Cleveland News: Mayor Frank Jackson on The Cleveland Schools and the Medical Mart

In Cleveland news today, Mayor Jackson's comments on the Medical Mart and improving Cleveland's schools. His comments are covered in an article on Newsnet5's website. He explains why he feels the Med Mart will bring on a spin off in manufacturing jobs. Again, I don't think any of us were questioning the positives of a Med Mart, just how it was going to be funded. Peace Out - 3C

Cleveland News: Sheryl Crow Concert a Perfect Ending to July

After a full day of work in real estate, the last thing I could have imagined was going to a concert at the Scene Pavilion. Okay, the PD Pavilion. Had an unexpected invitation to see Sheryl Crow perform there and that was an offer I could not possibly refuse. Thank you Mark and Cyril for the invitation.

Sheryl Crow still inspires, still sings with that smoky, lush voice that hasn't lost it's luster. She seemed wonderfully healthy after her 2006 bout with cancer. And her band is phenomenal. Due to the wonders of the Internet, you can see photos from tonight's (okay, last night's) concert on her official website here.

I fantasize about still going to concerts when I am 85. As I gazed at the Bingham and the Federal Court House, the River and the beautiful moon tonight, I wondered at how fabulous our City's resources are; the natural beauty, the man made wonders that are the iron bridges and the architecture. I hope we never squander those resources for any reason. Peace Out - 3C

New Ohio City Eatery, 'Light Bistro' Opens

A very interesting menu, at this new eatery. What caught my eye immediately was the eggplant flan. That is enough to make me want to skip my Thursday evening appointment and go try it! (I will be good and not do that however lol). The chef worked in Aurora as Exec. Chef of The Leopard. You can check out a Crain's Cleveland review here and you can also check out their website: lightbistro.com.

On the website Chef Matt talks about featuring food prepared from scratch (who doesn't love that!) and a diverse menu, everything from Louisiana fare to as he says 'decidedly Midwest' meals. Yum! I'm ready, are you? In my next life I am going to be a restaurant critic so I can eat my way through Cleveland :-) They have regular or 'large' meals as well as tasting plate sized meals, which would be a great way to sample the menu. Check it out, and welcome to Ohio City Light Bistro.

Rock Hall Has Money For Redesign But Not For Concerts?

Is Rock and Roll about music or buildings? I love the design of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, don't get me wrong. But it's Spring and they announced they don't have money to host the annual Festival this year. But they want to spend money to redesign the interior of the Museum? Crain's Cleveland's had this news story this morning. It's supposed to (the redesign) help improve traffic flow inside the building. I would imagine losing visitors by not hosting concerts could also help traffic flow.

I've been to exhibit opening nights when a few thousand people are there; I stopped by for a while during one of the free Staind concerts a few years back. Lot's of people, not feeling overwhelmingly crowded inside. What am I missing here? Sigh. Peace Out - 3C

Mayor Jackson Announces the Clean Cleveland Initiative

My parents (and their siblings) were very serious about Spring cleaning. They washed walls, curtains, blinds, driveways, the street got swept! Turns out the City of Cleveland is going to start doing some Spring Cleaning of it's own. Maybe this is not a new initiative, but, it's the first I've heard of it.

The Clean Cleveland Initiative kicked off today. Apparently we can expect to see various City departments at work giving Cleveland a good Spring cleaning (this is what it says on the City website).

Along with that, they want residents to be the 'eyes and ears' for them. For example:

1. Report high weeds, graffiti, traffic light outages, abandoned vehicles, etc.
2. Report illegal activity (!) around abandoned buildings

You know how there can be vacant or abandoned lots and the back sides of shopping strips that seem to be magnets for people to dump trash? The City would like us to call 216-664-DUMP (3867) and report illegal dumping.

I guess it's time for me to get out and clean up my yard for the first time this year. Not to mention trim back the wild rose bushes before they start to sprout. Now while we are all cleaning up, apparently we will have company...City workers! Well, from 8am to 4pm anyway lol.

If you want to commend (or otherwise) any of the work that is done by the various City departments, you can call The Clean Cleveland Hot line at 216-664-2510 or you can email them at: cityofchoice@city.cleveland.oh.us.

