Elderly Housing in Vienna? Over Maud's Dead Body!

So where did Maud say that about elderly housing? Just seeking the facts so I can make up my own mind.

Have you seen Vienna? Do you realize that the collection of housing offerings available is under her direct control and has been for 50 years? Those are facts. What's not clear?

I can't post with any honesty that Mrs. Robinson said "Over My Dead Body"...I don't THINK she would say that...

Let's not be so melodramatic...I don't know AT ALL what Mrs. Robinson said (or would say) about Elderly Housing...My Goal here is simply to present alternative views.

Although I do not know what She would say, I DO know what I would Say...

And according to the previous Posts here, you may not want to hear it...

BUT - I DO TOTALLY believe that we DO need MORE housing for the elderly, MORE housing for new young starter couples, MORE housing, if you will, that is simply "AFFORDABLE"

Housing costs in TOV have skyrocketed -

The numbers simply Do Not add up! Simple math says you pay at LEAST as much to build a home as you do for the lot (Lot prices in TOV START at $535..)So, ANY New Home in Vienna is guaranteed to be at ONE MILLION PLUS!!!

The "elderly" (How I hate that word, as I am soon among them...) detest the increase in Taxes - We are seeing fewer and fewer NEW people(ie people purchasing "tear down lots") in TOV - MOST of our current clients are those who Bought the lots in the '60s - '70s, and now are "cashing in" on their equity.

I feel that we DO need "affordable housing" in our Town. Otherwise, everything we build will be above 1+m.

This Post has been argumentative AGAINST Steve Bukont's purchase of Tappawingo and Glyndon (Currebntly zoned "Commercial") and fearfully posed that he might re-zone to Multi Family - I reiterate - WHY is that a Bad Thing? We NEED more diversified product for more diversified people....We need to accomodate a population that is not all 1m. plus...

Everybody says NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) , but if well studied, well designed product is introduced into our (mixed-zone) neighborhoods - Why should we fight that?

Deborah:

You obviously know all the issues and know what should be done. But, STOP playing the semantics games with HistoricVienna.com. It's getting very old. Your cutesy responses are lame & they are just a diversion around the real issues. You pretty much agree with all posts but you have to take issue with every stinking little headline or phrasing.

Let's start being more honest & direct.

Sincerely,

A Reader

HV - Keep an Open Mind and let "Confused" post....

This is exactly my point about not making Posters fearful that they will get a "slap on the wrist" for voicing their opinions...This is a New Poster - Say "Welcome", and engage him in conversation....

DB: Take a quick look at the wacky pictures at the top of this page.... Do you think anything sane comes out of MR-D2's mouth?

DB, why not let 'confused' respond? A response was made to him or her, now 'confused' can respond back...or not. We have no desire to 'pretend' that Maud and Jane are nice, little ole ladies looking out for our best interests. There is too much evidence that they are power hungry politicians who abuse power. There is too much evidence that they have no leadership skill. If 'confused' doesn't like that opinion and doesn't want to continue to post or answer questions because there is not enough 'kumbaya' here, well, that is a choice for 'confused'.

You Posters are so full of venom...I honestly don't get it! I am playing "semanics games" with your web site? My "cutsey resonses are getting very old?....."I am "lame"? I beg your pardon!

Let me ask you - Have you Looked at YOURSELVES?

I am only TRYING to present a fair, honest, unbiased Opinion!

HEY - If you want me to go away, and you don't give a Bush's Expletive what I think, than I WILL....

You are digging yourselves into your own dark hole of isolationism.

Are you the puppy in the road, hit by a truck, that bites the hand of the person that is willing to carry him safely over to the other side?

Now, I'M CONFUSED...

Do you want help, or do you just want to stand in the middle of the road and bitch and bite?

Dear "Confused"....

Thank you for posting. I will try aand locate for you the information you request. I honestly do not know when or if Mrs. Robinson made such a comment either for or against "Elderly Housing".

I also do not know that this response will be posted to you on this site. I can only hope and trust that it will.

Thank you for your question, and I will do my sincere best to let you know what, if any comments have been made in this regard by Mrs. Robinson.

Sincerely,

Deborah B.

DB, if you are trying to be fair and unbiased, then explain exactly why you are not on the ARB and exactly what Maud said to you behind closed doors.

The response was posted to 'confused'. Venom at this site? This site has a whole bunch of truth. If you want venom you might want to go to Tom Seeman's race baiting site. Or better yet, maybe everyone here can give first hand and honest recollections of their dealings with Maud? Yes, DB, we have seen your 'tactic' before. The tactic where we the messengers are the 'horrible, bad people isolating themselves'. Maybe you might start, point by point, address issues on this site.

So where did Maud say that about elderly housing? Just seeking the facts so I can make up my own mind.

Wonderful question! Thanks so much for getting to the truth!

