessed their differing opinions firsthand for some time now and the truth is, they BOTH do amazing work-just in different ways. As usual, there are two sides to every story.
With full disclosure, let me say that I would never have been able to buy my own home if not for West Side Neighborhood Housing Services. I’m a proud West Sider with my home on 17th Street. Last May they offered me a small stipend to help with community outreach. Trust me, I’m volunteering way more of my time than making money. With 20 years in Buffalo radio, I would be happy to use my resources to get the word out about WSNHS offerings…only after I did some serious research. I have a solid reputation for community service, and I won’t mess with my good name.
That said, please let me clear up some issues:
NeighborWorks (www.nw.org) IS a national network of community development and affordable housing organizations that assists chartered members with not only grants, but trainings, certifications, evaluation tools and a myriad of other support. There are many great housing agencies in Buffalo but there are only TWO NeighborWorks Chartered members, not five as stated in your article. They are Neighborhood Housing Services of South Buffalo and West Side Neighborhood Housing Services. To become a chartered member of NeighborWorks means we have gone through inexhaustible scrutiny, quarterly reports, biannual reviews et al. If there were ANY inconsistencies in our books, WSNHS would not be a member, let alone a “strong” member as labeled by NeighborWorks . At a marketing meeting we were trying to come up with an identifiable, less cumbersome name so we could share the valuable information given to us by NeighborWorks. That is when we tossed around “NeighborWorks of Greater Buffalo” (NOT Greater Buffalo Housing Services as has been misquoted several times) and it is not set in stone.
Your quote about pushing to extend WSNHS’s service area “into Elmwood Village” is just wrong. WSNHS is exploring lending to the East Side because they lost their affiliation with NeighborWorks and can use the help. In no way will the West Side be excluded from services because of any of this exploration.
There IS $1.2 million in the bank right now, but it is NOT “cash reserves”. It is lending capitol. It has to be in there to secure the loans WSNHS has already made. I suck at business and even I understand that! It has to be in there so that we can get more money to put into this community.
I wish we could just hand money out to every person who asks, but that would be a disservice all the way around. If someone is refused a loan, we do everything in our power to help them fix the problem. Maybe their taxes aren’t paid, or maybe they just can’t handle the deeper debt. WSNHS has to avoid a high delinquency rate because if we don’t, again...there will be no more money to help anybody.
Let’s face it…sometimes in business and politics, good people just don’t get along or think the same way. That doesn’t mean they aren’t a tremendous asset to this community. I’ll say it again: I have had the pleasure to work with MANY tireless West Side community activists. I’m protective of my beloved West Side.
Sincerely yours,
Jolene Baller

Jolene Baller offers some interesting clarification, but this does not discount that WSNHS has been taken over by City Hall. If WSNHS wanted to regain its independence, it would ammend its by-laws so people who work for politicians cannot vote on its board membership. It is called a conflict of interest clause. Legitimate nonprofits have these rules. Otherwise, WSNHS should just appoint the Mayor (or his designee) as the defacto board president.

See, this is why I hate Buffalo politics so much. Everybody works so hard just to get the credit. You have to either be in Sam Hoyt's camp or Mayor Brown's camp, Harvey's camp or Linda's camp. Everyone working for the same goal, but they do it differently so nobody is listening. I'm so frustrated it's making my head hurt.
WSNHS has gotten very little money in the last several years from the City. The Mayor has no say on where any WSNHS money goes...including the bucks we just got from DHCR, so what would be his stake in trying to be "defacto Board persident"? We got $400,000 from New York State's Division of Housing & Community Renewal. Do you think they just hand that out without SERIOUSLY looking into what we do and scrutinizing that we put it where we say...on the WEST side?? And they've funded us SIX times.
I emapthize TOTALLY that it takes WAY too long for us to jump through all the hoops we must to use this money. It's maddening, I know. Don't you see that it's the beurocratic hoops that slow it all down, but we do it right, which is why we keep getting it. On my honor, we are using it correctly. In my world...Aaron, Cornelia, Steffanie and all the heads of all the amazing West Side housing programs would just get into a big room with Linda and we would divy up all the money. Back in the 70's where I grew up, that's how deals were done before the feds caught on! But it just doesn't work that way anymore.
And I just can't help myself, I have to add this since I'm obviously never running for office...I am so disappointed in Sam Hoyt for using this to further his political agenda. I have known Sam for years and am still indebted to him for getting me a replacement wheelchair ramp for my son when some dawg stole it. I didn't even care about him doing his intern(s), although I DO hope Connie scrubbed the toilet with his toothbrush. As much as I hate any money being withheld from my West Side, he can keep his few thousand. It's purely politically motivated for some pub and he knows it.

