My House is in an OPPORTUNITY ZONE!

Submitted by lmcshane on Tue, 04/23/2019 - 09:03.

https://fundrise.com/education/blog-posts/what-are-opportunity-zones-and-how-do-they-work?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIm5zk3Kvm4QIVkobACh3KegG4EAAYASABEgJN9fD_BwE#maps

Mr Hill's Fairfax house is in an Opportunity Zone, too!

https://www.crainscleveland.com/real-estate/opportunity-meets-opportunity-clevelands-fairfax-neighborhood No senior funds to fix your roof ~ Blaine Griffin

And, Henry Senyak's house! Should we be excited?

https://www.cleveland.com/business/2019/02/tremont-project-the-tappan-would-include-apartments-first-floor-bakery-on-scranton-road.html We're shutting you down ~Cory Riordan

No - we should be concerned because now the recognition exists that PEOPLE WILL BE DISPLACED - and those people will most likely be African-Americans, Hispanics and low-income seniors!!! And that is GOOD - because planners say so! Right, Jason?

https://thestile1972.tumblr.com/post/184270817415/displacement-by-decline

SOOOOO excited by the plans for my neighborhood!! Boo, hoo Tony Bango - you bought your house because it is in the Opportunity Zone - but then Jasmin Santana cut the funding to MetroWest. No deals and development in the Brooklyn Centre OZ.

Meanwhile, Tremont West Development Corporation wants to make the federal goverment know that they will not TOLERATE any "Inclusivity" problems in their Opportunity Zone!! Josh Rosen's "low-income" renters will be heard by TWDC!!! Bad person Henry Senyak's Lincoln Heights Block Club makes too much noise about property tax increases. Shut up Henry!! We don't like you!! (It's okay Henry - Sam Allard doesn't like me, either).

From: hsenyak
To: plainpress ; bchefsky ;
Sent: Mon, Apr 22, 2019 5:01 pm
Subject: Letter to Editor - Lincoln Heights Block Club Response to TWDC Actions.

Official response regarding the TWDC Board Action suspending recognition of and

providing support to the Lincoln Heights Block Club:

What is perplexing is that both the TWDC staff or Board cannot point to an aggrieved party that the Block Club has harmed.

Baseless claims by a development group that were explicitly made in written statements to the TWDC Board in 2018 stating our

Inherent Property Rights clause "Is a policy steeped in the history of classism and racism in America"

At no point in time since the existence of this developers complex's has anyone besides himself (Josh Rosen) raised a concern at Block

Club meetings. In the past 5 years while these large market rate apartment buildings have came online only 5 attendees

living in them signed in on attendance sign in sheets thru April 2019 at the monthly meetings.

Our sign in sheets had 53 different persons qualified for membership sign in since January 2018 thru April 2019 we provided

equal representation to everyone, business representatives, land owners, institutions, and all residents either property owners or tenants.

What is very concerning is the Lincoln Heights By-laws were amended in December 2014, why did TWDC wait to March 2018

to create a Board Resolution clarifying a "Commitment to Inclusivity" ? Perhaps during a period of time the said developer

was elected to serve as a Board Member of TWDC? In April of 2018, Mr. Rosen resigned his board seat claiming conflicts

of interest either real or perceived. Could this be all about large future development projects? Development fees? Funding?

The TWDC letter is not accurate to the amount of service time between TWDC and Lincoln Heights. The Block Club was recognized

by TWDC and services were provided for well over 25 years. Our Block Club changed its name from The Scranton - Starkweather

Block Club to the Lincoln Heights Block Club when first enacting By-laws in April 2004.

The TWDC statement said it will still provide services to residents and stakeholders in our designated service area. Do you

think the majority of our membership will be willing to contact them? This Board Action was meant to silence people from speaking

collectively through their recognized block club and to take away our members rights of due process when it comes to

zoning and planning matters. All while many of the property owners here are low income, retired, Hispanic or African Americans

many of whom are having large difficulty since new development in Tremont has jacked up their property taxes 200% to 300%

percent. Who protects their interests when they cannot afford to pay property taxes or from getting weekly letters from realtors, developers, and speculators eventually leading to foreclosures, land grabs, and further gentrification?

