CSUF FACULTY HOUSING PROJECT LAYS BIG EGG
What do you call a government project that destroys an historic building, creates an eyesore, accomplishes none of its goals, can’t pay for itself, and requires no accountability on the part of its perpetrators? That’s right gentle readers! A BOONDOGGLE.And so it is with the much ballyhooed University Heights Project meant to provide subsidized (oops, “affordable”) housing for needy CSUF teachers. The University sank millions into this venture by buying property from the BPOE and building them a new lodge on the site of the original, totally Rat Pack cool building. Well, the old building is long gone, the new butt-ugly building is done, and cheapo cookie cutter stucco tract houses jam the ridgeline.
Only problem is nobody wanted to buy these boxes on dinky lots. A covenant that would keep the properties restricted to CSUF personnel was way too limiting for buyers in a plummeting real estate market, so nobody was buying in.
At first sales were restricted to CSUF employees as per plan. Then they were opened to any public employee. When will they be for sale to anybody? Occupancy of one kind or another has been pegged at about 40% although a quick drive through is reminiscent of a trip to Calico or Rhyolite. The word on the street is that the bank has pulled out because the deal can’t pay for itself.The architects of this miserable failure have yet to suffer any of the consequences that a private real estate developer would. Let’s see if we can help. First, there’s Milton Gordon, President of CSUF who must be wondering how come nobody has called him out on this yet. And of course let’s not forget our dear friend Fullerton City Council member and all around buffoon Dick Jones who actually did take credit for it (link to video) ironically unaware of the true fiasco unfolding up on Elk Hill.
There is an object lesson here of course that will no doubt be lost on educrats and befuddled local electeds: stay out of the housing business and kill policies that encourage tax-payer purchased housing subsidies for public employees.
No responsibility, no accountability, no remorse, no apologies, no nothing.
Thanks Doc HeeHaw.
Milton Gordon has trouble staying awake. I doubt if he can even remember this thing.
The Fullerton Council hailed Bill Dickerson (the project “master mind”) as some kind of “wizard” for many years. When BD would speak at council meetings, one could hear a pin drop. He weighed in on all sorts of other issues at council meetings, including Jefferson Commons. How much money did Bill take to the bank on this one Milt?
The good citizens of Fullerton do miss the great mid century modern building that was once perched atop of the hill at Harbor and Brea Blvd. Smart people learn by analyzing the results of their actions.
Could you imagine living in a closed community of CSUF teachers, and then going to work with them every day? Who is going to make a half-million dollar commitment to that?
But Travis think of all the cheddar/two-buck Chuck parties where the women come and go, speaking of Michaelangelo.
Ah say, ah say, ah don’t get the graphic, boy. Are you sayin’ CSUF teachers is a buch o’ chikens?
Now that ain’t very good, is it?
History Major,
Bill Dickson is CSUF’s front man, and I heard he makes $275,000 per year! Guess who’s paying his salary…YOU and all the rest of the idiots in California. Why is California is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy, “doo da doo”. Just keep voting for nincompoops.
That photo of Dr. Jones looks like Hitler during one of his foam at the mouth speeches. Whats up with a guy that is that amped up at a council meeting? He scares me.
I heard he got kicked in the nuts when he was a little “big” boy, that might explain why he’s “amped up” at the council meetings. And since Mr. Dicks head is disproportionately small compared to his body he might be suffering from that as well. You should NOT be making fun of Mr. Dick, he and Bon Dankhead are the rising leaders of the council, the dynamic duo convinced Qeller/Kuirk to abandon the direct appointment process. Perhaps the whole thing is just to punish Mr. Nelson for being intelligent. Jealous people do crazy & stupid things.
CSUF has a similar housing project in Buena Park, I believe. How are those selling? UC Irvine also built its own housing for faculty when it realized that if it wanted world class professors it would have to provide them with affordable housing in pricey south OC. It seems to be working pretty well, so far, though not much can be said for the design of these rather run of the mill residential campus neighborhoods.
So, what I am trying to suggest is that it may not ultimately be a bad thing to build housing for faculty in an expensive market if you want to get the best profs. Better not to tear down nice existing buildings to do it, of course, and Irvine had the luxury of on campus land to use.
as a csuf student i am shocked with the way money is spent. Normal students are always last on the totem pole, and it always seems to be about giveing faculty more money
Oh no! Not you again. Trolling the posts until you found a CSUF topic – just to pretend to be a student and not a Sidhu campaign employee!