If someone can point to one person associated with WSNHS - one PAID person that is - who owes his/her paycheck to Byron Brown I will pay for lunch for that person at the finest restaurant in town - and I don't hae to been be there to host it. I have asked that the elections results be released in two sections - those in attendance and those who voted that evening. The votes just that evening show that Harvey did not get enough votes for reelection. And I cannot say if that is good or bad. I did not vote for Harvey for one simple reason - he is not a member of the corporation. He either forgot or refused to renew his membership, and that is clear in the bylaws. Board members are elected FROM THE MEMBERSHIP. And before that great legal mind Kern weighs in with his "poll tax" sentence, everyone should know that there are 2 types of NFP orgs. One has no members, a board that self selects and has limited outside public reporting responsibility (like Heart of the City); the other, to allow for more open participation, allows for members to "join" the corporation and then assume voting rights in the organization along with the ability to serve on the board.
On the subject of home ownership training, which WSNHS and others do, we cannot give training only to people who "promise" to buy on the WS. If a bank recommends this training for someone in the market, they often check a calendar for the first available and get going on their training. So yes, WSNHS may give the class to 20 people, and perhaps none of them are interested in the WS, there is nothing WSNHS can do about it. It is not a realtor and has no inventory of housing for sale. (Good reasons for that were explained earlier in this endles blog)
On Kern's default accusations: We give people a very low interest down payment/closing cost loan, always in second position at best, behind some bank. If the people default on the first, why is that the WSNHS issue? What is WSNHS to do?
You see, regardless of what we would like to see happen, not everyone is cut out for home ownership. Not everyone understands the sacrifices and responsibility associated with home ownership. Not everyone understands the concept of a loan and its attendant repayment requirements.. That's what we try to impress on people during home buyer education, but not everyone pays attention. So please, Kern, please, please, please explain to me and others how defaults are caused by WSNHS?

Mike,

I did try to vote at the meeting. I was surprised to find out that my $2 membership had lapsed. In the past the board members were always notified when they needed to pay another $2 - why wasn't I notified this year?

As far as releasing the ballots - it sounds like you are being very selective in which ballots you want released? Why release some but not all? This just sounds more fishy.

I think releasing all the ballots would clear up a lot. I also think that if the WSNHS wants to demonstrate that they are effective all they have to do is release some performance information. Year by year for the past 5 years how much did the WSNHS directly invest in the West Side, and year by year - how much was spent to do it (operations, staff, etc. No "We spent $5,000 to leverage a $75,000 loan" , or "we gave someone a 8 hour class and they bought a $60,000 house they already had a mortgage started for" stuff either. How much was put into the West Side and how much was spent doing it. I've been asking for these numbers for years. The fact that the WSNHS doesn't even have them to release should say something.

Jolene - you are a credit to the organization but I disagree that the WSNHS shouldn't be questioned on performance just because they are funded by a few organizations that aren't here to see what's happening. The City stopped funding them years ago for non-performance, Mike Clarke from LISC for the same reasons, and now Sam Hoyt. NeighborWorks has been putting performance pressure on the WSNHS recently as well. God bless you for all that you do but I think we need to look a little further.

Here is an email from Mike Clark to the board explaining why he would no longer fund them:

From: Harvey Garrett <hgarrett@adelphia.net>
Date: October 18, 2006 10:21:27 AM EDT
To: 'Linda Chiarenza' <lchiarenza@wsnhs.org>
Subject: Fwd: The WSNHS's reputation and role in the neighborhood we service

Here it is.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Harvey Garrett <hgarrett@adelphia.net>
Date: October 12, 2006 9:03:11 AM EDT
To: Lou DiPasquale <louisd09026@aol.com>, Kay Orlando <korlando@city-buffalo.com>, Ramon Morales <rmorales@gbsb.com>, <petersavage@ch.ci.buffalo.ny.us> <petersavage@ch.ci.buffalo.ny.us> <petersavage@ch.ci.buffalo.ny.us>, 'Robert Franke' <robert.franke@verizon.net>, Margaret Alfano <atip33@netzero.net>, <kelly.scarsella@us.hsbc.com> <kelly.scarsella@us.hsbc.com> <kelly.scarsella@us.hsbc.com>, <minsap@aol.com> <minsap@aol.com> <minsap@aol.com>, Stephen Scello <stephen.m.scello@citizensbank.com>, 'Mike Flynn' <mflynn@amsdocs.com>, jdr362@aol.com, Vilardo Printing <vilardo_printing@yahoo.com>
Subject: The WSNHS's reputation and role in the neighborhood we service

I promised Linda and Robin that I would send this out after the last
board meeting and forgot. This was an email I received from Mike Clarke
(Executive Director of LISC and well respected financial intermediary
in Buffalo) in late August after asking if he was willing to help us
with matching funds on a few MBBA properties. His response (as you can
see below) was that LISC really didn't want to fund any WSNHS projects
because we tend to raise a lot of funds and sit on it rather than
investing it in the neighborhood. You can read the rest of his email
for his own words. I'm also including am electronic copy of Mike
Rizzo's resignation letter where he shares similar concerns about our
reputation in the neighborhoods and also brings up issues about our
treatment of resident board members who vocalize their concerns.

I think we need to spend a few minutes discussing Mike Clarke's concerns
of our lack of neighborhood investment given our resources tonight as
part of our marketing discussion. I don't think our problems are soley
related to marketing. I believe we need to rethink how the WSNHS uses
it's vast resources to reach our mission.

I'd also like to propose that we refrain from beating up either Mike (or
myself) via email in response to this. If any board member has
questions for either Mike Clark or Mike Rizzo regarding their concerns
I'd suggest setting up some time with them to discuss.

Harvey



Begin forwarded message:

From: "Michael Clarke" <mclarke@lisc.org>
Date: August 24, 2006 11:55:26 AM EDT
To: "Harvey Garrett" <hgarrett@adelphia.net>
Subject: Re: AHC meeting

Harvey,

I had lunch with Linda on Wednesday and this came up. I am inclined to
avoid the MBBA properties generally for a number of reasons. I also
have to say that I don't think I'd have an interest in financing
anything like this for WSNHS at this point either, and that stems
from what we see and have experienced in the past.

