Bozzuto, the Tapeworm, the Truth?

Bozzuto, the Tapeworm, the Truth?

Columbia Heights has a Tapeworm infestation which has spread to other parts of the Ward and city. This particular species of the tapeworm specializes in sucking public benefits, wealth out of community and economic development efforts in District neighborhoods. Like its parasitic cousins which can infect humans and other animals, the symptoms can sometimes be subtle, but usually leaves the victim weak, fatigued, hungry, nauseated, with vitamin and mineral deficiencies. While rarely fatal these symptoms will leave the victim vulnerable to other predators such as Genny Crows. The tapeworm found in animals and humans is often spread via the feces of previously infected animals, often when food preparers fail to operate with clean hands. The community development version is most often spread through city land disposition deals when DMPED fails to operate with clean hands. Controlling the spread of tapeworms is done through attacking the vectors which lead to their spread and treating infected victims with a medicine called praziquantel. The community development variety can only be controlled by eliminating DMPED’s Real Estate office (defund it) and removing all public subsidies from current deals in violation of their community benefit commitments.

Several years ago, DMPED conspired to allow Donatelli Development to use project community benefit funds to help pay Bozzuto Development as property manager at Highland Park to ensure the highest possible rents possible for the project. These community benefit funds were proffered to support neighborhood community development projects such as farmers markets, streetscape maintenance, small business development and youth entrepreneurial programs. The fund was to come from 5% of yearly net project rental revenues. That fund when including Highland Park I & II and Kenyon Square should equal about $100K per year about one tenth of what the Developer will receive in tax abatements this year. Compare that number to the conditions of the streetscape immediately adjacent to these publicly subsidized projects and you can get a sense of the nature of the impact and symptoms when your community has a Tapeworm or the vacant store fronts at Park Place and Park 7. Higher rental prices and lower quantity and quality public amenities. 

Speaking of public amenities and/or benefits negotiated or management under DMPED’s Real Estate group, public dollars either pays for or offsite these benefits and amenities at a ratio of greater than 1 to 1. The developer does not pay. In fact, this means the Tapeworm profits from providing(not) public benefits and amenities, the tape worm does not pay for them. When you consider the salaries and support for the Real East group and their role as a tapeworm vector, the city would save money and get better community benefits, amenities and affordable housing just handing out deeds for public lands randomly on a street corner than negotiating deals disposition deals through DMPED’s Real Estate group. The tapeworm is spread now to Hill East, let the sucking there now begin. Watch were you step, the tapeworm can spread through feces.

In this budget year it's time to defund DMPED's Real State Group.