West Boynton leader gags member

 

Article Courtesy of the Palm Beach Post

By Josh Mitchell
Published May 20, 2004

Try bringing up "affordable housing" with this residential association and you're likely to get stung.

That's the lesson Ted Ain learned Wednesday when he broached the touchy topic at the monthly meeting of the Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations, known as COBWRA.

Ain, an association delegate from the Lakeridge Greens community, tried to question a panel of state legislators on the controversial affordable housing development coming to suburban Boynton Beach. But he was abruptly cut off by President Sandy Greenberg, who jumped out of her seat on the dais.

"I'm the president," Greenberg snapped, surprising many in the crowd of about 150. "Sir, if you don't like it, please leave."

The group, representing 80,000 residents in 75 communities, insists it remains neutral toward political candidates and partisan issues.

But in recent months some residents have accused group leaders of taking sides in a charged debate about affordable housing.

Residents who oppose the affordable housing development planned for Green Cay farm say association leaders, along with County Commissioner Burt Aaronson, have been quick to dismiss their concerns and, in subtle ways, categorize them as racists.

The opponents fear crime and a decline of property values, and say affordable housing is better suited to an urban setting with more jobs and public transportation.

After Greenberg's outburst Wednesday, some residents walked out of the meeting.

COBWRA "is supposed to be a representative of us," said Eunice Hass of the Cascades community. "Any topic should be able to be brought up. I thought it was awful."

Critics point to other actions by the association: In March the group distributed a seven-page report, "Affordable Housing: Facts and Rumors," that was used to quell criticism.

Several weeks later, Greenberg came out harshly against a Palm Beach Post article describing how some residents were criticizing Aaronson's role in the development.

Greenberg said she cut off Ain because the session was limited to statewide issues. In previous meetings, she noted, affordable housing discussions have turned into nasty debates.

"I didn't want the meeting to digress into an argument," Greenberg said. Affordable housing "has been a political football, which it never should've been."

Greenberg said Ain should have waited for the "public input" part of the meeting.

For his part, Ain said he only meant to ask about the bonds being used to finance the affordable housing.

Greenberg's "remarks were out of order," Ain said. "I wasn't even coming up to oppose that thing."

 
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