Archive for March, 2018
My roses their guns – walk away from Lorain?
I don’t need a little Christmas- I need new leaves, blossoms, daffodils, tulips the sound of splashing water from the ponds, grass that is green . I need mother nature to take me away and screen me from those that dwell in the “hood”.
I can look at the snow drops peeking through and imagine I am far far away in a woodland dell instead of the “No Exit” that we are living. I use mother nature and her children – trees and shrubs flowers and vines to build a barrier between them and us.
I have been planted here because I chose a young, brown-eyed , perfect teeth of a guy and followed him to Lorain and this house. It has been home for over 40 years now. And the issues and problems with purchasing in a neighborhood that was transitioning has been well documented on this blog.
But in the past 10 years the bank dumps especially with the “Blue House” have lowered property values – caused the neighborhood that was at one point stable and going back to a more respectful quiet and family area to take a nose dive. 1121 W 4th now owned by one MARRERO – RAMOS MIGUEL . His “tenants” who obviously feel we should appreciate their foul language and loud – gun totting lifestyle as they hemorrhage it all over the rest of the block.
2012 I knew that this was going to be an issue from the very first day it sold…… after being dumped by the bank
“Well First Federal Savings of Lorain I have seen and “heard ” the “people” who have come to see your listing . I spoke to a couple of them as the parked on the lawn next door under my dining room window- as I informed them they were parking on another’s property and that it wasn’t a driveway – they knew and didn’t care- they were buying the blue house? SIGH. Oh! and quite frankly I am dreading the rest of the summer thanks to you and your “business” decisions .
You, First Federal Saving of Lorain have, in my opinion, “dumped your unwanted housing” from $56,000 to 28 thousand (buy back )to 13,900 listing just two months later . NOTE sold for $12,500 – Great !!! And let us face it – it was your bank that made the decision just a few short years ago by giving a mortgage to someone unable to pay it in the first place that set in motion this chain of events.
You are responsible, in my opinion, for what will ripple out and effect this neighborhood. Don’t forget, you were also the mortgage holder and foreclosed on the other neighborhood house next door 1125, W. 4th street– now scheduled for demolition
AND then
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/money-where-your-mouth-is-part-one/
Flash forward 6 years later and many issues – the brown house was demolished- then came the highway cut through and parking wherever the needed to park… boats, trucks and vehicles. I suppose it was just a nuisance to me and mine that we had to live with this disrespectful behaviours.
We finally purchased the lot next door 1125 W 4th (2016) duly fenced , planted shrubs, trees, ponds and plants to make our little corner of the world a place for respite .
I argued there was hope for Lorain and this area , even knowing that it was an uphill battle due to business practices that have made the surrounding neighborhoods a concern for anyone wanting to open a restaurant or bring in an “up market” healthy business. It was going to be local and piecemeal at best. Through a 501C3 we have tried our best to bring something of which we can be proud to the area:
This particular house 1121, W 4th – a rental- with a plethora of tenants in the three bedroom 1 bath home- including a very loud lifestyle,. has a business in the form of a funeral home behind them – The fence behind the funeral home parking lot was knocked down and so now exposes those coming for viewing a view that I am sure isn’t what they were expecting :
March 11th found a “flock” of “yard birds” swilling alcohol comparing guns and shouting in the alley – and witnessed by more than me.
In the front of the house, across the street is a Charter School, and since these people live back to front their trash etc is always s there bidding a warm welcome to the parents dropping off their kids. March 18th
Trouble is we can nothing about the intimidation the “fear of ones safety” and IF WE don’t feel safe in our own street and back garden then does Lorain honestly think walking this street to the local opportunities or parking in the neighborhoods just blocks away is an option.
People read this blog who are not from Lorain- they use it to research the community – they come here to find out about Lorain-
This type of post does Lorain no good BUT it is the truth , it is what has happened all over this Ward 2 thanks to banks local , national and international ( all documented for years on this blog) , out-of-town LLC’s , multi property owners who don’t give a damn and a population that is being held hostage and quiet through fear of retaliation.