Peace Out - 3C

Ohio's 2006 Foreclosure Rates Jump 24% in One Year

The stats are "in" for 2006 on foreclosures and they are not going to make you happy. Depending on whether or not you use the measure of the Mortgage Bankers Assn. (which says we are first in foreclosures for 2006) or RealtyTrac (which says Ohio is 8th), the rise in precentages is mind blowing. The number of new cases rose 24% in one year. Policy Matters released their figures this week and in Cuyahoga County alone, there were 13,610 new foreclosures.

I was alerted to this in an article on Cleveland.com, written by Plain Dealer reporter Thomas Ott. I blogged before about the NeighborWorks program, and this article talks about a case involving Adjustable Rate (ARM) mortgages. A few years ago, while interest rates were about 5.5% on the National Level, people were getting ARMs for 10-14% interest rates.

Cuyahoga County Commissioners Dimora, Hagan and Jones issued a report (in pdf here) based on calls, meetings, public meetings and discussions. It's worth a read.

Folks, all I can say is, please contact one of these programs before it gets to the critical stage! It only takes about three months of missed payments for things to spiral out of control. And I have to say again, if the only way you can buy a home is to pay 13% interest rates when the going rate is 6.06)% (as of today), please wait until you can qualify for a much lower rate. The County Program is called 'Don't Borrow Trouble,' and if you have any inkling that you might have difficulty making your payments in the future, even for a few months, please call them at: 216-436-2000. There is also a United Way hot line and you can reach it by simply dialing 211.

Other relevant posts:
Professor Kathleen Engel discusses predatory lending
What to Look Out For: Avoid Predatory Lending

March 28th Follow Up: PD Reporter Ott has a very interesting follow up article you can read on Cleveland.com. It deals with a law proposed in Ohio to require lenders who foreclose on homes to file their deeds - maybe I am naive, I didn't know this was not required! I know Title technically does not transfer to new owners until the title is filed at the Court house...at least for us 'regular' people. This is a great article dealing with the thorny issue Cleveland has had to deal with, tracking down owners of long abandoned buildings, collecting taxes, etc.

Peace Out - 3C

Grandmaster Flash, Aretha Franklin, Keith Richards and Eddie Vedder are in NYC ....Why Oh Why are They NOT In Cleveland!

I know New York City is the mecca; I know rock stars expect glitz. But come on, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is in Cleveland everybody! The annual ceremony needs to be here. They want good acoustics? Hold it at Severance Hall! I'm not loving the fact that Grandmaster Flash and Aretha Franklin and Eddie Vedder are in NYC inducting people and we don't reap the full benefit. Van Halen can stay in NYC for all I care (sorry to all their fans but they suck!) I know Cleveland is lobbying, but step it up guys....if Cleveland was good enough to house the Rock and Roll 'stuff,' then it's the place to have the ceremony! Okay, I'm off my soapbox...for now. (Image courtesy of Cleveland.com) Peace Out - 3C

The Ronettes are being inducted tonight - enjoy the music video!

Third Annual Ohio Rail/Transit Summit March 7th In Columbus

Sometimes one thought leads to another and that is what happened to get me to this post. First, All Aboard Ohio is having their Third Annual Ohio Rail/Transit Summit in Columbus tomorrow. It's a morning chock full of information, judging from the agenda, and an afternoon of lobbying for The Ohio Hub Plan ! If you can attend, it's still not too late to sign up (you can even do it on the website through paypal). If you have followed the news (or just stopped at a gas station today), you know prices are on their way up again. We need improved public transportation and we need the Ohio Hub Initiative.

While I was on All Aboard Ohio's website, I noticed their link to Better World Club. Thus my 'second thought' for this post. Remember the Un Cola (7Up)? Well, Better World touts itself as the auto club to join, as opposed to that triple A one lol. They donate 1% of their revenue (yearly? monthly?) to support of environmental causes. They provide gas purchase discounts and check this out, discounts on purchases of hybrid cars? Okay, I'm signing up for their regular email newsletter called Kicking Asphalt. I can't resist.