WSNHS has accumulated a lot of project money over the years, and I'm not just
talking about funding commitments, I'm talking about cash in the bank.
Still very little seems to move into projects in the neighborhood,
so the visible signs of neighborhood revitalization aren't anywhere
near what I'd expect. We provided significant funding for project
activity to WSNHS in the past, our own staff costs not included, and
not enough of it was ever spent. I don't know that the board or staff
has actually made hard development a priority versus an emphasis on
homeownership training, and I don't see that activity bringing enough
homeowners directly to the neighborhood that the NHS was incorporated
to serve given the staff time and expense devoted to pursuing it.

On MBBA, our look at it suggests that there are too many opportunities to
get stuck with a difficult and expensive rehab. Most of these have been
vacant for years already and there is a strong chance that the
additional accrued tax arrears will have them at the next In Rem sale
anyway. The city will likely need to be part of the discussion and they
aren't sure how to proceed yet about which properties to target and
provide matching funding for. I also think that after rehab those
houses may sit on the market for longer than anyone would hope. That
has been the typical experience with groups around the city and WSNHS
has not been any different in the sense of having acquired scattered
properties that have taken one to several years to get rehabbed and
resold. It's that experience that has me disinterested in providing
project financing.

For instance, we gave a recoverable grant of $100K of which only $19K was
used, and $10K of that was for the acquisition of the home for the
"energy efficent" project on Massachusetts. That project was not as
well-conceived an idea out of our office as I'd hoped, so we'll take a
hit on that one. It worked out anyway for the Growing Green project.
The rest of what was used went for the application to DHCR for the
rehab of the site where the bank is going up. The board opted to go in
a different direction. That's OK, you paid us back, but the pursuit of
that project also had a lot of my time in it lining up City support and
matching funds and showed where the staff didn't understand the project
funding processes of DHCR. Under the energy project we gave an
additional $25K grant to be used toward energy efficient rehab. Once
the "solar" home idea was dumped we left that grant in place and asked
for some ideas as to how it could be used on another project. It did
have to be something that promoted an energy saving idea beyond things
like window replacements in some other rehab. We left that grant open
for over a year without getting any suggestions that we were
comfortable with so we ended up taking that money back too.

As we saw it, those recoverable grant funds, along with a $100K revolving
line of credit (none of which which was ever used), and an allocation
of HOME funds of $100K from us (of which only $57K was used on 4
houses), and some FHLB funding through Key Bank and HSBC (also not well
used) represented a way to move quickly on acquiring and financing
rehabs for sale in the neighborhood in order to show that WSNHS could
produce units relatively quickly, with predictable timing and quality.
That is what gives confidence to potential buyers that a pace of change
is occuring and they could feel good being part of it. I could
understand if our funds weren't being used because the large capital
funds pot from NeighborWorks ($1 million or so?) was being used for
those purposes instead, but we didn't see signs of that either. In
fact, I don't know why we were asked to provide funding when those
resources were, and likely still are, available to WSNHS.

Our view may differ from the board's on what the priorities are for WSNHS and I
have had these discussions with Linda. Robin was in on at least one as
well. Linda and I touched on it again at lunch. I'm a throw-back to the
purposes for which you were incorporated and the definition of the area
served. I believe your city and state contracts also spell out some
geographically defined service area on the WS. It seems to us that the
work of turning neighborhoods around, especially in struggling cities
with increasing rates of vacancy and abandonment, like ours
unfortunately, means a community development corporation has to be the
actual rebuilder of the community, and that means as a developer. It is
harder, more complicated and risky work, but it is what brings people
back. It means doing much more rehab for sale and for rent, etc.
Developing rental properties also adds to the assets of the
organization and fills in a lot of the problem spots when done well
over time, and it puts more families close-in to support retail, etc.

Whether it's at the urging of NRC or by decision of their own it seems the
board has had more interest in doing training activities, and now maybe
taking on places like Riverside, than increasing WS development
activity. Evidently the board is happy with that as the primary role. I
will say that WSNHS is doing fairly well at owner-occupied rehab and
that does help, but there's still a larger question of which
neighborhoods can make themselves most attractive to people who don't
already live there that matters for the longer term. I think that
starts with a development priority and the WS still has enough "good
bones" left to make it work when compared to other places.

I did go long on this but I wanted to give you a better idea of why I said
I'd decline as I did in the beginning. You and/or the board and staff
are certainly free to disagree with me. Call me if you have any
questions.

Mike


Harvey Garrett <hgarrett@adelphia.net> 8/23/2006 10:11:33 AM >>>
Mike,

I saw Anthony at the AHC training yesterday. He had some very good
questions (smart guy - very good hire on your part). Although there
aren't very many desirable properties on the first list of 300 MBBA has
released there are several properties that should become available soon
that would be desirable. If we would be interested in pursuing several
strategic properties, would LISC be interested in assisting the WSNHS
and WSCC on an application?

Harvey<Rizzo resignation-1.doc>

heavy sigh..."sure picked a bad time to stop sniffin' glue..."

J. Baller suggests that Sam Hoyt has some political agenda in asking NeighborWorks and DHCR to stop funding WSNHS and fund other nonprofits in Buffalo that are not political puppets of City Hall.

It is not unusual for a politician to have a political agenda. The real question is whether there are any nonprofits in Buffalo that are not political extensions of a politician's patronage machine. I don't suggest that Sam Hoyt is above political motives, but this one doesn't seem to fail the smell test. The problem was with City Hall manipulation of WSNHS's annual election. If City Hall has manipulated other nonprofits' elections and taken over their governance, then that problem should be addressed as well.

