35,000 and 15,000

I went to the Cleveland City Club and attended the forum on the foreclosure crisis. I walked away from it sad, very sad.
35,000 empty houses in Cuyahoga County. Euclid has so many that Mayor Cervenek wasn't even sure on the exact number, he said 600 to 700, I heard closer to 1,000. Whats even more sad is there's another 15,000 houses slated for demolition.
15,000 houses coming down, 15,000 empty lots. Shocking.
Friends, you best get on your knees, America is in trouble and sinking fast.
The panel of about five mayors offered no hope and no real solutions for home owners and the homeless. In fact they were hardly mentioned. I asked Jeff, who attended with me, how would he title the meeting? He wasn't sure. I said if I had to write an article I would title it City Club Forum Offers Little Hope.
35,000 empty houses, 15,00 more slated for demolition.
I was under the impression that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss ways to keep people in their houses, government aid, help of some sort. Nope, it was all about what to do with the empty houses and how to keep the cities looking their best. Mayor Cervenek said we use to charge $50.00 for a lawn cutting, now we upped it to $150.00, banks need to maintain their foreclosed houses. Euclid has a strict 6 inch policy for lawns. All I heard was more government. Zero talk of helping with the property tax, zero talk of returning jobs, zero talk of easing inspections to allow people at least to stay in their houses. Nothing but just more government.
35,000 empty houses - 15,000 more slated for demolition.
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An older gentleman I know joined us at our table. All through the meeting he scribbled Nazi signs and whispered more government, more of the same.
This meeting was something everyone should of attended. I tried telling a few, but no responses. We can't take back our cities if we don't speak up.
I walked out of that meeting deeply saddened and what popped in my head was the trail of tears and the vision of being forced out of their homes and land. In modern times its still the government and/or the bank that can take your property and possibly have your house torn down. The crime, in most cases, lose of job.
Head for the hills, run for your lives.

CKM