Mayoral Town Hall: South End Neighborhoods.

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3/9/2022.    Mayor James met with the South End Neighborhoods

The crowd consisted of 25-30 people and 15 minutes into the meeting 3 couple left after coming to the conclusion I had. James started his re-election campaign. You can hear and see the meeting below. It appeared to me James was not comfortable, read from a script, and if he said “uh” once he said it a hundred times.

He told us what a wonderful job he’s done since taking over the “reins” of WPB.

He started with a question, asking the people in attendance how long they lived in the city with a show of hands. 10 years, 5 years and 2 years. Majority of hands showed people lived in WPB for 10 Years or more.

The mayor pointed out all the good WPB has to offer, never mentioning the downside of residing in the City. I will write about 3 issues he mentioned growth, crime and food deserts.

Growth:

“It’s all about growth. You have probably noticed that WPB has grown a bit. In the last 18-24 months Let me give you some statistics. My administration assisted with the re-location or expansion of 12 new companies to WPB which had more than 300 highly compensated jobs, Financial Services, Tech, Construction and Multi Media. WPB received thirty nine million in business tax last year.

We have six (6) Class A office projects in the pipeline. To give you some perspective between 2008 and 2019 there were no Class A office projects. We have 3 billion dollars in construction projects that are in various stages of completion.”

James told the story of meeting the President of El Cid neighborhood who told him there was a 40% turnover in home ownership. People are not happy when that many relocate.

“West Palm Beach Is Overflowing With Class A Office Space As New Towers Emerge:” For a look at the other side of the coin, please read the story below.

https://rrcra.com/west-palm-beach-is-overflowing-with-class-a-office-space-as-new-towers-emerge/

What’s the downside of over-building?

The cement industry produces somewhere between 5-10% of all carbon-dioxide emissions worldwide, making it the third-largest source of global-warming, behind only coal-fueled power plants and combustion-engine vehicles. Test for yourselves. If you’ve ever walked barefoot across a sun baked parking lot, you know firsthand how concrete soaks up and retains the sun’s heat. When temperatures rise, the countless miles of concrete streets, sidewalks, walls and roofs in cities magnify that effect, creating a phenomenon known as “urban heat islands”. I can walk across grass barefooted and not burn my feet. Government so concerned about global warming, they want us to give up driving cars and go all electric to save the planet.

Picture of WPB Skyline. Now picture it with James words “We have six Class A office projects in the pipeline. We have 3 billion dollars in construction projects that are in various stages of completion.” Double click to enlarge.

If that’s not enough to make you think, how about residents living in areas where they can’t exit their garages due to traffic gridlock.

West Palm Beach, Florida Average Apartment Rent in February 2022 is $2,141- $2,875 Compared to a year ago, West Palm Beach, Florida apartments have recorded a 34% rent increase.

Since James has taken office he has talked about building “low cost” apartment rentals. Where are they?

Do you enjoy tennis? Do you play at Currie Park? If the answer is yes, get your play time in because The powers to be have decided once again that developers needs are more important than residents.

“The Currie Park tennis courts are to be completely removed in favor of commercializing the park. Not enough room for tennis or other recreation. Instead, the City wants to locate a 2500 sq ft. restaurant and a two-story 4800 sq ft events complex – known as a “Resiliency Hub.”

Be honest— are you sorry if you voted for the $30 million bond issue for parks?

Crime:

Murder map: Deadliest U.S. Cities # 40. West Palm Beach, Florida

The murder rate in West Palm Beach is 15.07 per 100,000. The murder rate plummeted in the city from 2018 to 2019, dropping by more than 9 per 100,000 residents.

https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/murder-map-deadliest-u-s-cities/27/

28 murders in 2018

17 murders in 2019        James elected Mayor of WPB.

15 murders in 2020

23 murders in 2021

2 murders in 2022 Jan.1 thru Mar. 19 I believe there have been more deaths. PB Post not updated at the time story was posted.

https://apps.palmbeachpost.com/homicides/

The link below you will find stats for West Palm Beach VIOLENT CRIMES and West Palm Beach PROPERTY CRIMES.

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/fl/west-palm-beach/crime

Food Deserts:

What qualifies as a food desert? Geographic areas where access to affordable, healthy food options (aka fresh fruits and veggies) is limited or nonexistent because grocery stores are too far away.

James told the small audience he brought FAMU (Florida A&M University) to operate an urban farm in WPB.

Below are excerpts from Macuba, and the entire story can be read below.

“A few weeks ago on this page,  we deplored  West Palm Beach’s decision to scrap the urban farm that brought color, life and fresh produce to a dusty food desert north of downtown. There are no full-size grocery stores within a mile, so Henrietta Bridge Farm, the creation of Vietnam War veteran Stewart Bosley on an acre and a half of town land, was a godsend for residents within walking distance.

Sadly, the town, for reasons as yet unexplained – other than vague discussions about building halfway houses – refused to renew Bosley’s lease this year and forced it to empty itself.

Now here is more encouraging news. The town hall has reached an agreement with a branch of Florida A&M University to establish three small urban farms and educational programs to serve low-income residents of West Palm Beach, starting at six months.

Although the sites are much smaller than the now bulldozed property of Henrietta Avenue, Vonda Richardson, executive director of FAMU cooperative extension program, said they would each provide enough produce for 30 to 50 people.

“Meeting this need of our workforce, residents and homeless people is a top priority for Mayor (Keith) James,” a city press release noted. Who writes this crap?

Bosley, for his part, gets credit for planting the idea of urban farming in West Palm Beach and running Henrietta Bridge Farm for years. It was Bosley who recommended the city to contact FAMU, which he first urged about 10 years ago and then again more recently. Although he regretted that the city had put his farm aside, just as a new growing season was starting, he offered to help with the new as best he could.

Every now and then he glances through the chained door to the now silent lot at 401 N. Rosemary Ave. Some of the plants he established still grow their way through the soil.”

There has been no movement at the former site of Henrietta Bridge Farm with the exception of little plants reaching for the sun.

https://macuba.org/plan-for-famu-west-palm-brings-hope-for-urban-farm-in-food-deserts/

Video of James meeting with the south end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p08yExu6lE8

The end.