Ever heard of “RhodeMap RI”? It’s HUD’s attempt to introduce social equity in Rhode Island. Rhode Island won a $1.9-million grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2011. With that grant, the state developed RhodeMap RI. The result is social engineering at its best. The plan calls for residents to live in “growth centers,” densely packed urban centers that are going to be “futuristic, clean, prosperous.” That’s what the plan says. Sounds like another public housing project to me. Can anyone say “Cabrini Green?”
RhodeMap RI is meant to identify “infill and development” areas that are open spaces in wealthy communities that can be filled with housing accessible to everyone. The “goal” is to limit suburbanization by creating self-contained communities that have job sites, transportation, and housing, thus rendering vehicles obsolete. But one has to wonder about the goal after considering what’s in the plan. Is “economic development” really the goal?
From the RhodeMap RI economic development plan:
To help support and guide an equity focus in all we do, RhodeMap RI established a Social Equity Advisory Committee (SEAC). This committee … advises RhodeMap RI on two major topics – designing an inclusive, diverse process and reviewing the development of all goals, strategies and policies to ensure that the impact of RhodeMap RI widens opportunities for all and reduces disparities.
Also in the report is “The Equity Profile” (a report prepared by PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity for RhodeMap RI). It offers four reasons why pursing equity is important for the well-being of Rhode Island. The most interesting one is presented below:
To secure America’s prosperity, we must implement a new economic model based on equity, fairness, and opportunity.
The report also includes this:
The State of Rhode Island, Department of Statewide Planning as the lead agency implementing RhodeMap RI and the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the national agency that has provided funding for RhodeMap, expects that all aspects of equity will be a component of RhodeMap RI plans. Each RhodeMap RI committee is responsible for keeping equity in the forefront and weaving equity into all plans and work products/documents.
An essential goal of the RhodeMap RI process was to address social equity, particularly looking at systems, programs and ideas that have the effect of marginalizing certain groups of people.
The plan even attacks the 10th amendment to the US Constitution:
To implement this plan, barriers between and among federal and state programs must be dismantled to help ensure they respond to the needs of the communities.
Critics of RhodeMap RI say it’s social engineering, and that it will destroy local land-use planning. Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity founder Mike Stenhouse says:
It’s a socialist vs. capitalist thing; it’s not a liberal vs. conservative thing. People have been fighting this all over the country. But once Rhode Island is the first entire state to pass this plan, the federal government will seize control.
Stenhouse does have recent history on his side: Fearless Leader Barack Hussein Obama IS a socialist.
Rhode Island state representative Patricia Morgan, R-Coventry, said:
The American dream is about working hard and taking what you have earned and spending it the way you want to spend it. It shouldn’t be government saying, ‘These folks want to live there and they can’t afford it and we are going to force you.’
Do we want them to come in and say, ‘There is a nice piece of land, we are going to take it by eminent domain and put affordable housing there?’
And Michael G. Riley, vice chair at Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity, said:
Reading through HUD Sustainable development plans and the various agendas of Grow Smart RI, RhodeMap RI and other like minded promoters of “social equity” it becomes more and more apparent that there is little or no thought given to improving economic development.
… this document is lengthy and I found the scope of the plan frightening as it augurs for a huge increase in governmental intrusion in to our lives. The plan regularly postulates without supporting facts, it suggests experimentation, and proposes implementation without once even addressing the current economics.
… the report suggests the same people, with increased government intrusion, will somehow improve horrible mismanagement of our tax dollars thus far. It is unfathomable that this ridiculous RhodeMap RI plan implemented by the same people in office now will be suddenly successful. The authors suggest little or no reduction in current Government, in fact they propose to add to the current failure of our local government by sharing power with the federal Government and thus increasing the fines, penalties and resulting exposure to eminent domain that is very much part of this plan.
What “social equity” has to do with economic development planning is beyond me. But this report says that it is the only way to achieve it. The RhodeMap RI report authors say that Rhode Island cannot succeed without this plan I guess the people who developed the report never heard of WORK.
If there was ever a “1984” scheme, this is it. And it’s financed with TAX money!
