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THREAD: Lets talk about @PeteButtigieg “1,000 Homes, 1,000 Days” program. This program *was not* perfect and I am not attempting to paint it as such - but it also *did not* displace *anyone,* and is more nuanced than people seem to think.
2/First, the basics: btwn 1960 & 2010, SB population fell by almost 25%. This left thousands of homes and buildings vacant and in disrepair, which contributed to decrease in home value and rise in crime. In 2011, Buttigieg ran 4 mayor on making this top priority
3/Soon after taking office, #MayorPete created the Vacant & Abandoned Property Task Force, made up of community members, to better understand the problem. They studied the properties and released a report in 2013. Shortly after, Pete announced 1k homes https://southbendin.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Code_FinalVATF_Report_2_red.pdf
4/The report defines “vacant” homes as homes that have not been occupied for at least 90 days, and “abandoned” homes as one that is vacant with at least one code violation that has not been addressed in 30 days. Of note - both definitions include *no occupants*
5/Report also states “City should fund demolition of all severely dilapidated abandoned houses that are both unlikely to be occupied again” but that they should rehabilitate any they can. Page 6 https://southbendin.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Code_FinalVATF_Report_2_red.pdf
6/When program ended in 2015, they had addressed 1,122 houses - 427 repaired; 569 demolished; 10 deconstructed; 6 set aside for repair; 110 under contract for demolition. All were abandoned with *no one* living in them at the time. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/pdredge/pdr-edge-inpractice-011116.html
7/The city does not own the majority of the properties involved in the program (meaning they didn’t rip properties from owners), and owners of vacant homes could receive grants to make repairs, fix code violations, and make them habitable. https://southbendin.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Homeowner-Program-Guidelines.pdf
8/Quick aside to point out program ended in 2015 when Pete was running for re-election. If it was such the horrible program some have made it out to be, why did he win re-election? At the very least you’d think there would’ve been a lot of opposition https://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/Buttigieg-vies-for-second-term-as-South-Bend-mayor-340002362.html
9/As I mentioned, this program *was not* perfect. I am not trying to make it out to be, and Pete has acknowledged on multiple occasions that it wasn’t perfect - but what is important is how he acted in light of this. Couldn’t find vid, but: https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/cnn-town-halls-sanders-buttigieg-harris-warren-klobuchar/h_73cd602ab5efd1062f42e9c1da25abfc
10/Stacey Odom bought one of these houses to fix up, not knowing it was on 1k homes list. When she found out, she had trouble getting it off the list. Until she ran into Buttigieg one day: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/13/politics/pete-buttigieg-south-bend-record/index.html
11/He talked to her on the street, gave him her business card, then later “held a series of meeting with Odom and others to talk about the plan.” Odom “credits the mayor with getting her home (and 40% more) off demolition list.” A leader who listens to concerns? Sign me up.
12/ “When I saw that he was willing to help, that’s what turned me,” said Odom. “That’s what said to me, this is a man that has the potential to be president.”
13/Others have been more critical, like Regina Williams-Preston who bought 3 dilapidated houses with her husband & planned to refurbish them & either “sell them for a profit or create a business, like a daycare for local kids.” (Still CNN)
14/Her husband fell ill & was unable to renovate the houses. Eventually, these houses fell on the city’s list for demolition. Regina was unable to get those houses off the list and they were demolished as planned. She & husband *did not* live in any of the 3 houses.
15/Context is also important: Regina & husband owned *NINE* total properties and had over *$72,000* in code violations between all properties. Only 3 in question now. https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/elections/south-bend-mayoral-candidate-says-her-code-violations-will-help/article_cbd0ec12-9dfe-5422-8b90-fa72b448258a.html
16/Regina, and in turn @TheYoungTurks have also characterized the program as “displacing residents.” Unclear what they mean though considering *all* of the homes were vacant for at least 3 months to be eligible for the program.
17/It is hard to displace people from homes no one is living in. Maybe she meant because the demolished ones couldn’t be rented out? Still makes no sense - see criteria for demolition above, plus they could have been rented in months they sat empty, but they weren’t
18/Plus, don’t you think if *anyone* was actually displaced or pushed out of their home they would be talking about it? Multiple places have reported on program and not one has a quote from someone other than Regina talking about displacement. Anyway…
19/Pete & Regina have developed a working relationship & Pete launched South Bend Repair, initiative with 3 programs and more than $1M in investment. This includes grant to help homeowners make renovations small & large. https://southbendin.gov/south-bend-home-repair/
20/There have been other criticisms that this is “gentrification,” but the data shows otherwise. The houses were a blight and invited crime - after program, crime in immediate area of these houses went down.
21/There is also no evidence that anyone was displaced, either by being pushed out (remember - vacant & abandoned) or priced out. Also no evidence that it changed racial makeup of the neighborhoods in question.
22/As I’ve said, the program is not perfect. Pete has acknowledged this too & the city outlined lessons learned & steps moving forward @ end of program. What I think is important is his flexibility and willingness to listen to concerns & adjust accordingly https://southbendin.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/VA-Community-Update-Presentation.pdf
23/Economic development like this is a tough managerial decision to make, including where to use limited resources. No one says this wasn’t needed or was unnecessary, even critics. And everyone acknowledges there is still work to be done - even Pete.