I believe an investigation of City Hall's role in this needs to be opened up. J. Baller raises an important question about the integrity of all the nonprofits in Buffalo. It is worthy of a full scale investigation. If all of the nonprofits in the city would simply supply the public with a list of their board memebers and other membership, including the employer of the members, it would be easy to identify the moles in the system. The independence of the nonprofit sector is at stake in Buffalo.

It is unfortunate that another episode of nonprofit curruption and political game playing has emerges so soon after the Wendt Foundation injected itself into a lobbying effort to topple the Seneca casino. It was poetic justice that the stock market dropped shortly after and took Wendt down a few rungs on the ladder. It looks like history is repeating itself. WSNHS is about to get some discipline as well. I guess they will find out what value protection from City Hall is worth. The real beneficiary of this all will likely be South Buffalo NHS, since it will be the only NHS left in the city in the end. Who would have guessed that turn of events?

WHOA! How did I raise a question about the "integrity of all the nonprofits in Buffalo"?? This is like blog-hell. We are all of us better in 3D.

What we all know is that people from City Hall can absentee vote in a local nonprofit's board election in order to hand pick the board that is acceptable to elected officials. We also know that political adversaries of the Mayor can write to funding agencies and suggest that local nonprofits be defuned due to City Hall manipulation. Those issues all raise questions about the integrity of nonprofits in Buffalo.

Those issues are not deniable, regardless of who wants to be credited fro them. This is a systematic problem with nonprofits in Buffalo, and the political intervention raises questions about curruption as well as the 501c3 status of these organizations. An organization where politicians and/or their operatives pick the leadership should not be granted 501c3 status. WSNHS is nothing more than a tool of City Hall. Everyone on the board now knows that if the Mayor's office doesn't agree with their positions or decisions, they will be removed.

This is as chilling as the way Russia is run. Whether it is the KGB or Buffalo's City Hall, the result is the same. Oposition will be crushed. Harvey was put on a train and sent to Siberia by the Brown administration, pure and simple. Any of the WSNHS board members who do not fall in line will be disposed of in the same manner.

I firmly believe that all of the WSNHS board members should resign in protest, or admit that they take marching orders from City Hall. They have nothing to lose, since WSNHS is already a lost cause. They would do better to work with a different nonprofit and force City Hall to call all the shots at WSNHS in the opened (rather than from the cover of darkness).

WNYmind, who are you and how did you become so jaded? Makes me sad. I'm done with these nameless, faceless epistles of justice.

Here!

To questions above, I do not hold WSNHS responsible for the 11 foreclosures of their loans to homeowners since January 2001 . . . as they apparently sold only one rehabbed house ($55K, 116 19th) in that nearly two year period.

That is not good productivity for an agency apparently having 7-plus staff & an admin budget of $730,000 (see below).

They provide no other information by which their productivity in increasing WS home ownership & reducing WS blight can be measured.

As requested by Mr Garrett, please provide understandable data showing how many WS homeowners have been created per year & how many significant rehabs WSNHS has done. Why is is so difficult to get that basic information that any concerned citizen should be able to get from a taxpayer funded agency?

WSNHS Mission:
"Dedicated to the PRESERVATION & REVITALIZATION OF WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS . . "

Despite its stated mission, WSNHS has long refused to release understandable data permitting evaluation of their progress in "revitalizing" the WS. Lacking any other usable data, I have long monitored WSNHS-owned properties, found via deed filings on the County
Clerk's website.

It was not a pretty picture! Repeatedly WSNHS was guilty of dramatic 'housing malpractice', suited more to a slumlord than to a housing agency mandated to give hope to poor neighborhoods.

Examples:

334 Mass Ave: WSNHS paid $6K, 1/02, long vacant, trash strewn, surrounded by high weeds. I discovered a "chop shop" stripping a Bflo cop's stolen vintage Corvette in the open trash-filled garage.
Finally sold 8/05, $25K in poor condition, it is now assessed for $20K on a deeply troubled block. There was no apparent effort to combine the #330 city-owned vacant lot nextdoor.

353 Mass Ave (same block as #334): Now-foreclosed, but unsold, $50K WSNHS rehab (part of "Shields St Project")sold 10/00.

931 Prospect: (NE corner School): Apartments gifted to WSNHS by HSBC Bank 7/31/00. Long derelict & weed-covered, neighbors repeatedly complained to Councilman Bonificio who cut the grass & arranged demo of the falling garage. House finally demolished & shabby vacant lot sold 6/4/07 for $400 to new homeowner nextdoor.

134 16th (current assess val $32K): WSNHS paid $5K 2/02, sold $85K 2/03, owners sought my help when bricks began falling from chimney a year later, foreclosed $67099 9/06, resold to NYC investor Jack Frankel, $19.5K, 2/07 (Frankel now owns 11 cheap Bflo houses).

385 14th (Current AV $39K): gifted to WSNHS 7/00, sold $76K 10/01 (adjacent to 7 board-ups in-a-row when I visited Bflo 9/07).

A pattern of "scatter-shot" rehabs, putting lone new homeowners in sharply declining areas, repeatedly risked their losing heavily should they need to sell.

831 Prospect (1 fam, AV $43K), WSNHS pd 7K, 7/02 (vacant, hand-lettered FOR-SALE sign in window when I visited Bflo in 9/07, still unsold)

Failure until pushed to paint the rear of their clapboard-sided 359 Conn Ave office, clearly visible to struggling Normal Ave residents, in about 25 years.

Refusal to quickly cover-up graffiti on sidewalk facade of their Conn Ave apartment bldg.

etc, etc.


