Black group seethes over Jordan Park 'switch'

By JAMES HARPER

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 20, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Coalition of African-American Leadership blasted the St. Petersburg Housing Authority on Saturday for what it called a "bait and switch" approach to redeveloping Jordan Park.

In a five-page letter approved at the coalition's fourth annual community convention -- attended by about 125 people -- coalition chairman Lou Brown said the housing authority has ignored community recommendations so that it can shape the project for the benefit of profit-making outsiders.

The coalition, an umbrella group that was formed soon after the 1996 civil disturbances, initially supported Hope VI, the name for the federally financed redevelopment of St. Petersburg's oldest and largest public housing complex.

The coalition had hoped "to see Hope VI funds used to improve not only the physical plan of Jordan Park but (also) the lives of its residents and the lives of those of the surrounding community," the letter said.

"The project that was sold to the community, sadly, does not appear to be the project received."

First, the coalition complains that the authority approved a plan for Jordan Park that was developed with community input, then later changed to a much different plan to move more poor people out of the neighborhood.

Then, the coalition was told it could serve on a Community Task Force that would oversee the redevelopment -- only to learn that the task force had influence only over the $2-million social services portion of what will be at least a $50-million project.

The construction portion is being overseen by a different committee that "has no grass-roots members," Brown said. "To say we felt duped is an understatement."

The coalition also complains that its views on the committee that selected the private developer that will rebuild and own Jordan Park were misrepresented. The authority has said the committee "unanimously" chose a partnership led by Landex Corp. of Baltimore. But Rodney Bennett, the coalition's representative on that committee, said no such vote was taken. Instead, members simply ranked the competing developers' qualifications.

Bennett and the coalition would have preferred another developer who had worked to bring in local non-profit partners so that more money would stay in the local community.

Because of its frustration, the coalition said it is resigning from the Community Task Force and any other committee having to do with Hope VI.

Authority chairman J.W. Cate and executive director Darrell Irions could not be reached for comment Saturday evening. Authority spokeswoman Julie Williamson said the authority has gotten positive feedback from various groups in the community. "And our first concern is for the residents of Jordan Park."

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