The TWDC Board is claiming that were are discriminating against members that do not own property. To be clear any resident living

in our service area is automatically a block club member when they attend their first meeting and sign in. The sign in sheet

does not ask if you are a property owner or tenant. All members have to meet attendance requirements prior to be granted

voting status, similar to every block club in Tremont. What is a true Definition of "Democratic Process"?

Our By-laws provide a remedy to this matter if the membership felt this was a real issue.

If this was a issue to tenants living in Sustainable's buildings. Simply all they would have to do is come in mass, attend three block club meetings,

at the forth meeting make a motion and second a motion to amend the By-laws in question. The question would go to vote at the following months meeting. If enough concerned parties attended clearly the clause could and would be removed by a 67% affirmative vote.

The Lincoln Heights Block Club voted to amend the by-laws in December 2014. We made significant changes from the originating residential

based club that first enacted By-laws in 2004, we were the first Block Club in Tremont to create By-laws. Almost every other Tremont Block Club

used some of our language as a template to create their own regulations.

Our amendments in 2014 were passed unanimously and were meant to be inclusive, we studied the relevant City Codified Ordinances,

State of Ohio Law, and the Cleveland Board of Zoning Appeals Rules and Regulations. Chapter 329.01(i) of the Cleveland Codified Ord. ,

Chapter 713.12 of the Ohio Revised Code. Both state official notification is only made to "directly affected property owners or their agents". Furthermore when it comes to being notified by Cleveland City Council Committee structures on Neighborhood Planning changes there are two very clear statements directly on the envelope "Important official notice to the property owner" and "Janitor or Tenant : Please forward without delay to owner"

Those statements have legal meaning. The best statement was made after the April 2019 Block Club meeting, by a former officer, TWDC should work with the legislative branch of the City of Cleveland to amend the official notification procedures for BZA hearings, Planning notifications and Council Committees, if it was meant for any resident (property owner or tenant) to receive notice it needs to start at the City of Cleveland. If they change

there notification policies and procedures I am sure the Block Club would follow suit and do the same based on the City's actions.

In review of each of the By-laws of other Tremont Block Club's, you can pinpoint one or two statements to be possibly discriminatory.

Why single out the Lincoln Heights Block Club, when we follow Board of Zoning Appeals rules and regulations?

We found this statement while researching caselaw.

“The right of property is the guardian of every other right and to deprive the people of this, is in fact to deprive them of their liberty.” —Arthur Lee of Virginia, 1775

Property rights are the substance of a free society. They are vital to our democracy, to our government, and to our freedom.

We again ask: To Whom are we discriminating against? We are the most diverse Block Club in Tremont. Below are our voting regulations.

Attached again are are full By-laws.

Respectfully submitted,

Henry P. Senyak

Chairperson Lincoln Heights Block Club.

Voting Regulations:

A) Voting in the Lincoln Heights Block Club is limited to the defined membership above who have attended three meetings in the prior twelve month period of that specific block club meeting.

B) Voting on inherent property rights, will be limited to membership that are owners of real property within the block club service area, which is defined as residential ownership or commercial ownership in adherence to subsection A. Inherent property rights generally require official notification from the City of Cleveland to property owners. (BZA, BBS, Planning Commission & Landmarks Commission agenda items)