Data from NeighborWorks website:

http://nfs.nw.org/report/nworeport_print.aspx?orgid=8133

West Side Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

359 Connecticut St., Buffalo, NY 14213

Website: www.wsnhs.org

Linda Chiarenza, Executive Director

Phone: 716-885-2344x15, Fax: 716-885-2346
Email: lchiarenza@wsnhs.org

Staff Size: Full Time: 7 Part Time: 2

Mission
West Side Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. is a private, non-profit corporation dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of Buffalo's west side neighborhoods. Established in 1980, West Side NHS is a partnership of area residents, businesspersons and government officials. Involved in identifying and solving neighborhood housing problems, West Side NHS provides safe and affordable housing for low to low-moderate income families.

Total Operating Expense (1/1/2007): $730,434

I've been following this thread with great interest and of course like every story that involves Harvey there's the now obligatory "anti Harvey" rant from various posters.At least this one has evolved into a debate about facts.By and Large Harvey can handle himself just fine as he's done so throughout this thread but that doesn't mean that there's not going to be a lot of us around to support him.This whole thing is a political hack job plain and simple.I fail to see the problem with a board member asking for accountability and transparency from an organization on which board they sit.It seems to me that should be their responsibilty.I also can't fathom how an agency such as WSNHS wouldn't have such detailed information at the ready,not only to show to those who might question their effectiveness but wouldn't some detailed statistics show show those in charge of implementing different programs what works and what doesn't?
So in their infinite wisdom the Brown administration make one board member road kill in their game of political small ball,well that's just great.Does anybody really believe any of these magic 37 are suddenly going to take an active interest in putting people into houses on the west side? I think we have a better chance of seeing what shade of lipstick is on the pig flying out of Sarah Pallin's butt before that happens.
The irony of all this is that now those of us who have poured our money and sweat into making the west side a better place to live are now going to be taking a more active interest in the outcome.The whole fiasco cold well backfire.Sure you won you're silly little rigged election but just "what" you've won exactly... that's yet to be decided
Good luck with that
Kevin Bowen

Remember, this all must be trus since HE is Essex St's "Savior." HE single-handedly bought the derelict properties. HE arranged the involvement of the job skills training partnership. HE did the rehab. HE fixed the homes. HE found the buyers. He got them mortgages. WSNHS did nothing.

Oh, wait...after years of me sitting there, watching this mess of a project...here's what I recall. I believe it was NHS that paid for the properties that HE wanted saved. NOTE: A source close to the agency said in the beginning that it wasn't feasible to do it HGs way...and it would end up being a big financial loss. In comes this contractor and what he called his "apprentices" that were nothing more than a group of employees and sub contractors....some great job-skills training program. Wait! Contractor disappears with some money never to be seen again. Job stalls. Where is harvey? NOWHERE.

It's two+ years before the properties are finally finished....with no help from HG. I recall WS bringing in another contractor to finish the job. Two beautiful homes with two beautiful lots and some very important (to the rest of us, let alone the homeowners) off-street parking.

Wait! Harvey brings homebuyers to WSNHS? The woman that bought one property lived across the damn street for 20 years! How far did you have to bring her? 20 STEPS?!?!?! The other pair of gentleman that bought the other property...who knows, but it's unlikely HG had anything to do with that. Harvey, how many of the homeowners did you bring to WSNHS for all of the other properties Dick mentions?

What happens this whole time? HG battles with Dick Kern (yes...the man posting above) in an internet, 12-round bout to the death. Kern disputes all of HG's claims that property values are rising in that area...particularly Essex St. Harvey says that it's so. Kern says not.

HG takes all the credit for neighborhood successes and hides from the failures. I don't recall any news or tv articles when HG mentions how WSNHS helped to convert this block into something special. In the end, WSNHS is better off without him, I'm sure.


What hasn't been posted yet is the makeup of the board. How many are on there "with an agenda"? From the few I've met, I've yet to meet one employed by the City of Buffalo. I know a couple residents of the West Side, and a couple business owners. How many are really employees of the city of buffalo? It seems to me that this was long overdue and WSNHS finally got the hand it wanted and went "ALL IN" against HG. Harvey, if you were so unhappy with the lack of change, maybe you should have resigned with Mike Rizzo...it looks like he drinks your coolaid too.


And Dick....regardless of what the Operating Expenses report says, unless those employees are making $60k each, there must be more to that figure.

Concerned Neighbor,

Wow you have a vivid, imaginative, and pretty inaccurate version of the Essex projects. Where exactly do you live? Kevin Bowen, who uses his real name by the way so as to be credible, lived right next door through this whole project. I'd suggest that he's a more objective source than I so I'll ask him to verify the fine details - but here's just a few things you got right and a lot of things you got wrong:

1) Yes, the WSNHS bought these properties and yes it took a lot of pushing to get them to do it. You sure go that part right.

2) And yes - it was a huge fiasco and the GM walked off with a lot of money. What you neglect to mention is that the WSNHS paid the contractor up front, before the work was done (something anyone who has ever used a contractor knows not to do). A very bad practice and one that led to a two and a half year stall. I hate to blow him in, because he's a nice kid, but this was Mike Flynn's inexperienced son who was managing this project. He has a lot more experience now, and I don't think he'd do it again, but he had absolutely no experience in managing contractors or major rehab prior to the WSNHS hiring him to do this. He didn't know any better and he was taken advantage of for a lot of money.

