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Two Perspectives on the ACC Commission's Block Grant Vote
(Each One Critical, but for Different Reasons)
Unanswered Questions
Somebody, please help me under
stand the rationale of the Athens-Clarke
County Commission for the recent vote to
cut funding to the Hancock Community
Development Corporation (HCDC) and the
East Athens Development Corporation (EADC).
Commissioners said that $255,000 in federal
block grant money earmarked for the two
nonprofit organizations, located in the heart
of the county's largest minority-populated
communities, had to be shifted because of the
lack of success the organizations were having
with home-buying counseling programs.
According to Athens-Clarke Human and
Economic Development Department data,
over the last nine months the two organiza
tions have provided home-buying counseling
services to a total of 116 people, and five of
them purchased homes.
"We can't justify spending that type of
money for such little results. Their success
rate is atrocious," Commissioner Andy Herod
was quoted in the Athens Banner-Herald.
Well, considering the state of the U.S.
economy, I would say the success rate of HCDC
and EADC is pretty darn good. The nation is in
the midst of a recession primarily because the
housing market is in a downward spiral. Yet,
five low-income residents who took a home
buying counseling course were able to secure
loans and achieve the American dream of
home ownership. Plus, they did it in a climate
that makes securing a mortgage almost impos
sible, even for people with good credit.
Another measure of success that should
be considered is the return on investment.
The two nonprofits had a total of $255,000
to teach the poor how to purchase a house.
According to City-Data.com, the median
pnce for a vacant house in Athens-Clarke is
$146,000. But, for the sake of argument,
let's say the people who went through these
classes purchased on the low end: $111,300.
Using that figure, the total value of the five
homes purchased by the EADC and HCDC
counselees was $556,500. Please tell me how
taking money from those two agencies and
giving more to Leisure Services and ACTION,
Inc. will result in an equal or greater return on
the dollar.
Leisure Services will use $95,000 to build
a playground at Dudley Park. For years Dudley
Park was neglected, just like the poor and
black people whose houses abutted it. Now,
thanks to gentrification, the neighborhood
is wealthier and whiter, and I guess jungle
gyms and sliding boards are needed so abject
poverty never returns. Couldn't federal money
earmarked to help the poor be utilized better
by building people and not playgrounds?
The poor could benefit from emergency
home repair services. That is why the county
commission wants to redirect $190,000 to the
nonprofit ACTION, Inc. But I have two ques
tions about this weil-intended move. One.
what constitutes an "emergency," and what
about non-emergency repairs needed to make
a home more livable? Two. what if the cost of
the repairs is greater than the grant amount
available? Might not these individuals be bet
ter off enrolling in a home-buyers' program,
selling their houses and using the proceeds to
purchase new abodes?
Also, if EADC and HCDC are losing funds
because of questionable performance, then
why is the county giving ACTION, Inc. nearly
$200,000? Just a few years ago, that agency
dominated local headlines because of financial
mismanagement. The situation was so bad
that state agencies were forbidden from con
tracting with ACTION for services.
Last, but not least, what does reducing
the funding to two minority-operated, low-
income-serving nonprofits say about local
government's commitment to the OneAthens
movement to reduce poverty? The provision
of housing counseling is one of the strategies
this community feels will help move people
up the economic ladder. Yet, two days after
OneAthens unveiled its plans to the entire
community, one of the co-convenors, the
Athens-Clarke County government, pulled the
plug on two home-buying counseling provid
ers. Can anyone spell "hypocrisy?"
Like I said, the action of the Commission
raises many questions. But it may have
answered at least one. When the Partnership
for a Prosperous Athens, now OneAthens, was
started two years ago there was one scary
question that reverberated throughout the
black community: "Will black-operated non
profits, like EADC and HCDC, lose funding and
possibly have to cease operation?" It looks
like the answer to that one is yes.
Rick Dunn
Rick Dunn is in his 25th year as the host of
“Community Forum” on WBKZ 880 AM The show airs
Saturdays from 9-10:30 a m
All About Process
This publication has covered the Athens-
Clarke County Commission's recent vote
to cut massive funds from two community
organizations, the East Athens Development
Corporation and the Hancock Community
Development Corporation. I will not rehash my
dissent with that decision (covered in great
detail at behindtherail.blogspot.com), except
to point out that we all agree that these orga
nizations need substantial and perhaps radi
cal overhaul. This issue, at least to me, is all
about open and democratic process.
I believe this government is committed to
being an open and transparent government.
However, we, as elected officials, deal with
scarce public resources on a daily basis, and it
is always painful to imagine ttiose funds being
used inefficiently. I believe it was that frustra
tion that prompted the Commission to act so
suddenly and aggressively. Certainly, this body
cares deeply about our poverty issues and
never intended to create resentment from our
community. Specifically, Commissioner Kinman
must have agonized over this difficult deci
sion and I completely respect her motives for
her desire to redirect these funds. It is a great
source of pride to serve with a colleague with
unwavering compassion and commitment to
the greater good and needs of our community.
However, no matter how strong we feel our
mandate to be, we must always adhere to the
essential principles of openness and direct cit
izen involvement. Here, we did not live up to
that standard. I believe we should have, and
that if we had, we would have accomplished
far more to help impoverished Athenians.
Because government staff, the organizations,
the public and even many commissioners
did not know this was coming, there was no
opportunity for dialogue about this decision.
And boy, do we need some dialogue.
With all due respect to the directors of
these organizations, I believe that many in
the black community are frustrated beyond
measure by the directions EADC and HCDC
have taken. The few numbers we receive on
their successes fall short, and I question the
spending habits of these groups in several
categories.
However, these organizations serve as
conduits of power and government access for
citizens that often are marginalized and voice
less. The Commission cut off those voices with
closed-door decision-making without giving
them a chance to respond, without giving the
community a chance to react. And there is the
most essential issue.
I believe the community has a lot to say,
but has not felt empowered to say it. We have
an opportunity to change that, to prove that
we are willing and able to listen and then
to act. People living in poverty do not want
to be told how to solve their problems. They
want power-sharing sufficient enough for
them to connect with our government and
allow for true and lasting generational change.
Dismantling two of the few organizations that
have the potential to provide that is not only
a step backwards, but a slap in the face to the
entire community.
Does that mean that because I believe
that these organizations can be centers of
empowerment, we should go easy on them?
That we should accept poor performance?
Absolutely not. That is in itself condescending
and paternalistic. That is why I am asking the
Commission to reconsider its vote on these
organizations. In return, I offer the following
proposal:
These organizations will present a reor
ganization plan to Mayor Davison and the
Commission that will outline a process for real
change and benchmarks for continued success.
Upon the Commission's acceptance of this
plan, funds will be released to each organiza
tion. However, they will be required to make
quarterly reports to us and we will review
them after six months. If, at that time, we do
not believe they have been able to achieve
success we will have the option to do exactly
as we did at our last voting meeting: cut them
off. But this time, such a funding cut would
come after proper notice and public participa
tion in the process.
In addition to working to promote the suc
cess of these o.ganizations, I believe we will
begin down the long road of real dialogue and
understanding within our community. What a
gift that will be to our community, as difficult
a conversation as jt might be. I have tremen
dous faith in our community, and a strong
conviction that our leaders have the will to
help forge ahead. So long as we hold steady to
the ideals of transparent and inclusive govern
ment. we all have a bright future together.
Elton Dodson
Elton Dodson was elected in 2004 as the 10th District
Super-Commissioner for Athens-Clarke County
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