How can you not get excited about transportation issues. Peace Out - 3C - The Transportation Geek

Train Song Medley

Free Wireless Internet Connection to Be Provided by City of Cleveland

I think it's great, free wireless. As a matter of fact, a company is doing just that now for the city of San Francisco. All individuals will have to do is supply the router. The story is here.

Makes me think we might actually be on the cutting edge if we are getting it during the same year as a large California city :-) Peace Out - 3C

April 7, 2007 Update:

Read these links to see the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog and the Sun News report by Ken Prendergast that Mayor Jackson's plan to provide the free wireless service City-wide was approved by the Public Utilities Commission and a Council Committee. So far there have not been any 'down sides' noted in putting this plan into action, and the provider who wins the bid to do this is not going to be franchised with the City of Cleveland. Check it out.

Eminent Domain and Cleveland's Innerbelt Plan

Eminent Domain can be an issue for residents and business owners alike. Familiar with the term? Eminent Domain is when property is 'taken' by a government, usually at a fair market price to the owner of that property. Oh, and just because they are going to get a fair market price doesn't mean said property owner is pleased about the idea! Lakewood Ohio residents had to become familiar with this issue quickly when the City Mayor and Council liked a mixed use development plan proposed by a developer; they declared a swath of homes and businesses in Western Lakewood blighted so they could tear existing property down in order to make way for this development. I wrote about how this mobilized the Lakewood community. The plan did not move forward. But people in Lakewood have stayed mobilized! Lakewood City government peeps said it was for the public good, but it was an attempt to use eminent domain in a way that was non-traditional. It has been successful for example, when used to build schools or roads. Which brings me to the most recent use of it.

The Innerbelt Plan or redesign has been in the works, and now the beginning of the project seems to be starting. Business owners in the affected areas have been sent letters by The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) stating their property is being 'taken' and they will be offered fair market value for them. Crain's Cleveland tells the story and interviews a few commercial property owners here. No matter what the public good, it's always a dicey issue, especially for the property owners involved.

Well, not always. I recall living in Rockville Maryland when a block of residents in that city's east side tried to get all the homeowners to assemble their properties so that block, already near transit and commercial development, could be rezoned commercial; allowing them to get a pretty price for their property. That did not work in this case, but it has worked in other areas. I am always intrigued at the number of times this issue reappears. In any event, ODOT (to get back to the latest story) did say that if a building/business owner could show why waiting until the timetable ODOT had established to purchase their property was going to provide undue hardship, it might be possible to buy the property sooner. The Innerbelt Plan itself can be followed here. Peace Out - 3C

2/28/07 - Oddly enough, there is a short blub about eminent domain on the NAR 'on line' magazine website today - good facts, recent court decisions, etc.

Cleveland Residency Laws Part Two

Got back onto Cleveland.com's forum as people discussed the residency laws. One 'thread' talks about people not living in Cleveland then not doing their jobs well (i.e., police). I find that one hard to believe, it's a tough job. Would someone really not do their best as a policeman because they don't live in the same community?

I thought the idea was to put City workers in the City so they could become involved in every aspect of their communites, a win-win situation for them and the rest of us residents. I don't really believe the residency law is about public safety workers not caring about us. Anyway, you can decide for yourself, and read all the other comments on the Forum.
Peace Out - 3C

Judge Rules Against Cleveland's Residency Laws

Crain's Cleveland website edition has an article written by Jay Miller regarding a Common Pleas Court decision today that supports Ohio Legislation blocking Cleveland's right to require people reside where they work. Another article from Cleveland.com

The Judge brings up the point that the City of Cleveland can still offer strong incentives for people to live in Cleveland and work in Cleveland. The City of Cleveland vows to continue the fight.

Personally, I think Cleveland already offers a lot of what I need to live here: walkable neighborhoods, affordable taxes, schools with a broad spectrum of classes and great teachers, and a beautiful housing stock with character, built in the days when pride in construction was the norm.
Peace Out - 3C

Don't Throw It Away, Freecycle

A big shout out today to a blogging buddy of mine from Connecticut, Linda Davis. She posted on her Ledyard Connecticut blog about Freecycle. It was a new concept to me, I'm sure some of you already know about it. Freecycling means you don't throw it away, you give it away. There is a Freecycle Cleveland group on line. I love Plugged In Cleveland and advertise my listings there. They also have a Freecycle section. Learn all about Freecycle on their official website. When I go to their finder page I find groups in places all over Ohio, the closest ones being in Ashtabula, Akron, Brunswick and Independence.