Lincoln Heights Block Club By-laws
Mission Statement: The mission statement of the Lincoln Heights Block Club is to maintain and improve the quality of life for all stakeholders and be supportive of local retail businesses. Promote safety initiatives within our service area, and support prudent development that provides services consistent within the City of Cleveland definition of a Local Retail Business district within our commercial districts.
Service Area: Train Ave. / Fairfield Ave. to the north, I-90 / I-71 to the east, West 25th St. to the west, and Wade Ave. to the South.
Meetings: The block club will meet at the location designated by the block club officers. The date and time will be at the discretion of the block club officers in order to arrange meeting space facilities.
The block club will execute its meetings under Robert’s Rules of Order and this document.
Officers: Shall consist of a Chairperson & Secretary. An Ex-Officio at the discretion of the membership.
Chairperson Responsibilities:
A) Coordinate monthly meeting agendas.
B) Maintain order and procedure at monthly meetings.
C) Contact person for the block club.
D) Spokesperson for the block club to outside organizations and City officials.
E) Maintain all official block club documentation and petty cash on hand.
Secretary Responsibilities:
A) Keep and document meeting minutes. (within ten days of that scheduled meeting)
B) Keep attendance records and update membership & voting roles monthly.
C) Compose monthly Inside Tremont Newsletter updates, coordinated with chairperson.
D) Compose all block club correspondence approved by the membership and chairperson.
E) Maintain a secondary set of all official block club documentation.
Ex-Officio Responsibilities:
A) Sit on the Board of Directors of the Tremont West Development Corporation.
B) Report to the block club on the actions of the TWDC Board affecting our territory.
C) Sit on other boards recognized and approved by the block club membership.
The voting membership of the block club shall be the electors for all officers. The elected term for all officers will be for a period of 12 months. Vacancies will be filled to fulfill the current 12 month term.
All officers should arrive 30 minutes prior to the scheduled block club meeting to go over the meeting agenda and provide logistical support in setting up the meeting space.
Membership and Participation:
Block club membership is defined by the following:
A) Resident residing in the confines of the block club service area, over 18 years of age.
B) Real property owner that owns property in the service area but does not reside within.
C) Businesses and institutions within the confines of the service area can appoint one representative to represent them as a member. The representative may change from meeting to meeting to allow consistent attendance from the said business or institution.
There is an open invitation to participate in our meetings by our Elected Officials, City of Cleveland Officials, CDC Staff and Board members, Cleveland Police Department, Media, and representatives of adjacent block clubs. These participants are non-members.
All other parties would be considered guests and shall seek to be placed on the agenda of the scheduled block club meeting. Guests will only be allowed to participate within their said agenda item.
All members shall be required to sign in on the meeting membership sign in sheet.
All guests shall be required to sign in on the meeting guest sign in sheet.
Voting Regulations:
A) Voting in the Lincoln Heights Block Club is limited to the defined membership above who have attended three meetings in the prior twelve month period of that specific block club meeting.
B) Voting on inherent property rights, will be limited to membership that are owners of real property within the block club service area, which is defined as residential ownership or commercial ownership in adherence to subsection A. Inherent property rights generally require official notification from the City of Cleveland to property owners. (BZA, BBS, Planning Commission & Landmarks Commission agenda items)
C) Quorum shall be considered a majority of membership present at any given meeting.
D) By-law amendments require a special quorum of 75% of the existing voting membership at the time of proposal. Membership notification of at least 14 days, and a 67% affirmative vote. Amended By-laws will go into effect when calling the next scheduled meeting to order.
The Secretary shall maintain an active roster of the voting membership and determine eligibility for both subsection A & B. The Secretary can challenge a member in question on their voting rights. In absence of the Secretary the Chairperson shall maintain this capacity at any scheduled meeting.
Anyone seeking to place an item on the next block club agenda, either if they are a member or guest shall contact the Chairperson of the block club 14 days prior to the next scheduled meeting. If it requires a vote on inherent property rights the presenter must provide all requisite site plans, letter of non-conformance, or official agenda from the City of Cleveland Department. All voting items that transpire at the block club scheduled meetings shall require advance notification to all members of record at least 7 days prior to the scheduled meeting in partnership via TWDC.
Enacted 04/04 – Amended and approved 12/15/14