Bad Memories Of Developer's Inclusionary Housing: Letter

The following was written and submitted by Jill Goldstein

After reading the articles about the Mordinis' collapsed home in Highland Park, I emotionally re-lived my unfair treatment related to a Fulton Developers property that I bought though the city’s inclusionary housing program.

In 2009, I thought I was fortunate to be able to buy an affordable housing unit during a not-so-fortunate time in my life. In hindsight, it was more like a payday loan – It felt great initially getting the property but the euphoria turned sour quickly when reality set in.

One of the things I liked about the program when I entered it was its message from the director at the time, Mary Ellen Tamasy. She stressed how the program was valuable to both the housing recipients and the community. She emphasized the partnership aspect of the program as oppose to the giver-taker mentality that it has become. It appeared as if the program offered a safer way to purchase a home. I was a single mother and chose the program thinking that the city would have my back.

Unfortunately, the program’s attitude changed over time, with the city and developer being cast as benevolent heroes. When I brought concerns about my housing unit to the CPAH and city representatives, instead of being my partner, their responses were either dismissive, condescending, scolding or sympathetic with no action.

When I complained about the two inclusionary units at Laurel court sharing roof access through my master bedroom to reach the AC units, the response was that it was my responsibility to resolve and the builder and CPAH were beyond reproach. There was no way I would’ve known to inquire when I was buying the unit if any other units need to access the roof thru my unit. I did let the new owner know about this and had my real estate attorney create a document outlining access parameters.

Other issues I brought to the program or city representatives attention were met with the same tough luck response. For example, the formula for assessment fees for the development was a much bigger hardship for the two inclusionary units that wouldn’t be able to make a profit on building however we were always out-voted with no safeguards in place for expenditures that were beyond our means.

The CPAH lists as a core principle on their website: “assist and advocate on behalf of the organization’s homeowners” but the advocacy was for the builder. In general, the inclusionary residents are powerless and discriminated against. Even the small things such as the developments’ parking regulations, signage or other rules are enforced more for the affordable units.

What was most upsetting about my story is that I turned to fellow HP residents who held positions of power and that I admired to help fix an obvious injustice that was contrary to the affordable housing mission.

I am hoping the public attention to the Moridinis' unfair treatment will get them a speedy, common-sense resolution to their housing debacle as opposed to the frustrating legalese responses so far that have been a dose of deja-vu for me. I do not want them to suffer the bullying, financial loss, and extreme stress that I did.

And after you do right by the Mordinis, I hope that the city and the developer will create a true inclusionary housing program as opposed to the appearance of one.

Jill Goldstein
Highland Park resident