3) Yes this project turned into a major problem for the street. The rear house was sitting there boarded up and all torn up on the inside ( I can't begin to describe how bad a job this unsupervised contractor was doing - maybe Kevin would like to chime in here). The grass was uncut and the lawn so full of debris that it was hard for the neighbors to mow it. We couldn't get the WSNHS to do anything about it so we (the neighbors and I including Kevin Bowen above) had to build a high wooden fence in front of it to hide it while we were trying to get Garden Walk to come onto the street. We put a nice garden in front of the fence and Kevin even poured a new sidewalk so that you could walk in front of it safely. Yes - WE took care of this property for 2 1/2 years, not the WSNHS who owened it.

4) Yes, the first contractor the Job's Training group brought on was a major problem - but so was the way in which they were managed. But I was the one who went back to the training group and convinced them to come back and finish the job once they rebuilt their program because the WSNHS decided it was just going to let the building sit there and rot (like several other WSNHS properties around West Side the that were eventually demoed). At first the City (who was providing the funding) refused to let the training group work with the WSNHS because they had experienced too many problems in the past - they asked them to work with HomeFront instead. When this fell through we went back again and the City reluctantly allowed the WSNHS to be the pass through. This Training Group must not be too bad since the WSNHS used them for almost every other rehab since and I just saw Linda and the training program ED riding around together this summer looking for more houses to rehab (I tried to give Linda 3 - they turned all of them down - someone else is rehabbing them now).

5) And yes I helped talk Wendy into buying the first house. At first she said "yes I'd love to be a homeowner - but not in this neighborhood" but she came around. She's an amazing woman who raised her son across the street for 11 (not 20) years. She put up with a Dominican drug gang, prostitutes, and one of the worst landlords I've ever seen - but she still stuck around and helped us to clean up the street.

This street was a major turn around (Kevin's project was equally amazing). If anyone questions how the street came back, who was involved, and what they think of the WSNHS's involvement in bringing it back, they should go up and down the street and ask each of the neighbors. Don't believe me or hiding-behind-a-moniker "concerned neighbor" go find out for yourself. Kevin Bowen lived next door through all of it - he'd be an excellent source.

I love how people like to jump into these discussions, without giving their names and who they are, and just start throwing around accusations and making misinformed statements. The WSNHS was a nightmare to work with on Essex from dragging them into helping with the project, to mis-managing it, to trying to get them to clean up the mess. But they do like to jump in and try to take credit for bringing the street back. Again, don't take my word for it - go check with the neighbors on the street.

The West Side Community Collaborative has worked on dozen's of vacant property rehabs since this and only one of them involved the WSNHS and that was years ago. They are just too difficult to work with. I reluctantly tried to give them a few to work on this year and they turned them all down - all of them are being redeveloped by others now.

Again, I recommend to anyone who is curious about Essex, Rhode Island, Chenango, Massachusetts, 19th Street, 18th Street, the 5 corners, and all the other neighborhoods we've helped to transform, to go talk to the neighbors who live there. Ask them what happened and who was involved - you won't hear WSNHS in too many instances.

Harvey

J Baller, face the facts. City Hall had its operatives join WSNHS at the last minute to sink H. Garrett and take over the organization's elections. It is a scandal. It is totally unacceptable outside of Buffalo, and it is totally unethical.

For this issue to be ignored by some of those who blog here (and actually are members, even board members of WSNHS) is pathetic. It makes WSNHS totally illigitimate.

You can try to distract others from this issue. But the names of the "membership" of WSNHS were published and everyone now knows that the "members" are predominately operatives in City Hall.

So, yes, Buffalo is a currupt little town, following the model of dysfunctional 3rd world nations and police states like China and Russia. I don't support that type of criminality. I know legitimate outside funding agencies will not either. The word is out about WSNHS amd the City of Buffalo. Sam Hoyt, for whatever reason, blew the whistle on this mess too. Maybe Sam Hoyt just had his Claus von Stauffenberg moment.

From a reliable source . . .

"38 absentee ballots -- all filled out by new members, who
include such well known West Side activists as Peter Cutler (of
Linwood Avenue), Jessica Maglietto (of Crescent Avenue), David
Granville (of Park Street in Allentown) and Brian Reilly (who lives at
Breckenridge and Elmwood)."

The real scandal is that a new housing commissioner (Reilly) facing overwhelming odds in Bflo's dying neighborhoods would be willing to behave so unethically at a long troubled agency. Is he stating that he does not care about ethics? Top Mayoral staff have several times shown their colors.

Ethics & accountability have long been elusive at WSNHS, with Linda Chiarena repeatedly at center of unethical behavior.

My complaints about Joanne McGrath returning nightly a year after abandoning $60K in HUD & WSNHS loans to live mortgage-free at 20 Arkansas (pd $12K cash) only to make nightly catfood deliveries at long-vacant 84 Manchester opposite my house, attracting rats to the only blighted house on the stable street, got me taken to court of incredible trumped-up charges of "paper-plate-of-catfood-assault".

That time Mr Garrett added his support to Chairenza's incredible charges, embellishing the charge with "cat waste flung about the office" to the freshly delivered catfood (paperplate #100) that never spilled out of the plastic grocery sack (which newly-hired Chris Flynn demanded that I take with me when I left). I had flung the sack on the stairs in frustration when Chiarenza claimed she could do nothing & insisted that the amount of McGrath's foreclosed WSNHS loan was "confidential" . . . as every other foreclosure is public information.

When notified of impending court action, I agreed to never again go to WSNHS offices (where I rarely went anyway), but Chiarenza demanded court action anyway. In despair, I agreed in court to a protective order for Chiarenza & a "ban" on my attending any meeting in Bflo that Chiarenza, a then-Orchard Park resident, should choose to attend.

