BFA Audio: Interview with Mark Stevens on Wilson Street Urban Farm
Interesting interview with Mark Stevens…he and his family are just trying to make a difference.
The most interesting comments were in reference to the city’s claim that the land has already been marked for use by Habitat for Humanity for new homes as part of the reason for the denial of the Stevens’ request to purchase and develop the land for farming.
From the Buffalo News yesterday…
City Economic Development Commissioner Brian Reilly defended the decision by his department’s Land Use Planning Committee to reject the Stevenses’ request to buy the land. Some of the parcels on Wilson Street will likely be used for new homes through the Habitat for Humanity program, he said.
After reading this in the News, Mr. Stevens contacted the HFH president…the HFH would be willing to modify any plans they have to accomodate the Stevens and nothing is set in stone.
Listen to interview…
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(for whatever reason, I was having phone issues today…some of audio is a bit garbled…sorry…such is the life of a citizen journalist)
BFA is working on a plan to help spread the word about the plan and to win its approval by the city…stay tuned.
[originally posted on BFA]
[...] there. (Reilly suggested that Habitat for Humanity already had their eyes on the lot, although Chris Byrd at In Da Buff learned yesterday from Stevens that Habitat would he happy to change their plans to accommodate an [...]
I have long watched in dismay as Bflo housing vacancies have steadily increased, from 15,500 in 1990, to 22854 in 2000, as heavily-subsidized construction of flimsy “newbuilds” has been relentless.
I cannot find it now, but recall reading that new Census estimates projecvt 28000 current housing vacancies.
In this context why is Habitat, of all people, building new housing on an “alley” where new home owneres will look at ugly garage doors from their front porches.
In a city with 14,000 vacant lots . . and adding 1000 more annually if Byron Brown’s demolition plan holds . . . why is Habitat building new houses on such an ugly street?
Urban farming makes far more sense in that locale.