There are many Yahoo! Groups for Freecycling. Here's one from Lakewood. Seems worth checking out. This is so good it almost makes me want to start de-cluttering! Peace Out-3C

Forget Neither 'Rain Nor Sleet Nor Snow'', The Mail Delivery Can Wait!

There was a story in today's Plain Dealer about mail service during our recent Valentine's Day snowstorm. I know we did not have delivery on the 15th. My Cleveland street was snow covered beyond belief. This was due to cars parked in the street, making it impossible for a plow to do anything substantive with the snow. At one point that day I saw a small City of Lakewood pick up truck with a plow trying to make at least a path on the street - I don't know if the City asked this person to do it or he/she was just being kind lol.

Back to the mail delivery. There was nowhere to park a mail truck. I did not expect my long time mailman Mike to deliver mail that day in such treacherous conditions. Maybe it's just me, but I think cars should be off the street during a snow emergency. Ask a neighbor if you can park your car in their driveway. I know I would have been happy to allow one or two more cars in my driveway. First it keeps the driveway somewhat clean! Secondly and more importantly, the City snowplow can then come by and do the street justice. Just my humble opinion.

Today's musical selection? Song For A Winter's Night provided by Stonewall Studios.

Peace Out 3C

Enjoying the Valentine's Day 2007 Snowfall in Cleveland

Some of us had snow days today. It was like being a school kid again with the day off! I HAD to post these photos, sent off to me by my listing partner, Belinda Bonoan. She and her two sons made the most of the day off by playing in the snow. Somehow snow doesn't seem so bad when you get one large snowfall a season (do I sound overly optimistic? The many ground hogs told us that winter will be short.) Even Dick Goddard our long time weatherman, predicted a change in the jet stream that will warm things up beginning on February 20th (!!!)

Belinda and her sons found a way to enjoy themselves. I smile at the photo of Belinda and Tyler in their igloo. Looks like fun, no?

Then we have the value of recycling, while featuring son Ian snowboarding. Our Company is now Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer because Smythe Cramer and Howard Hanna merged a few years ago. What to do with old yard signs? Apparently they work well for snowboarding :-)

Listen to some Smokey Robinson to celebrate the Day.
Peace Out - 3C

What's Faster Than a Speeding Bullet? The Ohio Hub Train

It seems there are more things to do today than there are hours, which must be why I am up at 5 o'clock in the morning. So let's feature a video. One of my passions, the proposed 3C Corridor Plan/Ohio Hub Initiative. All Aboard Ohio's website is the place to find out the most recent news and details. Read my Active Rain post on The Hub and when you get to the bottom of the comment list you will find a way to support this project. You need Quick Time in order to watch this video. It features fast trains (110 mph) and as the narrator says ".....5000 HP jet engine bullet that can get you anywhere in Ohio in an hour or two....." This is definitely, they say, "Not Your Daddy's Train." Climb on board and Enjoy the video!!

Steelyard Commons: Tax Money Trouble In Paradise?

While everyone basks in the glow of the new Steelyard Commons, a glitch has been discovered. Susan Vinella reports in the Plain Dealer this morning that the tax monies Cleveland was expecting from Steelyard Commons may not be there after all, at least for the next ten years. When you participate in Brownfield Remediation of a site, the State of Ohio allows you to receive a tax break for doing so. It's not that this is a bad thing, but my immediate reaction is, how could our City Government not know this ahead of time when they are formalizing agreements to plan development projects? According to the PD article, Mitchell Schneider, the projects developer is working with the City to try to get some of the tax monies to the City. But many of the stores (Target, Walmart) are already on board with the abatement available to them. By the way, this money was earmarked for continued improvements to the Towpath and Bike Paths, among other things.