This past weekend March 18 my two little grandchildren coming to help their grandfather tidy the new lot – get ready for spring were subjected to a wild-eyed , irate witch calling them and their “Nog” – as she hauled herself on the flat-bed of a tow truck they have parked next to my fence – every form of filth she could muster from her large loud mouth.
The cause of this “in retaliation tirade” because I asked her on Sunday March 4th – as her music cranked up when she parked her vehicle in the alley doors wide open was vibrating every window in the neighborhood .
My request to turn it down was met with a torrent of Spanish peppered with “fu##” bitch .. was given the” talk to the hand” among the profanities pouring from her and I said either turn it down or I call the police –
“you go backa in your house, bitch I don’t need you… I gotta a new car and testing it out”
I said test it elsewhere – as she entered the house the tirade of go into your house mother- fu##er .
Back to this past Sunday – we were lighting the fire pit and preparing to have the kids roast hot dogs ( nice American pastime) apparently Tonya of the Tow Truck decided she no likka my smoke ( which I may add was NOT blowing east but south) and hence the abuse. Well I have news for her I am allowed to be in my own garden with my grandchildren .
Unfortunately , as I looked at the kids faces and what I was seeing , I became disenchanted , angry and fed up !
The littlest one now no longer wanted to be in the garden – he was frightened – they didn’t know what was happening- they aren’t exposed to this sort of behaviors with their neighbors and the oldest ( 8) saying:
Nog, I am sorry you have to live here–
it dawned on me he felt like I was in some sort of hellish world so unfamiliar to him… I was seeing our home through the eyes of an 8-year-old and I didn’t like what I was seeing there .
Yes so am I – I said
There is nothing I can do… This ward has become a “glut of yobos” gone too far – the tipping point tipped.
– and thanks to First Federal policies and devaluing the neighborhood ( in my humble opinion) by dumping this house for $12,500 I can’t even sell this property and my grandchildren will not want their inheritance- far from over the river to grandma’s house we go – it will be “dump it” for what we can get -I am not living there .
So Lorain you will lose again …. take that to the bank!!!!!
My roses against their guns ………. ain’t happening … 
“Game of Loans” Clear as Mud- CDBG funds Lorain
The Lorain Development Corp – an ongoing ripple effect – standing alone – questions and accounting tools all as clear as mud to me and I have been writing about this for yonks! 
There is a plethora of information starting with a series of articles on Lorain Community Development in 2008 ( 10 years ago ) by Mark Teleha
https://locophotogblog.wordpress.com/category/community-development/ and his interviews with Sandy Prudoff and Doug Rangel
“the opportunity to meet Doug Rangel. Doug is the Executive Director of the Lorain Development Corporation. Flashing back briefly, this is what Sandy Prudoff explained to me during the interview:
The other division, which is not really a city department, is our contract with the Lorain Development Corporation. The reason why we have a contract with them, we don’t have city staff doing that, is that he (Doug Rangel) has a ward of accountants, bankers, attorneys and business people. They, for no fee, and volunteer time, meet with Doug, and any small business request for financing, all the way up to $1.3 million on the Duane Building, all the way up to a $6 million undertaking of the Industrial Park, he and his Board, but primarily him, will structure the financing, monitor the financing. The Industrial Park had $2+ million for the loan, a loan from the State. A $2+ million loan from the Federal Government, a $2 million grant from the State, and a $2 million grant from the EDA (Economic Development Association)……
D. Romancak 2008
Doug doesn’t work for us, he works under contract with us. His agency is independent. He takes care of all the financing and business loans. So, first perception that we’re these rogue agents just doing whatever we want is definitely misplaced in a statutory city where we are the City of Lorain; we’re not separate and apart, we’re not different. We find it, sometimes amusing, as people say ‘There goes Community Development again, doing whatever it is that they do.” So said Don Romancak,
https://locophotogblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/saving-downtown-there-is-available/
Note the above link make interesting reading as to how the system was supposed to work https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2009/03/22/community-development-city-of-lorain/
FAST FORWARD to 2015 https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/money-for-old-rope-a-taxpayers-question/
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/lorain-development-corp-lorain-op-ed/
and then 2016
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/lorain-development-corp-the-revolving-evolving-story/
http://www.chroniclet.com/news/2016/04/26/City-cuts-ties-with-Lorain-Development-Corp.html
Robert Ellis, a local attorney and president of the LDC board, said the corporation, a nonprofit, has two options — it can find another foundation that is willing to loan money to businesses in Lorain, or it can dissolve.