The next day, as I spoke to Councilman Bonifacio at a "sweep" launched from Mass Ave Project parking lot, Chiarenza wearing shorts pranced to within several feet of me to hug the councilman. I had to immediately leave, or risk arrest, since Chairenza has expressed her "fear" of me in court.

WSNHS has long been an ethics & accountabilty swamp. Will that serious problem on a long struggling WS be addressed now? Or again covered-up by a handpicked board, which too often appears to be a private club?

COPY:
http://nfs.nw.org/report/nworeport_print.aspx?orgid=8133

Board of Directors Name Board Role/Title Sector Company/Organization Job Title
Margaret Alfano Board Member Resident
Dana Bobinchek Board Member Local Government
Nick Bonifacio Board Member Resident
Louis DiPasquale Board Member Resident
Scott Dunlop Board Member Resident Tops Markets
Harvey Garrett Board Member Resident
Robin Johnson Board Member Business Vilardo Printing
Ramon Morales Board Chair Financial Institution Greater Buffalo Savings Bank
Katherine Orlando Board Member Resident
Michael Pierro Board Vice Chair Business Mineo & Sapio Meats
Jonathan Rivera Board Member Resident
Peter J Savage, III Board Member Resident
Kelly Scarsella Board Member Business HSBC Bank
Stephen Scello Board Treasurer; Board Member At Large Financial Institution Citizens Bank

I very purposely didn't rehash a lot of details about WSNHS project on Essex because IMO I didn't hink it would be helpful to the discussion.
One thing to remember is that while it was in limbo,a lot of the complaints were directed at Harvey,including from yours truly.I would also talk to the project manager quite often,both would do their best to reassure me that things would get better and the project would get finished but it was apparent for a while that neither were sure just how and when.Harvey did ask us to keep an eye on the place so to do our part and be good neighbors we agreed and would change lights,install timers,close up doors and windows that would blow open or from attempts at entry by whomever.Harvey continued to try and market the property throughout,in fact he is rather tireless at marketing the West Side.I can't count how many times I'd hear voices outside look out the window and there'd be Harv giving a tour to ,students,realtors,bankers or just about anybody else who expesses an interest.Often times in less than ideal weather,nice way to spend a couple of hours on a saturday morning when it's 15 degrees out,so he doesn't just serve kool aid but also has kool aid freezy pops.Take him to a block part in North Buffalo and he'll talk to anybody who will listen about the West Side,run into him downtown,at an art opening,at a restaurant,odds are he'll have somebody pinned down talking about what's happening on the West Side.Rarely are the conversations about himself,sorry but that's just not his nature.When most of us would have thrown up our hands and given up long ago,he remained diligent throughout,never wavering in his beliefs,not discouraged by the sometimes overwhelming negativity,the deals that fell through,a house fire,the inspections mess,the ridiculous lawn incident,any one of which probably resulted in the average person sticking a fork in it and moving on to something much easier.
Well guess what,it's all starting to pay off.When you step back and compare what is happening now with how things looked about 3 yrs ago it's like night and day.Important and significant buildings are being bought by people of means.That's significant because you simply won't succeed if the entire area has it's hand out.Is Harv responsible for all of it? No.Is he a major player in it? Absolutely.In fact if you were looking to buy a house,a building or start a business on the West Side he may be the most relevant person to talk to from the get go.As an aside,if he has 3 meetings that day,coffee with Mike Flynn 'chuckle',a presentation on the east side and has ten minutes at home before running back out,you call and ask for for help moving something,or a ride to pick up your car from the shop,or address a neighborhood concern,you get that ten minutes.I wish I had that kind of drive.
So if you feel the need to trash him on here it says a lot more about you than reflecting badly on him.Reasonable minds can certainly disagree on tactics and results,hell I don't agree with him all the time but if keeps bringing "the kool aid" I might just have to bring some vodka,afterall it's getting mighty cold out for them tours.
Kevin Bowen

Today the Buffalo News covered this situation. In their story they quoted Linda Chiarenza as stating that I only received 4 votes from the members that were present that night - so her suggestion is that this is a non issue.

The problem is that only a handful or residents ever show up for the Annual Meeting - which is why the 37 absentee ballots are so suspicious. This has never been a resident, or even member, driven organization. Several residents, including myself, showed up to vote only to discover we were no longer members and couldn't vote. Others were told they weren't members and had to put up a little fight to get their ballots. I've been on this board for 5 years and I was always informed when my $2 membership was up and needed to be renewed - except for this year. But the 37 absentee ballots, and the non-resident and City Hall connected voters that showed up that night didn't seam to have too much trouble.

If the ballots were made available they would show that the vast majority of voting members (present and absentee) were either non-residents and / or had ties to City Hall. This is why they have not released the ballots.

Several new resident members did join this year - back in February. The only communications they received from the organization was a post card in August indicating they were members and notice of the annual meeting a few weeks later. The post card didn't tell them when their membership started or when it would end. Is it next February? Is is next August? Who is going to keep track of this for a $2 annual membership?

The only time the WSNHS ever involves their members in anything is the annual meeting. There is no newsletter, no regular meetings with residents or members to report on progress, solicit assistance, get input on future direction - none of the things you expect from a real member driven organization. Because of this the organization is able to manipulate the membership - reminding those they wish to renew that their membership is due and just letting the others fall away. It allows for building the membership base they want rather than one that represents the mission of the organization or the wishes of the residents that live within it's boundaries.

