Got questions about just what will happen to the many parts of the city that need to be rebuilt after the June 1 tornado—or even some suggestions about what that rebuilding process should involve?
Then get to the Basketball Hall of Fame tomorrow (June 21) at 3 p.m., where Gov. Deval Patrick will host a public forum on tornado-recovery efforts.
In a recent Republican article by Jim Kinney, Greg Bialecki, secretary of Housing and Economic Development, described the rebuilding operation in lemons-to-lemonade terms. “I think the first impulse is to rebuild exactly what was there,” Bialecki said. “But we really should be looking at ways to make things better.”
That kind of major work could be very exciting and positive for the city—if city residents are on board. That’s what makes it especially important that members of the public attend the forum, to get their concerns addressed and their input heard.
Western Mass. Jobs With Justice recently sent out a call to supporters to attend the forum. “Please be there (and tell others) to make sure that redevelopment plans don’t get imposed on our city without genuine community input,” organizer Lara Shepard-Blue urged. “We need FEMA money for expansion of affordable housing and creating Springfield jobs. … It’s also a good forum to advocate for an moratorium on foreclosures [and] evictions, and for rehabbing vacant bank-owned homes for tornado evacuees.”