AND then the FBI enters the picture: http://www.chroniclet.com/news/2016/07/08/FBI-probes-loan-program-by-Lorain-Development-Corp-ran-for-city.html
and THEN!!! August 30th 2017
http://www.chroniclet.com/Local-News/2017/08/30/Lorain-acts-on-defaulted-loans-before-HUD-comes-calling.html Glenn also noted the FBI investigation regarding the program, which began last summer, is still going on 
and now the situation as it stands today February 28th 2018
as the ripple effect of decisions made by Lorain and the spending of money and write offs is still causing ripples
http://www.cityoflorain.org/announcements?view=1683 February 26, 2018 Public Hearing – CDBG PY2017 Substantial Amendment
http://www.chroniclet.com/Local-News/2018/02/27/Lorain-wants-to-change-block-grant-spending.html 
Ritenauer {Mayor} said one of the biggest hurdles to lowering that ratio, though, is the revolving loan program, which was frozen several years ago due to over $600,000 in loans being written off and thousands of others were delinquent. “The problem is HUD counts that credit against us so that’s inflating our ratio,” he said. “It’s just north of a million dollars and when we get payments that makes it go up. Well, we can’t spend it to make it go back down because they’ve frozen it. We’d be in good shape if they would unfreeze that money and we could put it where it needs to be.”
Also the Morning Journal : ” Lorain puts local projects on hold to repay federal money http://www.morningjournal.com/general-news/20180226/lorain-puts-local-projects-on-hold-to-repay-federal-money
Lorain’s problem comes in part because the city and HUD have frozen Lorain’s revolving loan program to help businesses. That was due to questions about loans raised by Glenn’s predecessor, Leon Mason, who led the Department of Building, Housing and Planning. That frozen account inflates Lorain’s ratio of CDBG money allocated to money spent, the mayor said.
10 years of documents papers and pointing up the issue on this blog with Money for Old Rope three years ago.. and that pesky $600,000.00 I couldn’t figure out and apparently I wasn’t far off the mark. was I ( even if I can’t understand government accounting 101) 😉
In the middle of all this moneying…. and accounting is a loan of $250.000.01 to South Shore CDC
“As Mr. Mason stated, the issues with the revolving Loan fund came to him from the State Auditor
“I got an email from the state auditor who wanted to know why the city of Lorain had over $600,000 in loan write-offs,” department director Leon Mason said. “My response was that I didn’t know what he was talking about, and when he sent me the information, I was able to pinpoint some of the loans, but I did find some that were troubling, to say the least.” Mason said one that stood out to him was a $250,000.01 loan to the South Shore Community Development Corporation.
UPDATED- Minutes of the committee meeting April 11th 2016 where the report was given to Lorain City Council members
Oh well – 2018 and we are still trying to find our way clear of this one. BUT I am troubled – I am like the majority of tax payers, I can’t even figure out my own taxes let alone understand “accounting tools” of government .
I looked through spread sheets – I looked through “loans” and to whom they were made- BUT I looked at them as a citizen with a fair to middling IQ. 
I looked at was down as a “loan” to the City of Lorain (Building Housing and Planning)
NOTE: Yes! I know I have issues with the way “that” department is and has been run https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/municipal-manipulation-lorain-e-again/ and the archaic means at their disposal when it comes to checking Point of Sale and the “paperwork”-
Little did I know I was in for a plethora of emails and answers and more confusion. I looked at a sheet of what were termed “loans” and one in particular caught my eye- no interest and under the category “closed not paid”- since the 501C3 mentioned was still an ongoing organization HOW COULD THAT BE? Well what was to be a simple question turned out to be a confusing answer 
You see this “Loan” wasn’t a loan – No! No! I have it all wrong apparently BHP needs an accounting tool to track payments for RENT etc.