I guess this adds to the discussion about the value of tax abatement to cities like Cleveland. In this case, brownfield remediation would be a smart reason to allow them. It amazes me that Cleveland could be blindsided in this way. I'm a layperson and if I am aware of tax abatement available for remediation then why would those hired to work on City Planning not be more aware? Shouldn't this have been part of the negotiations up front? Again according to the Vinella article, Cleveland claims to have discovered the loopholes/ramifications of this issue 'late last year.' That means just a few months before Steelyard Commons is ready for business?

Peace Out - 3C

Cleveland City Council to Consider Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving

This article on male infertility because of cell phone use aside, I think most of us consider our cell phones a way of life. As a Realtor® I cannot imagine not having one. I know that Brooklyn, Walton Hills and North Olmsted don't allow me to use it while I'm speeding, er, driving down the road - may as well stay within the letter of the law! Of course common sense has to come into play even when I'm in a community that DOES allow it. I know the State of New York passed a ban; I wonder how that is working there?
Why am I bringing this up now? Well, Councilman Dolan (Ward 21) has introduced legislation to ban cell phone use while driving, in the City of Cleveland. You could spend a couple of months in jail (probably unlikely) or many hundreds of dollars in fines (much more likely). My opinion? There are people who pay too little attention to their driving, be they on the cell phone, applying makeup, fishing for some mysterious file under the seat (is it not amazing how frequently we see that?). Banning cell phone use still does not preclude someone from being stupidly distracted in a different way. I would have loved to link to the City Council page here but their site is still not working (I will add it if that changes anytime soon). OK good news, the City Council Website is now up and running.

My last bit about cell phones is a shout out to Michele Connors post on Active Rain today regarding the Do Not Call Registry. You can get all the details from her post, but the synopsis is this. You may like telemarketer calls, but if you don't, or don't want to pay for cell phone minutes while listening to a telemarketer, you can call the Do Not Call Registry at: 888-382-1222.

In less than two weeks, telemarketers will legally be allowed to solicit on cell phones and that is a big change in policy. So this is a heads up. When you call the number above, make sure you are calling from the phone you want to register. The registration is good for five years. The website has complaint forms you can use when telemarketers call you (once you are on the Registry List of course). If you would like information on the general Do Not Call Registry for land line phones check the FTC site here.

A little music to lighten things up, thanks to Travis Tritt.

Peace Out - 3C

Net Neutrality,The FCC & John McCain...What a Combo!

I wrote a blog post on John McCain's Bill (HR 1606) which is aimed at regulating the Internet (it's a House Bill that he supported and now I am doing what the media does, saying it is his bill). The main 'hot button' is the issue of on line child predators, with a little copyright infringement thrown in. What happens too often when the government gets involved? The issue has now become one of Net Neutrality . There was an Amendment proposed, which got defeated last month. Final vote on this Bill is to take place in June 2007. Do we want the government involved in regulating the Internet? We know how well the FCC does with it's regulations (yes I am being sarcastic). The FCC would of course be responsible for policing this legislation. I give a big shout out to the CNET article I highlighted above. They discuss all the amendments to this Bill (which when all is said and done will have a new SB number). Quite a few of these amendments are still 'in committee.' People as diverse as movie stars and Vint Cerf (who helped invent the Internet) all believe in net neutrality, which really means equal treatment of all sites on the Internet. The question isn't really should all sites be considered equally (blogs and websites, for example), but should it be self policing, while adhering to the existing laws (copyright infringement for example), or should the government get in the middle of it with new laws and enforcement rights. At the last minute, an amendment was introduced by Lamar Smith of Texas that said none of the Anti Trust laws would be changed in a way that would interfere with District Court oversight of Anti Trust Laws. For some reason this makes those who want Net Neutrality to remain nervous, because the proposed law keeps getting reworked to make it more palatable to all Memebers, which means it keeps becoming more and more likely that they might vote Net Neutrality out of existence.

Many are saying that large companies like broadband providers will be able to provide website content that smaller providers will not - sort of like digital versus basic cable? The consumer rights group Public Knowledge feels that this will allow companies like AT&T and Cox Cable and Com-cast to control the content of the Internet. Unlike FCC control which of course brings to mind the words tweedle dee dee and tweedle dee dum. The Internet has up to this point, allowed all users and providers to decide what applications they want to use and what content they want to view or write. Google uses this analogy: ".....Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online...."

