Gentrification is a loaded word, it’s weighed down with politics and race. It’s easy to lose the essence of the thing. John Washington, organizer with PUSH Buffalo, made it all simple for the Erie County Industrial Development Agency on Friday during a public hearing portion of the proposal for 1115 Main Street, owned by Ellicott Development. 

Not only are many low-income Western New Yorkers shut out of the region’s development boom, rising rents are benefitting the same developers who come with their hands out to the ECIDA for every major project, Washington points out to the ECIDA.

Washington called on the ECIDA to adapt the Department of Social Services model of doling out assistance to needy citizens. “We have people that are multi-millionaires that are asking for assistance,” Washington pressed. ”And there’s no consideration for how much money they already have? Do they deserve assistance? While there are single mothers who being denied and cut a couple hundred dollars a month to buy food for their families.”

“To me that is disgusting, and I don’t understand how anyone can sit in this building, around this table, and know that is happening and still continue to give these giveaways to multi-millionaires who are supporting an administration that wants to eviscerate the social safety net that is really the only thing holding cities like Buffalo together.”

If you care about Buffalo’s future, you owe yourself the three minutes to consider the argument made by John Washington.

Almost every major real estate development project in the county gets tax abatements thanks to the system of so-called industrial development agencies, a model of government-influenced economic development incentives. 

The proposal at the Our Lady of Lourdes church is calling for mixed commercial and residential redevelopment owned by St Paul Group. The proposal establishes the lineage: “St Paul Group, LLC is 100% owned by 1238 Group, LLC. 1238 Group, LLC is 100% owned by Santa Croce Group, LLC. Santa Croce Group, LLC is 25% owned by William Paladino, 22.2% owned by Magliano Group, LLC, 9.5% owned by 9912 Group, LLC, 5.5% owned by Paladino 2000 trust.”

The video was shared with us by former Erie County legislative and now New York Assembly candidate, Anthony Baney, who objected that the proposal doesn’t even include rates on its residential units.