Westwind proposal draws further criticism

mike g.
04/08/2008 4:06 PM

I hear what you are saying Shelly. Revitalizing neighborhoods will take some creativity in financing, grants, volunteering, and hard work. But neighbors helping neighbors to improve existing homes is the kind of community development that I believe the citizens of Willmar could really support.

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Beth H.
04/08/2008 3:23 PM

You are Right Dale! Only the people for the project have said anything about race issues. This is a bad project! Thanks to Christianson, Dokken, Swenson, & Fagerlie for voting for the people and keeping the best interest of Willmar as thier top priority!!

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Mary J.
04/08/2008 3:22 PM

Shelly, you are mistaken about homes under $100,000 needing work or being in a bad neighborhood. I just sold my parents' house in a nice, quiet, clean SW Willmar neighborhood. The house was in good condition, needed only minor redecorating (i.e. some interior painting), no structural work needed, at all. It sold for under $95,000. I previously sold my home in the same neighborhood last year for just over $100,000, again in good condition, no repairs needed. Both houses were built in the late 1950's & well-maintained. Other homes in the area were selling for comparable prices. Do some research about the prices for which homes are selling. I doubt the duplexes (or twin homes) being planned in this development will have anywhere near the square-footage of either of the houses I sold, nor are they likely to have full basements, hardwood floors, custom hardwood cabinetry, solid hardwood door/window trim, high quality energy-efficient windows, and they certainly won't have the large yards my houses had.

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Michelle H.
04/08/2008 2:23 PM

Mike, revitalizing existing neighborhoods would be great; however, based on my review of homes for sale, the sellers would have to take a cut in their sale price for low- to average-income people to afford them. Personally, I am in a lower-middle class economic situation and cannot crunch my numbers enough to make a house payment feasible (anything for sale under $100,000 needs work or is in an undesireable neighborhood). I don't think I am alone in the community. And I am guessing most sellers cannot lower their prices much more.

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Marie H.
04/08/2008 1:29 PM

Readers - Oops! I made a mistake. Yes, I admit my error which is my early entry stated that 157,000.00 of our tax dollars was going towards the developer's fee, instead of the correct and significantly higher amount of $576,000.00. My apologies to all of you. In my opinion either amount is too much.

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Dale A.
04/08/2008 12:01 PM

Corect me if I'm wrong, but it to the best of my recollection in all of the meetings, the only references made toward any prejudice, have been made by the pro-ponents of the Westwnds proposed devolopement, not the opponents. I would ask that everyone listen closely to Mr Gardners remarks concerning prejudicial issues near the end of the meeting.

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Marie H.
04/08/2008 10:57 AM

Shelley-Laws are not as black and white as we would like them; they are continually being challenged. The law that you are referring to has been challenged. The December meeting, where testimony of opposition to Westwind, was canceled because SWMHP said they couldn't come. There's discrepancies of fact given by SWMHP in the Planning & Zoning Commisssion meeting and their application for a grant. Heitke, Gardner & Reese are arguing discrimination. The fact is that prejudices aren't the root of the opposition.

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Marie H.
04/08/2008 10:49 AM

Bloggers-What logical reason(s) does Mayor Heitke, Councilmen Gardner, Reese, Anderson & DeBlieck have in emphatically defending Westwind Estates when the project is being strongly opposed by its neighbors & the majority of Willmar citizens? Willmar will loose tax revenue from the three landowners who were going to develop their property and from people would have built comparable homes in that area of town. Their discrimination argument is empty. We know many of the opposition has personally helped people of diversity (socio-economic status, race or religion). Is it because they are too arrognat to admit an error in judgement? If you can, help me better understand their position.

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mike g.
04/08/2008 10:43 AM

Let's use our available resources to help people revitalize existing neighborhoods instead of creating project housing that other cities are trying to get away from. It's common sense progress to fix what we have. "We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive." -C.S. Lewis

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Michelle H.
04/08/2008 10:38 AM

I agree with Werner. Courts don't look at issues like this on a race or economic class basis. Case law is case law. In the end, will it be worth it? The people who are concerned about their property values will likely see their taxes increased to keep the development out (if it would win a court case). Seems like a tit for tat where there really are no winners.

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