The said organization paid out IN LEASE/RENT $ 19,050 from April 2013- March 2017 BUT in the accounting for BHP this was down on the books as a LOAN
Why?? according to the City of Lorain : their (BHP) system is a LOAN system. The way they keep track of any building lease/rent is to enter it in this system as it tracks the “due “ payments and categorizes them if they are late/past due etc.
Art Work Scott Bakalar
So confusing as it is – when is a loan not a loan when it is an accounting tool with BHP. Note: Excuse me just would make life easier it seems if it was classified under something say : Incoming rents from city owned properties I think there might be software somewhere to handle that………. Just my 2 cents ( or is it?) 😉
Now let us get back to South Shore Development Corp and that $250,000.01 loan that was written off by the Board of Lorain Development Corporation on February 3rd 2014
The Board was supposedly independent of City Administration and Council etc. BUT there were in place safety measures – from Mark’s 2008 interview :
“All of these loans are subject to review and approval by the loan board of Lorain Development Corporation as well as Board of Control, if they fall within the guidelines and would additionally require City Council approval if the loan request goes outside of guidelines. Doug Rangel “
In the case of the loan to South Shore Development Corp there were issues with conflict of interest. 
http://www.chroniclet.com/news/2016/07/08/FBI-probes-loan-program-by-Lorain-Development-Corp-ran-for-city.html
One of the loans that HUD officials flagged is a $250,000 loan made to South Shore Development Corp. in 2011 to help keep the struggling St. Joseph Community Center afloat. That loan was never repaid and eventually written off by Lorain Development Corp. State auditors have said that more than $600,000 worth of loans distributed by Lorain Development Corp. were written off over the years, but Mason said that his research indicates that figure might be slightly lower because of how some of the loans were structured.
The HUD review said that the money lent to South Shore was troubling because at the time of the loan, Robert Gilchrist was serving as both the city’s service director and president of the South Shore board. HUD called Gilchrist’s dual role “an apparent Conflict of Interest.”
Mr Gilchrist – he of the diversionary program – voting illegally , pleading guilty to drug charges
and alleged domestic abuse which cost him his job at as President of the Lorain County Community Action Agency was also in his Service Director position on the BOARD of CONTROL for the City of Lorain.
You know that BOC that is one of the checks and balances the taxpayers have. But hey we are OK because this Lorain Development Corporation is a separate entity – although contracted by the then Community Development Dept. ( see 2008 interview) and the money to fund it came from where ? Too many of the same names and relationships for my liking .
Early in 2009, South Shore announced its intention to close the St. Joe’s center because its income was outstripped by operating expenses, notably high utility costs. Lorain City Council in 2010 approved money to operate St. Joe’s while Krasienko’s administration looked for ways to keep it open. Lorain Service Director Robert Gilchrist was a key in brokering the deals needed to keep the center open and yesterday he made the city’s presentation to the Clean Ohio Council in Columbus.
Such plans in 2011- ……….
You can find the Board of Control minutes here – through various administrations http://www.cityoflorain.org/mayor/documents You can also access the Journal Entry on the discussion with the County Commissioners et al APRIL 2012 with charts and discussions in depth here JOURNAL ENTRY Commissioners Meeting St. Joes
| 2012 (no leasing) | 2013 (15k ft) | 2014 (15k ft) | 2015 (15k ft) | |
| Revenue | 913 | 1,063 | 1,213 | 1,363 |
| Expenses | 1,046 | 1,077 | 1,109 | 1,142 |
| Net Income | (132) | (14) | 104 | 221 |
| Capital/Other | 212 | 200 | 200 | 200 |
| Grants/Loans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Receipts | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Profit/Loss | (342) | (212) | (94) | 23 |
Loans;
- $1,350,000 Loan on Property from the State
- Guaranteed $675,000 each to the City and County
- Payback of the State Loan does not begin until profitable OR when SSCDC property is sold.
- As a part of the development agreement a $250,000 Loan was provided to South Shore Community Development Corporation to cover operating shortfall.
- Beginning on April 1, 2012 the first monthly payment of $1,488 is due.
