Holly Park Redevelopment

[Doug Tooley]

Cheryl Chow, Chair
Housing and Human Services Committee
Seattle City Council
1100 Municipal Building
600 Fourth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

RE:  Holly Park Redevelopment

Dear Ms. Chow:

At last night's very crowded hearing John McLaren, an architect with the
Displacement Coalition, testified to the policy question before you, that
of whether to adjust for federal cuts in programs supporting the very
poor.  I aggree with this assessment o f the issue, but do disagree with
his statements that it would 'despicable' to do anything but follow his,
and the Displacement Coalition's, plan. 

The primary question is really one of timing, as well as attitude.  Is it
really possible for the project, at this phase, to respond to extraneous
events?  Does the Displacement Coalition have the ability to credibly
manage any sort of technical response in conjunction with their organizing
efforts? 

This is an important decision, low income housing has played a crucial
role in recent politics.  In the late 80's, as Mayor Rice was just
beginning his tenure as Mayor we passed our first low-income housing levy. 
The Displacement Coalition, and other act ivist groups, under the direct
control of low income housing providers began a process of utilizing this
same attitude to 'extort' through political shame, money for these
organizations. 

It should be noted that I have direct experience of these efforts. I
assisted the Displacement Coalition in a project in 1991.  I was asked to
join a steering committee and began acting as a junior member with
experience in certain aspects of the project at hand.  My prudent
questions to the low-income housing provider we hired were responded to by
the Displacement Coalition as evidence of meddling and destructive
behavior.  My attempts to resolve the situation were treated as
'harrassment' and their comp laints escalated to an absurd degree, the
only correlation between the criminal allegations and my actions would be
the degree of guilt they felt over their deep lack of integrity. 

 It does appear that this group has matured somewhat since that time, but
there is no evidence that they have dealt with this fundamental flaw. 
Although the Displacement Coalition claims to be operating under the flag
of fiscal and social responsility I fear that this may well be another to
raise only the appearance of responsibility as a cover for actions which
sociologically and economically actually support the problem they claim to
fight, to their, and their allies, substantial profit. 

There is also the very real possibility that supporting this organization, 
at this time, would have similiar8 far reaching effects as did their
previous 'successes'.  Their patterns of behavior were copied by the
City's Bond Counsel, Foster, Pepper, and S hefelman as they rose in
influence from low-income bond attorneys to full status as municipal bond
counsel.  I will not go into detail here but I believ much of the problems
we have seen in the City's capital decision making in the 90's are a
direct resul t of Foster, Pepper, as well as the Mayor and the Council,
adapting the same 'Politically Correct' behavior of the Displacement
Coalition. 

That aside, I do support one aspect of the Displacement Coalition, and
feel as well that there is justification to redirect the project, at this
time, to fulfill that concern.  I speak of the proposal to establish a
low-income housing land trust on some p ortion of the property.  Housing
land trusts have established a national success rate and are mentioned in
the comprehensive plan as a strategy to be considered.  I have seen no
evidence that the SHA considered this as an alternative and it is one that
is particularly appropriate to the stated goals of creating a mixed income
project with a range of ownership, rental, and subsidized housing types. 
A housing trust could be established with no impact upon current
construction schedules and the there is exp erience within the
Displacement Coalition to implement same. (Though I can't say whether they
can actually utilize that experience.) 

To be fair the particular attitude of the Displacement Coalition, of
running around blaming anyone for anything is one that was endemic, and
necessary, to the 'Boomer' generation, in order that they might have cured
themselves from drug abuse and other ge neral problems of
irresponsibility.  Fortunately it does appear that your generation has
effectively grown past this stage into an emerging sense of matured
responsibility, though I do think that legal profession as well as the
City Bureaucracy itself, in cluding your own advisors, has yet to become
aware of that fact. 

Mr. McLaren's observation about the City needing to respond to Federal
changes is correct, but there is really only so much that can be done
through this project at this time.  Please do not destroy this project in
order to make a political statement that only 'martyrs' the current
residents of Holly Park.  The ommission of housing land trusts from this
project, is in fact, 'despicable', everything else is really just
technical details that need nothing more than an explanation, an
explanation grounded in some new sense of how to respond to Federal
welfare changes as they apply to the Housing issue. 

If you truly wish to be exceptional in your leadership abilities you might
also try addressing some of the harm created by Displacement Coalition and
their wannabee compatriots, the firm of Foster, Pepper, and Shefelman
through their so-called professiona l actions.  Architectural licensing
does require attention to the public interest and Mr. Mclaren has violated
the public interest in proposing solutions that economically advance the
causes of homelessness and poverty and through his attitude
sociallogically supports them as well. 

It would not be enough to merely apply these standards of responsibility
to the professionals associated with the Displacement Coalition, those
same standards must also be applied throughout downtown.  The Displacement
Coalition however would be a good pl ace to start.  Perhaps the SHA would
be willing to 'educate' the Displacement Coalition as they work together
on improving the Holly Park project! 

I look forward to hearing the articulation of the Council's deliberations
on these crucial issues. 


Thanks,



Douglas Tooley

CC: Councilmembers, Mayor Rice, David Bloom, SHA










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