Come join us this Friday (10/1) after work at the brand new Fox Hollow @ 4617 Nett Street, 77007.
We will have signs and bumper stickers !!
The fight is not over !
Browsing Posts published in September, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAYOR PUSHES VOTE TO MEET DEVELOPER’S DEADLINE
Responsible Urban Development for Houston (RUDH), a 501c4 Volunteer organization of taxpayers and homeowners, releases statement responding to passage of 380 agreement with Ainbinder.
HOUSTON, Texas – (September, 22, 2010) – Following on the heels of yesterday’s vigorously protested Council session, the Mayor and eleven Council Members passed a 380 Agreement that gives the developer, Ainbinder Heights, LLC, reimbursement of up to $6 million dollars in future ad valorem and sales taxes to upgrade infrastructure for the Heights Wal-Mart development.
RUDH hoped that the 380 agreement could be used to incentivize the developer away from a typical suburban big box retail development to a mixed-use development that would fit in seamlessly with the surrounding neighborhood and provide the City substantially more in property tax revenues. Instead, the 380 Agreement provides for a small amount of upgrades to community amenities in exchange for millions spent on infrastructure that will primarily benefit the development.
Last week, RUDH representatives met with city officials to discuss community input for additional concessions that the city could seek from Ainbinder to make the agreement more beneficial to the community. RUDH created both a community guideline to improve the 380 Agreement and a legal summary outlining serious concerns with contract language that appeared to be more beneficial to the developer than the public. However, with the exception of two amendments by Council Member Clutterbuck, none of the suggestions were incorporated into the final agreement, which was passed 11-4, with Council Members Ed Gonzalez, James Rodriguez, Melissa Noriega and Jolanda Jones voting no.
The suggestions and the analysis of the 380 Agreement can be found at www.stopheightswalmart.org. Additional information about the current 380 agreement can be found on the City of Houston website at www.houstontx.gov/koehler.
Official RUDH Statement: “We are both shocked and disappointed that such an obviously flawed and one-sided agreement was approved by Mayor Parker and City council. It is unfortunate that the mayor rushed the agreement through because of Ainbinder’s finance deadlines, putting the developer’s interests above those of the public’s. After the public forum yesterday there seemed to be many unanswered questions from both the public and council members on the details of the agreement, and we feel the city and community could have benefited from more time to craft an agreement that better served the community.
This sets an extremely unsettling precedent for using public funds to pay for public infrastructure improvements that primarily benefit a private development. Using a tax abatement/reimbursement scheme for a development that does not need one to be built is poor public policy and fiscally irresponsible.
While we are dismayed at the outcome of today’s vote, we are not defeated. We will continue to work towards ensuring that this project is a benefit and amenity to the public and hope Ainbinder and Wal-Mart will work with the community to create a responsible and respectful development. “
About Responsible Urban Development for Houston, RUDH
We are a community organization devoted to preserving the character, traditions, and appearance of the Heights and West End neighborhoods in Houston. It is our goal to represent our neighbors before local government and to educate the community about the potential impacts of real estate development on our infrastructure, environment, taxpayer-funded public services, and quality of life. We are a non-profit, grassroots organization. For more information, visit www.rudh.org.
Contact: Nick Urbano
Phone: 832-754-5648
Email: info@stopheightswalmart.org
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Yesterday, Mayor Annise D. Parker released an interoffice correspondence to City Council Members addressing 380 concerns and issues. The memo contains an attachment addressing some concerns and suggestions put forth by RUDH.
You may find the memo, attachment, and original recommendations below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RESPONSIBLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT RELEASES RESPONSE TO 380 AGREEMENT
Responsible Urban Development for Houston (RUDH), a 501c4 Volunteer organization of taxpayers and homeowners, has released a detailed critique of the proposed 380 Agreement between the City of Houston and Ainbinder.
HOUSTON, Texas – (September, 20, 2010) – In early July, Ainbinder Company announced plans to develop a retail center on Yale Street north of Washington Avenue and south of Koehler Street anchored by a 24-hour Walmart Supercenter. The city then announced that it was in negotiations with Ainbinder Company to provide a tax abatement for infrastructure improvements under a “380 Agreement”. Houston City Council is set to vote on the 380 Agreement this Wednesday.
Section 380 of the Texas Government Code allows municipalities to give tax abatements to developers outside of tax increment reinvestment zones in order to promote economic development and to stimulate business and commercial activity in the municipality. The City of Houston has claimed that the 380 Agreement was a means by which the City could address community concerns regarding the impact of a 24-Hour Walmart Supercenter.
There has been no evidence that this 380 Agreement will promote economic development. Remarkably, the developer has conceded that it does not need the 380 Agreement, and the City of Houston has stated that they proposed the 380 Agreement as a way to finance certain street improvements. A recent economic impact study commission by RUDH concluded that the proposed store will provide no sales tax revenue to the City of Houston that would justify incentives through a 380 Agreement. Nick Urbano, President of RUDH, noted that “the City is not promoting economic development when it is providing a tax abatement for a development that does not need one in order to be built.”
RUDH has also expressed concern beyond the very premise for the 380 Agreement. On Friday, the organization issued an extensive analysis of the 380 Agreement. Urbano called the agreement “incredibly one-sided” in favor of the developer. While recent statements from Houston Mayor Annise Parker claim the reimbursements would be capped at 6 million, the written proposal states that the City’s Chief Development Officer, appointed by the Mayor, can agree with the developer to go over budget without limit and without City Council approval. The 380 Agreement also gives the developer $300,000.00 for drainage improvements on the developer’s own property, and gives the developer the option to leave out community improvements that are not required for the development.
Responsible Urban Development for Houston met with city official last Wednesday to discuss additional concessions that should be added to the agreement to create more public benefits. Those suggestions and the analysis of the 380 Agreement can be found at www.stopheightswalmart.org. Additional information about the current 380 agreement can be found on the City of Houston website at www.houstontx.gov/koehler. RUDH hopes the City of Houston will make significant revisions to the 380 Agreement and will delay Wednesday’s vote in order to give the community adequate time to respond.
About Responsible Urban Development for Houston, RUDH
We are a community organization devoted to preserving the character, traditions, and appearance of the Heights and West End neighborhoods in Houston. It is our goal to represent our neighbors before local government and to educate the community about the potential impacts of real estate development on our infrastructure, environment, taxpayer-funded public services, and quality of life. We are a non-profit, grassroots organization. For more information, visit www.rudh.org.
Contact: Nick Urbano
Phone: 832-754-5648
Email: info@stopheightswalmart.org
###
A 380 Executive Summary is available HERE.
This week, the Koehler Project 380 is up before the city council. RUDH is currently against the 380 in its current form.
We’ve submitted documents with community recommendations, issues, and concerns to the Major and are eagerly awaiting a revised 380 agreement. In the meantime, if you haven’t had the chance to peruse the documents submitted, we encourage you to read previous posts and the documents attached.
If you’d like a 1 Page overview of why the 380 deal is bad for the city (not just Heights/West end) in current form, then feel free to read our “Heights Walmart & the 380 – THE REAL DEAL” overview.
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