By the way, RhodeMap RI was developed under Lincoln Chaffee (D), who has been replaced by Gina Raimondo (D). Rhode Island is probably the most heavily Democrat state in the US.
Cross-posted at The Pot Stirrer
Among the many flaws with such global planning is the need to have a stable work force for the industries located in the planned area. This means that people trained in those industries cannot be allowed to migrate to a better climate or market their skills elsewhere. So, you need restrictions on where people may live. Say, internal passports? Young people have to be eased or coerced into positions they may not desire or be very good at. The efficiency that is so-called “gained” is offset by lack-luster labor performance and quality problems.
These are cold realities. The hotter reality is that these communities would have to be governed coercively in order to even remotely function.
It’s been tried, elsewhere. Little Rhody, don’t succumb to the suck.
Please, take note of the two words I highlighted. Sustainable development.
If you are not familiar with Agenda 21, you need to be. It is the UN’s design for “equality” though out western civilization. “Sustainable development” is just one part of it and was adopted by HUD in 2011 with support of the Obama administration.
What “sustainable development” creates is the building of high rises in urban areas where people are simply allowed only so much room to live in. The concept is to cut down on the amount of energy/per person that is used (by living in a small space) and a requirement to use public transportation with vehicle not being allowed in the “sustainable development” areas.
Think about it; lots of people being crammed into small housing and forced to ride bikes to work all in the name of
global warmingclimate change. But what it really is is a Marxist ideology being sold under the auspices of protecting the planet that can destroy us any time it wants.Reminds one of the preplanned, prepackaged, prebuilt, centrally controlled cities and developments which have sprung-up all over China — you WILL move there and you WILL require approval to move out.
Rhode Island THE most Demoncrat state? Well, maybe but not in terms of impact. I guess that would be California but I guess that is why the socialists chose a “small” place to plant their “seed.” Once germinated, like Common CORE, it will spread by Federal decree.
@MAKAYA:
Dr. Zhivago comes to America.
The left are rapidly becoming the architects of their own extinction…America will only tolerate so much before they turn on the oppressors.
Well, what they mean is that this is going to cost so much money that Rhode Island cannot afford it, so they will leach of the taxpayers of the other 49 states to create their socialistic utopia.
I say do it. Put the whole plan in effect. After all, it’s just Rhode Island. Small price to pay to show (again, as if all the other examples aren’t enough) how socialism and communism fails and fails miserably.
Sorry, Rhode Island. Elections have consequences.
Good clip, Thirteen.
Martin Amis notes that the two inevitable results of Communist experimentation is “famine and failure.”
oops. is=>are
One of many reasons why when we retire we will be moving to a very red state, most likely Wyoming. Granted Wisconsin has made strides lately but I think long term states such as Rhode Island, Wisconsin and many others are destined to rot from within all with the support and urging of the Federal government…
Armed conservative enclaves, people can and will belittle the idea as crazy talk but it will be the future for those of us who refuse to become Europe or worse..
Who is Nino Brown?
Remember New Jack City? Nino was the dealer who took over that apartment block, The Carter, where all the crack was being slung. That’s how these “Growth Centers” will devolve, good intentions are not always sustainable. You typically don’t need grant money if you have a “sustainable” business plan.
Here’s a growth center, a real life Carter in Miami which hosted 13 shootings in one month. The take away is a good intention that falls flat on its ass, “A $270,000 surveillance system was supposed to stop the violence, but the cameras often don’t work.” As often as do their plans. Case in point.
RhodeMap RI is meant to identify “infill and development” areas that are open spaces in communities that can be filled with housing accessible to everyone = high density housing in communities that do not have their “fair share” of low income people.
Inclusionary Upzoning – a fairer housing market that includes real location choices for lower-income households.
The efficiency that is so-called “gained” is offset by lack-luster labor performance and quality problems.
Insert GM joke
3 years ago Stenhouse was climbing it would be illegal to use incandescent bulbs
@MAKAYA:
Yes indeed.
“this house can accommodate 13 families”…the shock and awe will be brutal for the less enlightened.