They built a school there as many had moved into our little town, and our schools were no longer enough for the town.
Our town is known for the founder, Phineas Banning, the name of my high school. The terrible fact that they removed old people from their homes to build a school for the new kids coming to our town just didn’t seem right. BUT, having said this, I still wish Huell would go to my little town and film for posterity, the old Banning Mansion. I remember the old carriages in the barn. And the times we played on the green grass there. Or maybe Juanita’s Mexican taco sauce would be a nice show for Huell to visit. Now, I am in my declining years. The threat of losing my home is as real now as it was to Chavaz Revine. I have seen redevelopers, [Anaheim, Ca.], threaten our area with redevelopment, [eminent domain], and not to mention Howard Jarvis Prop. 13 being threatened by big wigs that think 43 years of paying my taxes on my little humble home is not enough for today’s high cost to live here anymore. Some, I am sure, have sold their homes and moved away because they could not afford the incredible high taxes on a home they thought would do until death do us part.
But I would still like to see Huell come to my little piece of the world, and film his stories here.
Well, of course Disneyland and Angel stadium, and the Glass Cathedral and the Convention center is here. But that’s another story of eminent domain that’s still going on.

There is no question that Huell Howser has provided an educational and entertaining tour of our state that most of us would not have seen. My wife and I both enjoy his programs.
However, he sold out to the California Redevelopment Agency to promote one side of the debate for money.
In our telephone discussion he told me that “he is not political ” yet allowed himself to be used to promote redevelopment and eminent domain in CA.

Do you ever watch the LA Dodgers on TV or attend one of their home games?
Do you know that Mexican-Americans were displaced from their Chavez Ravine village homes which eventually became that famous LA stadium built by Walter O’Malley?
So while some may benefit from that project its a zero sum gain.
This tale is reported across this country.
When I asked Huell to make a simple statement that “not all redevelopment projects are successful” he said he could not as they were paying him.I rest my case.

My disagreement with Huell is that these upcoming sites were NOT of his selection. The CRA has a request out now for redevelopment agencies to submit local projects for consideration in this 14 segment series.

Let me quote from their letter:

“To understand how your project exemplifies the value of redevelopment, there are a few questions to answer as follows:
1)How did the project contribute to reversal of the community’s decay?
2)What part did the project play in the revitalization of the community?
3)How has the community changed and benefited because of the project?”

Perhaps we could interview some of those property owners who were displaced to make way for these projects.
To repeat our position on redevelopment.

One. We do not oppose any activity relating to a valid public use such as the need to widen a road, build a post office, or school.

Two. Obviously we have no issue if you have a willing buyer and a willing seller in the transaction.

Three. If a building, or home, presents a Health and Safety concern that the property owner fails to address, such as use as a “crack house,” there is no question that we support appropriate corrective action.

As stated by a legal expert we can suggest several southern CA cities with projects that were failures. The CRA will not permit Huell to go there. They are PAYING his company. That’s the problem.

This series is targeted to appear on KCET public access TV yet, based on my reques tto Huell, will not offer any consideration for an opposing argument.
Sadly, Huell is being used by the CRA.

From an Aug 2001 story about Huellfound on the Net.

“Mr. Howser grew up in Gallatin, Tenn., 30 miles from Nashville. He spent most of the 1970′s as the feature reporter for WSM-TV, the NBC affiliate in Nashville. Then one day he did a segment about the proposed demolition of the old Tennessee governor’s mansion to make way for a Popeye’s chicken franchise, and compared America’s treatment of its old buildings to its treatment of old people.

The station suspended him for 30 days for editorializing.”

Huell. Please treat CA victims with the same courage and compassion you showed back in TN.

I take no pleasure in exposing Huell’s decision to be used by the CRA to promote redevelopment. Steve Greenhut also covered this issue last Sunday in his Register editiorial entitled:
“How could you Huell Howser?”

Did you happen to inquire of Mr. Howser, as a recent seller, the current price of a soul?