The WSNHS makes it very difficult for residents to take part in the organization. There isn't even anything on their website about becoming a member, information members (or even non-member residents) would be interested in, especially lacking is any information about their performance on the West Side. If you do become a member there is no communications from the organization on how to participate - and sporadic communication on when your membership is up.

I'm not suddenly railing against the WSNHS because I lost an election. I've been a vocal critic of the WSNHS for as long as I've been on the board. If the WSNHS, and the Mayor's office, wants to clear their names then have them release the ballots - all of them. If the WSNHS wants to quiet the concerns about their performance then have them produce information on direct investments in the West Side over the past 5 years and the costs of those investments (year by year and only direct investments). It's not my word against the WSNHS - all they have to do is release the information that will provide facts for everyone to come to their own conclusions.

Again, this is a small housing agency (relative to others across the country), and it was a fairly insignificant election where one board member lost the support of many other board members for being a vocal critic of the organization. This is not that unusual or really all that important. What is important here is the way the organization went about expelling this board member and the way the organization operates relative to resident involvement and non-resident and city-hall employee manipulation. This is how we waste money in Buffalo and how we lose our neighborhoods. If the real organizational impact of the WSNHS on the West Side were ever reported - it would bear this out. Same with exposing the ballots from this annual election. If this were truly a resident driven organization the ballots would show significant involvement of resident members (who were not connected to City Hall). Unfortunately they would show the opposite.

Harvey

So is WNYMinds now Laura K - as in Laura Kelly, ED at Old First Ward - as in sister of ArtVoice "reporter" Geoff Kelly perhaps? As in Ed of Old First Ward who approached WSNHS about assisting with some loans to supplement some grant monies they received? Hmmmm....keeping it in the family for someone else. Where did Geoff get all his information? Now do we know?

My sister was not my source. Neither was Harvey Garrett.

I learned of what was happening through a source in City Hall, before it happened. And then it happened just the way I was told it would. That Friday I called two other folks to talk about it. (WSNHS members, neither quoted in the article.) Then I called Harvey. The following Monday I called Linda Chiarenza and left a message for her, and she still has not called me back. Maybe she did not get the message, I don't know. I called last week as well, but she was not in the office.

I would have checked the story with my sister, and in fact I tried, but I missed her: She'd just left the country. My sister was in Denmark, visiting her daughter for Thanksgiving, from 11/21 to 12/6, with little or no internet access.

Which ought to suggest that WNYMind is not my sister. I don't know who it is, though I have long suspected (probably erroneously) that it's Jim Pitts.

Sorry, that last comment was from me. Somehow my name and email were chopped off.

OK - I thought that randomly associated unrelated events with no proof was what we were trying to do here?

It appears that ARTVOICE has been 'blacklisted' by WSNHS. I learned after posting on BfloIssueAlerts that Chairenza & the Bd Pres are meeting with BfloRising on Thursday.

I also just learned that WSNHS has gotten a new city grant to do major rehab on Baynes & adjacent (unspecified) streets.

Can WSNHS be trusted to be more ethical with grant funds than they are with elections?

COPY:
From: KernwatchMN
To: bfloissuealerts@yahoogroups.com
Sent: 12/7/2008 11:55:19 A.M. Central Standard Time
Subj: WSNHS: Now what?


It is important to not let all the focus on WSNHS again result in no reform, as happened in a similar 'absentee ballot coup' incident at WSNHS in 1995.

The board needs to be held more accountable to the community it allegedly represents. That could be demonstrated by immediately releasing data showing WSNHS activities producing new home owners & major rehabs on the west side over the past several years.

And their plans to create more west side home owners & major rehabs during the coming year, as Byron Brown has promised PUSH tha the city will perform 500 annual rehabs citywide.

Concerned citizens on the WS should join as "$2 members" now to show that folks are watching & will be eligible to vote in the next WSNHS election next November.

I will again attempt to become a '$2 member' as a longtime owner of a cottage on Hoyt St in the WSNHS district. I have 2X previously had my $2 check returned by registered letter because I did not "demonstrate an interest in the agency's mission" . . an ACCEPTABLE interest, that is.

Criticism of WSNHS has long been taboo.

See recent update of WSNHS board at "Neighborworks" website ( www.NW.org )

http://nfs.nw.org/report/nworeport_print.aspx?orgid=8133

Board of Directors
Name Board Role/Title Sector Company/Organization Job Title
Margaret Alfano Board Member Resident
Dana Bobinchek Board Member Local Government
Nick Bonifacio Board Member Resident
Louis DiPasquale Board Member Resident
Scott Dunlop Board Member Resident Tops Markets
Harvey Garrett ** Board Member Resident **Ousted by City Hall & replaced with John Hochadel?
Robin Johnson Board Member Business Vilardo Printing
Ramon Morales Board Chair Financial Institution Greater Buffalo Savings Bank
Katherine Orlando Board Member Resident
Michael Pierro Board Vice Chair Business Mineo & Sapio Meats
Jonathan Rivera Board Member Resident
Peter J Savage, III Board Member Resident
Kelly Scarsella Board Member Business HSBC Bank
Stephen Scello Board Treasurer; Board Member At Large Financial Institution Citizens Bank



**Apparently the only change to the board is Harvey Garrett is gone, replaced by a guy named John Hochadel, who I'm told is very nice. Hochadel's partner is Jeffrey Tooke, a long-time Pigeonista and old pal of Anthony Nanula, who most recently was treasurer of Barbra Kavanaugh's campaign against Sam Hoyt.

(see rest of WSNHS write-up at Neighborworks link above)

Dick Kern (in Mpls)