A second point, and one that got my boxer shorts in a knot (even though I don't wear them), is that the FCC loves to control what comes across the airwaves, be it television or radio. John McCain spouted off about how political blogs can say what they want and maybe if there were some changes made, they wouldn't be allowed to be so free with their tongues (ok I paraphrased, but that is the crux of his statement). This sounds like a slap at Free Speech to me, and he is cloaking it all in regulation of sex predators on the internet. Political bloggers and sex predators are apples and oranges. And as so often happens with government, there are already laws on the books that sites like MySpace.com have to obey. If a sexual predator is found to have a personal profile or image on Myspace, they are required to take it down. Why more laws? I can't come up with a good reason, if you can, explain it to me. In the meantime, I think anything increasing FCC police powers over the Internet and blogging is a bad idea. Congress is trying to wrap this up for a June vote.

How do you feel about Net Neutrality? Do you want to take action? Let your voice be heard by going to InternetFreedom where you can either sign an online petition, or contact your Representatives.

Did you know actor Kevin Spacey sings? Decide for yourself if he should quit his day job with his version of The Freedom Song.

Peace Out -3C

Tax Abatement: Does it Help More Than it Hurts the City of Cleveland?

The City of Cleveland authorized a Tax Abatement Program for new construction and rehab projects in 1991. 100% tax abatement on a 'for sale' property has been alluring to buyers, something I have seen first hand. In 2006 I had several clients move here from other States and they specifically chose homes that included the 100% abatement over others that were similar but lacked the tax relief. The question comes up for debate again because City authority for this Abatement Program ends this July; they have to decide if they are going to continue it, change it or end it.

City Council is holding a series of hearings on the issue. Last week's hearing brought out some of the prominent builders in the area. Developers like Sutton Builders, Rysar Properties, Zaremba and The Ferchill Group all asked the City to continue the Abatement Program. I thought the most telling comment came from Chris Ferchill of The Ferchill Group. The Ferchill Group developed The Villa Carabelli Town Homes which occupy space in both Cleveland and Cleveland Heights. He pointed out that "....the six units within City of Cleveland limits sold quickly [and they had 100% tax abatement for 15 years]. ...the fourteen units in Cleveland Heights took two years to sell...." and the tax abatement for those units was 65% for 7 years. (quote is from the Crain's article linked above)

Councilwoman Fannie Lewis discussed the fact that tax abatement had helped turn her neighborhood around (although Fannie Lewis deserves a lot of credit herself, she is a dynamo for her neighborhood, IMHO). And Councilman Cummins from the Old Brooklyn neighborhood pointed out that his area doesn't have much land to assemble for new construction projects, but that rehabbed and new homes on vacant lots should get 12 % abatement. This discussion, regarding whether or not the abatement amount should change, was a key part of the hearing. Overall it sounds like the majority of the builders requested that The City give them a year at the status quo while they rethink a strategy.

Personally and professionally, I see the advantages of tax abatement, and stories like Fannie Lewis' tell me we need to keep some form of it. But the City of Cleveland is losing money on the type of abatement structure set up currently. It was necessary, but now I'm thinking a change in focus might be good. Why not apply the total 100%/15 year tax abatement to Smart Growth rehabs or new builds; or homes that are built near public transportation (TOD's)? Or reach a certain level of energy efficiency? Other layers of abatement could still be applied but at smaller percentages for different types of rehab projects. The storefront abatement program seems like a winner to me too. I would tell you to keep an eye on the City Council website for information on more public hearings, but I will have to call on Monday to find out -- the City Council website seems to be in 'reconstruction' mode this week. I will edit this or add a short blurb in a new post when I find out details. Peace Out - 3C

2/27/07 - I have an update - Cleveland State University did a study involving 400 homebuyers who purchased homes in Cleveland over the last few years. The majority of them (60%) said tax abatement was a big reason they chose Cleveland over someplace else. I think that's great, it just proves abatement works. What it does not do however is prove it should stay in the same form it is in right now. Regardless, here is the Crain's Cleveland Business article in it's entirety.