- The Loan is unsecured.
Grants:
- HUD EDI Grant – $166,500. Grant funds were used to fund the LCCC expansion/extension and Little Lighthouse tenant improvement work.
- HHS – $253,000. Grant funds were used to fund mechanical deferred maintenance to the then occupied areas and common systems.
- Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant – $480,000
- City application for funds allowed for both a grant component and loan component for use at St. Joe’s totaling $480,000.
- In 2011, when EECBG project scopes for St. Joe’s were being developed, use of funds for maintenance of existing systems was disallowed.
- The Dep. Of Energy also determined that the combination of both a grant and loan could not be used at St. Joe’s; thus the funding became capped at approximately $200,000.
- City and SSCDC now developing a revised scope to utilize the available EECBG funds for non-maintenance energy efficiency projects.
CORF
- $1,600,000 Grant Awarded to the City of Lorain for SSCDC project.
- Mercy match over 3 years- $120k per year for 3 years = $360k
- Demolition includes Building D, Reidy Scanlon Bldg., Thrift Shop.
- The City of Lorain is currently advertising for a certified professional.
- Demolition anticipated to begin summer of 2012
and the rest of the story????????????????????????????? Who knows but I agree with Mayor Ritenauer .. to me this is all as clear as mud………… and just to help with information :
CPD_Funding_Grantee_Matrix_LORA-OH_OH_20180201
Copy of Public Service Streets and 108 spreadsheet(2)
Economic Development Final http://destinyhosted.com/loraidocs/2016/CCREG/20160404_68/628_Economic%20Development%20Review%20FINAL%20PDF.pdf
LDC Conflict of Interest Policy http://destinyhosted.com/loraidocs/2016/CCREG/20160404_68/628_Lorain%20Development%20Corp%20Conflict%20of%20Interest%20Policy.pdf
LDC Subrecipient Agreement http://destinyhosted.com/loraidocs/2016/CCREG/20160404_68/628_LDC%20Subrecipient%20Agreement%20PDF.pdf
Portfolio Quality Report http://destinyhosted.com/loraidocs/2016/CCREG/20160404_68/628_Portfolio%20Quality%20Report.pdf
EDA Title IX Plan http://destinyhosted.com/loraidocs/2016/CCREG/20160404_68/628_EDA%20Title%20IX%20Revolving%20Loan%20Fund%20Plan.pdf
March 3rd -It’s OK- Chris Ritchey
Reaching out- art work- Christopher Ritchey
It’s OK – (okay) the origin of OK has many theories https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/explore/what-is-the-origin-of-the-word-ok
but basically translated – Ok (okay) means it is alright, it is fine or will be OK – will be alright – will be fine.
When something traumatic happens either in real life or in tv / movie land – invariably , along with the hug and the patting on the back http://www.saywhydoi.com/the-back-pat-why-do-we-pat-on-the-back/ comes the words – “it’s OK”
No it isn’t OK really …. but like shaking hands when you meet someone it is something those who try to comfort do.
I found myself yelling at the television as yet another traumatized mother – having disaster over take her family – and the well-meaning friend , the “it’s Ok” tripping from their mouth for want of something to say – throw away words ….
but I am here to tell you when you lose a son or daughter nothing is ever alright, fine or okay in your world ever again.
OK! well I maybe be making a mountain out of a molehill… and bitching about the human condition when we are at a loss for words and trying to be kind and give comfort but it cuts me to the quick when I see and hear those words spoken
The flawed Hand of the Healer by Chris Ritchey
AND it is not okay that my wonderful, talented, loving son with his whole life ahead of him- is nothing more than a memory- and in some cases not even that – whilst the dregs of mankind and other sons cause terror and destruction to the world’s children.
AND it is not OK that once again I am losing from my life a sweet, caring , selfless , sparkling wine of a woman to the obscenity of cancer- another family waiting and watching as she leaves us slowly. It is not OK that she is leaving whilst the cruel bitches of this world thrive………
It is NOT OK Chris that I am here and you are not…….. I love you
March 3, 2018 at 12:20 pm 1 comment