Valenti Allows Franklin and Centex Homes To Sneak Back Into Public Housing Redevelopment Not only were Franklin, Saunders, etc voted out once but twice and one participant in the process gave them a 0 out of a possible 100 points... Now less than 3 months later HUD... re-development...will replace a public garden and a boxing club that once was gathering spot for youths in the area, is involved in a number of million dollar projects in the area which has produced not one unit of affordable workforce housing.  Another participant in the redevelopment of the Cohen Way housing re-development and incidentally along with Franklin is not mentioned in the press release put out by Valenti announcing the selling of public lands to a private developer, Habitat for Humanity is Centex Homes.

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 VALENTI ALLOWS FRANKLIN AND CENTEX HOMES TO SNEAK BACK INTO PUBLIC HOUSING REDEVELOPMENT 
JON SUSCE
1/27/06

Bruce Franklin of ADP, who was voted out of any involvement in the redevelopment of the Janie Poe public housing project, has reappeared in the thanks to Carmen Valenti. Franklin, who along with Michael “The Condo Queen” Saunders and 5 of their employees, attempted in a request for proposal (RFP) for $200 an hour of public money to administer the development of public housing in Newtown. Not only were Franklin, Saunders, etc voted out once but twice and one participant in the process gave them a 0 out of a possible 100 points.

Now less than 3 months later HUD receiver, Carmen Valenti and Housing Authority of the City of Sarasotaf executive director, William Russell have completely disregarded the scrutiny of the board selecting the developer of Janie Poe and allowed Franklin into the redevelopment of Cohen Way. Franklin’s, whose proposed 10 story HQ that is a block away from the Cohen Way housing re-development and will replace a public garden and a boxing club that once was gathering spot for youths in the area, is involved in a number of million dollar projects in the area which has produced not one unit of affordable workforce housing.

Another participant in the redevelopment of the Cohen Way housing re-development and incidentally along with Franklin is not mentioned in the press release put out by Valenti announcing the selling of public lands to a private developer, Habitat for Humanity is Centex Homes. Centex Homes is a multi billion dollar corporation based in Dallas, Texas . Centex is a subsidiary of the $7 billion Fortune 500 conglomerate called Centex Corporation. Centex homes built over 22,500 homes last year in approximately 85 markets in 25 U.S. states.

One of those states Centex markets its homes is Florida and this is how they market one of their many developments in the state, “Imagine riding your bicycle downtown for an ice cream or spending your picnic on the lawn in front of a bandstand for an open area concert within walking distance of charming shops, restaurants, cultural offerings and parks.” Sound like a ”New Urbanism” developed by Andres Duany---well coincidently Centex Homes along with Duany were chosen by Hanley Wood’s magazine, Big Builder as the, “10 Power figures for the home builders industry.” --- By the way Allen Greenspan, former Federal Reserve System chairman topped the list. Hanley Wood was recently sold to JP Morgan for $650 million which was the second to largest b-to-b transaction since 2000.

Centex’s project according to their promotions of their properties fit right in with Duany’s, upscale “New Urbanisms” projects that are moving low and moderate working class individuals out and the up scale “Chablis and brie” crowd in. For examples here is what residencies in Centex’s developments are selling for in Florida:
Hawthorne -- $372-$450,000
Twin Eagles-- $549-$750,000
Emerson Square-- $448--$626,000
Verandah--$319--$431,000
Palmira --$477-$563,000
The Quarry-- $683--$1,880,000

This list does not includes many other projects in locations like Naples and Palm Coast that must be so high ended that no price is posted on Centex’s listings.

In a article in the Sarasota Herald Tribune (SHT) announcing the selling of the Cohen Way public housing project it stated that, “Centex will build condos for low –income buyers with mostly service-sector jobs, Centex will build condos for buyers in moderate –income range –such as teachers, fire fighters and police officers.” I don’t know about you but it doesn’t appear to me that low income service sectors employees such as teachers, fire fighters, or policemen live in Centex built homes.

In regard to Centex or for that matter Franklin having a history of being involved in creating affordable workforce housing there are few examples of that occurring other than Centex contributing $5 million since 2000 to Habitate for Humanity--mere pocket change for a subsidiary of a $7 billion Fortune 500 conglomerate. Centex in their support of affordable workforce housing states that the $5 million they donate to Habitate will build 20 homes for deserving families a year--they fail to mention they will build 22,500 homes a year selling at prices that make them billions.

It also appears that Centex is buying environmental friendly endorsements. For example The Nature Conservancy (TNC), which has blossomed into the world’s richest environmental group, amassing $3 billion in assets by pledging to save precious land is recipient of $3 million in contributions from Centex. According to the Washington Post in a devastating article on the sell out of TNC to corporate sponsorship it states, “TNC has stacked its Board of Directors and International Leadership Council with corporate representation paying up to $25,000 for a seat on the board.” 

TNC leadership members which includes among many others, Dow Chemical which was
sited by a grand jury of operating a plant that contained a vinyl chloride contamination of water ---the same plant receive a TNC award. Other members of its leadership board include Pacific Gas and Electric portrayed in the movie “Erin Brocovitch.” The list goes on and on and includes Centex. In the Washington Post article it states that, “Scientists rate the conversation of land to human habitat—urban sprawl—as Earth’s greatest menace. Despite such assessments The Conservancy has forged a close relationship with Centex, One of the nations largest residential –construction firms which has built over 400,000 homes.” 

The Post article went on to say, “Centex and its divisions have given and pledged $3 million to the Conservancy. Centex sits on the Conservancy’s leadership council, and the chairman of Centex Homes served on a Conservancy advisory board.”

I wonder if Valenti and his $135,000 year “flak” were aware of an article in the Charlotte Observer stating that, “Two black contractors say they were offered thousands of dollars to perform insignificant work on a new prison so builders could meet state minority participation goals.” In the article Charlotte painter Bobby Nichols stood to make $20,000 for going six times to the eastern North Carolina prison to observe painting practices. Tommy Vaughn was offered $18,000 to supply materials –even though he says most of the arrangements had already been made. Centex who is supervising project states, “This is a misunderstanding.”

No doubt Valenti saw nothing wrong with Centex’s idea of creating affordable workforce housing in Palm Beach in which a low income development was destroyed and replaced with 588 townhouses that will sell for the usual Centex prices. Valenti, who experienced up close and personal  Pres Kabacoff”s gentrification in New Orleans, probably thinks Centex allowing 88 affordable townhouses in the project selling for $200,000 is a great deal.

It is about time Valenti, who came to Sarasota expecting to pull the same “stunts” he performed in New Orleans by sneaking in individuals like Bruce Franklins and corporations like Centex and using Habitat Humanity as a front, hopefully will begin to realize that there are some individuals in Sarasota that have witnessed his act before. Hopefully those in Newtown especially at Janie Poe understand that Franklin, “The Condo Queen” and others want your 52 acres and what better way to get it then using Cohen Way as a precedent...