by Jonathan Rich in Development and Zoning, Housing
Posted on October 31, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Last Modified on October 31, 2008 at 1:07 pm
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I just got a robo-call from the “Small Property Owners Association” telling me that I should email my alderman and demand that all condo conversion controls be eliminated. It also urged me to attend the BOA meeting on November 18.
We’ve had some discussion on this site about gentrification. Well, I can’t think of a better way to promote gentrification than to wipe out large numbers of rental units via condo conversion.
I don’t know the details of what controls are currently in place, but getting rid of them seems like the wrong direction. Also, this may just be my impresssion, but it seems to me that two-family houses that go condo tend to have less stable ownership and go on the market more frequently.
Any thoughts out there?
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I’m glad you posted this because otherwise I wouldn’t have known about the BOA meeting.
However, it is the condo conversion control that is an attack. Attack on civil liberties – and that’s when the government can tell you what and what you can do with your property.
Having controls to ensure safety is one thing (and that’s in place.) But placing governmental controls on private property to achieve social goals is communism.
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If you equate zoning regulations with communism, then I guess I’m a communist, as are most Americans. BTW, I just got a follow-up robo-call indicating that the hearing had been cancelled and would be rescheduled for after the holiday. If anyone finds out a new date, please post it.
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Clearly you have not read the proposed 2008 ordinance. You can find it here as a PDF. http://www.somervillema.gov/spotlight.cfm?id=72
Most of it deals not with zoning but with the fact that an owner has to basically provide welfare to his/her tenants – such as relocation benefits and all other nonsense.
But you’re probably right, most Americans are heading toward the mental state where they believe that the government owes them payments and benefits, without regard for the health of the economy or the country itself.
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“But placing governmental controls on private property to achieve social goals is communism”
I find this to be a ridiculous statement. Every modern nation does this. The United States has had a federal income tax since 1913 and has taken private land for railroads starting as early as the 1840′s. We do these things to “achieve social goals” – it’s called modern civilization.
If you can’t argue against a particular zoning ordinance without calling it “communism” it’s going to be difficult to convince me that your argument should be taken seriously.
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Your argument of “something has been done forever, it makes it ok “is invalid, I hope I don’t have to point out why. And despite of what you want to call it, taking away or manipulating private property for the benefit of greater good is socialist/communist idea, just like eliminating habeas corpus and a right to free trial for the greater good/security of the country is fascism..
Please read the proposed ordinance:
http://www.somervillema.gov/spotlight.cfm?id=72 and you’ll see it doesn’t deal with zoning. It asks for such things ask giving money to tenants to move out(2,000) — i think that’s pretty ridiculous.
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