This is what Ethnic Cleansing looks like

The City of Houston spent over $410,000 taking some houses right next to the African American Library at Gregory. Of course the houses are from the 1930s and made up some of the 550 contributing structures when the neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic places back in 1985. (see: Nat’l Register listing) Using eminent domain, the city pushed out two African American families and one Latino family. See the document showing  that right here:

The City could be earning over $1,400 a month in rents from these properties, but instead of fixing up the houses, they’ve left them deteriorate, making them an eyesore:

In fact Dr. Rhea Lawson:

the director of the Houston Public Library who signed the document to take the houses, is responsible for destroying more than one African American family’s life. Here’s the press conference from when the last family got kicked out in December 2009 (note the Gregory Library in the background):

Tune in Wednesday October 13 to Connect the Dots

This coming Wednesday, October 13, at 3:30 we will be on Robert Muhammad’s radio show Connect the Dots. The show is broadcast on KPFT at 90.1 FM and it also can be streamed live on their website and for up to 15 days on their archive page.

Host Robert Muhammad tells it like it is.

 

Library claims 50 visits a week! Cost to taxpayer: over $168 / visitor

The City of Houston’s Fourth Ward website claims that the Gregory Library, which was renovated for over $11 million dollars of taxpayer funds, is getting 50 or more visits per week! Please see Houston Chronicle: $11 million for renovation article for that cost citation.

By taking the Gregory Library’s current salaries (see document: Gregory Library budget 2010) of $437,405 and dividing it by 52 weeks per year, we see that it costs the taxpayers $8,411.00 per week just for library salaries. Then when we divide that $8,400 plus dollars per week by 50 visitors, we come out to a cost of $168+ per visitor.

That $168 per visitor figure is very conservative because that overhead does not include things like insurance on the building, security guards, and utilities. Once we obtain the data on those costs we will get the actual taxpayer cost of each library visitor.

Can you spell tax dollar boondoggle?

Artist sketch of Gregory Library