Report to Altadena Town Council on WAPAC

The WAPAC meeting for June will be on the 22nd. There have been some developments this month I’d like to report. First, the Bank of America had its official grand opening and ribbon cutting on June 6th, and a good crowd turned out. I was working that day, so missed it, but I understand about 75 people attended.

The week before, on June 1, Crown City News ran a half hour news special on the Lincoln Crossing project; this was rebroadcast several times. You can view it on the website CrownCityNews.com and click on archive. I informed the Council ahead of time about this, but for those of you who didn’t see it, it reported both on successes at Lincoln Crossing, as well as on problems with the developer, including his default, that I have been reporting to the council for the past few months, as well as the failure of a couple local tenants in the project.

What was news to me in CCN’s report was that HUD is looking into concerns at the development raised by a letter from Congressman Adam Schiff. I have a copy of the letter HUD sent to Schiff’s office.

Subsequent to the CCN report that HUD was looking into whether to launch an investigation came the news that indeed they have. It is an investigation by the HUD Inspector General, and we won’t know what the results until August. What we do know is that an investigation at this level would be into either one or both of the following: wrongdoing by public officials, or wrongdoing by HUD contractors. From individuals who have been questioned, it seems that there is some concern about oversight of CDBG funds on the project, and if these expenditures were prudent and proper.

 I will report on the June WAPAC meeting in July, which will be my last Town Council meeting as representative of census track 4611. I’d like to take the opportunity now, though, to urge the council to take a more active interest in the Lincoln Crossing Project. LC is very important to all of Altadena, and as elected public officials, the council has responsibility to constituents who want to know what’s going on over there in termsof community development and expenditure of public funds.

 As I’ve mentioned, the first phase represents close to a $30million investment in our community, and there are four more phases. It is the biggest commercial investment in Altadena that we’ve ever seen or are likely to see, so WHY WOULDN’T the council take an active interest? We need to move forward constructively on the next phases, and we have made a slow, but good start with three anchor tenants. We have to address what’s gone wrong over there so we don’t repeat the mistakes of phase one in future phases. What I’m saying is that if the Council chooses to ignore LC, look the other way — it will not be fulfilling its duty as the community’s single elected body entrusted to represent all of Altadena.

I hope you will choose as your WAPAC representative someone who has no vested interest, either personal financial, or vested interest in terms of program financing.  The community needs someone who will be able to honestly and without bias report on Lincoln Crossing so that ultimately it will fulfill its incredible potential for economic development in Altadena.  Not just be a wasted opportunity.

Respectfully submitted

Michele Zack