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Aurora Housing Authority (AHA) Slumlords Attack Mayor Weisner's Affordable Housing Task Force
The incredible saga of the Aurora Housing Authority (AHA) Slumlords continues to plague the city, taxpayers, schools, the poor and needy.
On Wednesday, the AHA presented its latest version of its scheme to rebuild the Jericho Circle slum to Mayor Weisner's "Affordable Housing Task Force."
During previous meetings, discussions sparked into heated exchanges between Mayor Weisner and Slumlords Big Al Schuler (related to 1st Ward Alderman Abigail Schuler) and Bill Burns (husband of 7th Ward Alderman Scheketa Hart-Burns).
This time, as the task force questioned the scheme, things got heated again with AHA Slumlord Bill Burns lashing out at the mayor and the task force, alleging the task force members such as Theodia Gillespie were being paid to be critical of the AHA.
Patrice McGinn, the high-priced consultant girl from Virgina exploiting taxpayers on behalf of the AHA Slumlords, blamed the mayor for the hostility.
Stephanie Lulay reports:
"I try to silent, but when I have Ms. McGinn talking about hosility...the most hostile, thinly veiled comment (came) from Mr. Burns today," Weisner said.
He said that the task force members are not paid for their time considering housing issues. But, Weisner said the AHA Board members, who are appointed by him, are paid to attend meetings.
Weisner than asked Burns for an apology.
"I would hope that the AHA Board would have enough class to do that," he said.
Burns said he wasn't representing the board.
"I'm representing myself. I will make it public," Burns said.
Sources say Burns is upset because in recent communication by Weisner about the AHA, he flatly calls them liars.
We note that it's true the AHA has a pattern of deception and misleading statements, but it appears Burns and his fellow Slumlords are upset the mayor would say it.
Meanwhile, Lulay reports one of the task force members, Scott Voris, saying:
"the community, the police, the schools have universally reject it (AHA's scheme to rebuild Jericho Circle). It's because it's proven over the last 45 years to have failed, Voris said. "The AHA has not participated...it's mind boggling."
However, while we agree the most of the AHA board, staff, consultants, legal counsel probably deserve to be sent to a prison with living conditions like Jericho Circle, this continued saga could be stopped.
There's no need to have an "affordable housing task force" since the law requires cities to advance FAIR HOUSING policies, not AFFORDABLE.
Mayor Weisner should remove Burns and Schuler from the board.
Not only we must end the chronic crisis at the site of Jericho Circle, but we must put an end to AHA itself and demolish ALL public housing so the poor and needy can move into private housing with vouchers and we don't have to keep seeing this saga continue.
It's time to focus on those that are paying for all this mess...the taxpayers.
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