I’ve been told over the years that I am hard on developers in Sioux Falls, and not all of them are bad guys. Okay, I’ll take the bait. I believe it.
I will be honest with you though. I hate urban sprawl, I believe in rebuilding our core and bringing current infrastructure up to par. I am also a big proponent of property rights, especially residential and I think the FREE market should determine what development is necessary. I don’t believe in TIF’s and think if something is needed, it will succeed on its own in that FREE market.
Okay, back to the press conference. I think the ‘good guys’ in the development business in Sioux Falls should have a joint press conference to talk about integrity in development, hiring safe construction companies to do that work, and the future of Downtown Sioux Falls after the building collapse.
Some might say it is too soon to say something until OSHA and other investigations are closed. I don’t believe it is ever too soon to talk about transparency, integrity and safety in the development and construction business.
It’s obvious corners were cut, we already have previous evidence through multiple complaints.
I believe that this message should come from the private sector of development alone. I think if the city, state, attorney general or OSHA want to hold their own press conferences, that’s fine. I think it’s important that these ‘good guys’ in the development business come out on their own instead of being pressured by government and regulation.
Why is this important? I think it is important for responsible developers in this community to separate themselves from the irresponsible, and show that safety and integrity can exist with profits and progress in the free market.
Commander are you running against the man named Mike or not.
Should probably just make a simple list of developers and construction companies who use structural engineers in their project planning.
It’s no secret projects go to insiders. Generally, private developers work in surrounding cities. The city has a secret process where approvals require padding political pockets. City projects gets awarded without competitive bids and public awareness. Events and Aquatics Centers contracts happened before or without a vote. The EC contract was awarded before there was a location. It’s well known by contractors that the best they can do is work as subcontractor. The few controlling developers skim off everything whether or not they’re involved in construction. It’s mafia tactics like concrete for twice the price in Chicago or New York. Daniels Construction won the Falls Cafe project. They were never paid because they weren’t supposed to bid and get it. It’s an unofficial rule. Anything city is inferior construction at twice the price built by either of 2 predetermined developers. The Feds should investigate and correct.
It would be interesting to see which of the developers actually think they are the ‘good guys’……..
We hit another record this year, due to apartments.
http://www.kdlt.com/2016/12/22/nearly-688-million-sioux-falls-shatters-building-permit-record-fourth-consecutive-year/
I am still amazed what rents are in these tiny apartments. They consider $690 a month ‘affordable’ for a 1-Bedroom.
It’s about time we get down to the reality of what contractors get away with in this town. I’ve lived in 4 other states and have never seen such a massive bunch of morons we have here as contractors. I’ve had work done that was so pitiful that they would of got shot if they tried this stuff in Idaho. Those potato farmers don’t put up with much. And they don’t have to when they have arms the size of my legs from swinging 200 pound sacks of spuds like they were cotton. I guess people here are taught not to make waves so the bastards feel like they can do whatever they want. “And they doâ€. So it would be nice to start seeing some accountability. As well, small claims here is a absolute joke!! I’m sure that there’s some that actually have a conscience however, I haven’t found any so far. I had an experience with a company called —- — from Watertown that about killed us with sewer gasses and denied the whole thing. And then when we didn’t pay them they turned around and put a LIEN ON OUR HOUSE! When I called they state board of plumbing regulators to say what happened, of coarse I got the there’s not much we can do because he’s not a certified plumber :-o))) I could go on and on, unfortunatly. So good luck and good day.
Using a traditional standard of affordability – no more than 30% of income for rent – that would mean an apartment at $690 a month would be affordable to those making over $27,600 a year. For someone working 2,080 hours a year, that’s $13.27 an hour.
I’ve tried many times to explain to you how the construction and financing of affordable housing works, as someone who works in that trade. If you’re looking for housing for people making less than $28k a year, that’s not “affordable” housing. That’s housing for the indigent.
That’s something no developer can make money on, anywhere – which is why it’s all owned and operated by government agencies and non-profits, and actively subsidized on an annual basis through tax dollars or charitable donations.
So if you want to complain about a lack of housing in that category, that’s cool. We need more of it everywhere, absolutely. But make sure you’re directing your antipathy at the right people. Demand greater tax participation by local and state government. Shame the more bourgeois residents of town into opening their wallets further.
But stop caterwauling about developers not building projects that aren’t sustainable and would be guaranteed money losers. It runs totally contrary to everything you said about the free market at the beginning of your post.
And without subsidy, none of it would get built – indigent, affordable, workforce – none of it. Because in the free market, developers would build zero units in each of those categories.
Most of these apartments are built on the cheap and slammed into small lots. There’s literally no lawn for kids to play on. Squeezing out every penny and treating tenants like crate swine is the new crime on the middle class.
But to realize $ 13.27 a hour, one actually needs to make $ 15.25 per hour given withholdings – and many in Sioux Falls do not make that much with their “Dream Jobs.”
Employers need to pay more in this town. There is an obvious “Good Old Boy” collusion going on with the wages around here and the employers need to be called out on it.
But in the meantime, apparently, the way you are suppose to handle the $ 690.00 per month for housing in this town is to utilize the Food Bank and or the Banquet…. No wonder more and more working people are starting to utilize these services…. (?)
For a booming economy there’s sure lots of low income housing. LJL is right. It’s slapped together with federal money and inferior construction on small lots. Blogger aka ‘Winston’ points out many use private welfare to get by. The middle class is a sympathetic (often nondeductable) assist. The county does what they can with their minimal budget. The city builds extravagant entertainment with an unlimited budget. They have no public assistance programs. The mayor himself said he doesn’t feel sorry for low income and less privileged. There’s the rich and the rest of us without layers of distinction. I don’t have a political position where I can skim from favors. When you’re stuck at $13 and the next layer is thousand dollar suits, there’s disparity if not discrimination.