Maud has never said or done anything like that! She supports affordable housing for the elderly and start up families and has been at the forefront of these kinds of developments in Vienna for 50 years. How do I know this? Look around; everyone can plainly see all that she has done. I think these bitter, angry people on this blog don't understand how much Mother Vienna has done for them. They should be so lucky to have someone looking out for them like Mrs. Robinson. Mrs. Robinson has worked tirelessly to make sure only 'certain' kinds of people live in Vienna. She should be saluted for that, not vilified!

It's amazing to see all the corrosive power Maud Robinson and her cronies have exhibited over the past couple of years in committee meetings or their propensity to abuse their power with ordinary Vienna citizens. Many outspoken citizens in Vienna have stated their cases for needing newer up-to-date guidelines, policy changes, and required zoning changes to direct Vienna's commercial base and Maple Avenue improvements into the next century. There is obviously a difference in opinion as to how to do this, but what most people are reluctant in stating openly, is that this opposition goes way beyond differences in ideology. What is painfully obvious is that there exists an atmosphere of corruption and abuse of power that has existed for years. Maud, Cole, Seeman and their cronies have overtly and sometimes “under the radar” acted in such a way to produce no real plan for Vienna while on the other hand the soundly and thoughtfully constructed Maple Avenue Vision Project was positioned by Maud as trying to make Vienna into an LA or NYC. Do they see support of these ideas as a threat to their political foundations? Or is it simply the ways of repetitive abuses that have been too commonplace in the Town political machine? The answer is simple to see if you visit other community local government meetings: Herndon, Falls Church, Alexandria, Manassas, Fairfax County... when you visit these governmental meetings you will find elected officials and Town residents meeting together and expressing concerns with a welcomed sense of professionalism and appropriate behavior on both sides of the podium. What Vienna lacks, and has lacked for as long as I have witnessed, is a total lack of vision, a total lack of professionalism, and a total lack of maturity amongst its elected officials. Their actions are not reflective of the real thoughts and desires of most Vienna’s residents and business owners. Robinson, Seeman, Cole, Lovelace are a disgrace. Some have even witnessed Maud Robinson try to enforce her will on her cronies by brow beating them when they voice any opposition to her way, like a child having a tantrum. Why? In the twilight years of her life most would think Maud Robinson would rather have a Town of citizens supporting her with words of kindness and warm feelings, but alas, this will not be the case. She is not a good leader, nor an honest politician, and therein lies the problem. Some of the readers on this website post comments that state that some of us are spewing venom, and we should be more kind and understanding of our outdated council persons. Are we to just ignore Maud's madness? No, Maud needs to wake up and realize that her ideas are indeed outdated, her days are numbered, and that she needs to be the one to bury the hatchet, because she is the one who desperately and willfully waves this hatchet to Town residents in her talons. Furthermore, when and if the local “reporters” in Vienna become mature enough to print what is really happening in Vienna, we won't need to rely on websites to reveal the real truths about the acts our elected council persons display. Our local press is asleep at the wheel and simply does not print what needs to be printed. They don’t care or they don’t wish to understand the truth, whatever, they are useless as reporters. They are simply "fluff" writers. They only print what Maud desires them to print. They will not expose the corruption, the abuses, and problems Vienna has. This site will remain the one true watering hole that everyone will return to keep up to date with the important issues in an around the Town. Kind of like the Vienna Drudge Report. It’s plain to see that it’s needed. So complaining about venom and crying about semantics or trying to convince some of the readers of this site to be more diplomatic is not a solution. Its really a waste of time and effort because the only way to fight corruption is to be blatant when revealing people who have the power to abuse and hurt people for no apparent reason other than the fact that they can. Rarely do we see in Vienna an elected official really act to lead and direct into the future to be a help and not a hindrance. So, I say, full speed ahead, and stay the course!

Hey Maud, you want to see what a Virginia park should look like. Visit Fairfax city hall. Oops sorry it is City and cannot be compared to the SMALL TOWN of VIENNA. Asinine logic as usual. This is 2006 and we are in the center of Fairfax Count. Wake up. Stop viewing our Town with a Connecticut mentality. You are in Virginia. We have parks. View this web site. If you want to call it a Town green go back to Connecticut. Isn't this your usual quote to people who disagree with you? Go back to where you came from if you do not like how "I" run Vienna.

Perhaps my earlier post did not go through. So here it is again. What is it that the town should do to encourage the building of elderly housing? What specific actions has it taken that discourages it? This is an important issue, and I am ready to be educated. I am not in anyone's "camp," but would welcome a well-thought out reasoned argument on this issue. I see one constructive suggestion in the above posts (mixed residential/commericial use building). What is preventing that in Vienna? Is is a Vienna code? is it county code? This is the type of information I would welcome. Your response of "do you realize that the collection of housing offerings available is under her direct control and has been for 50 years" is decidedly unhelpful.

Building and development in Vienna is controlled by Vienna Town code, not County code. Meaning what gets built, how big, what density, is all a choice made by Vienna. While this is governed under code enacted by the Vienna Town Council, the political reality is that what gets built in Vienna must be approved by Maud Robinson. This is the reality - she has the control. What does Maud want? Single family residential only. She is against anything else. It could be million dollar Town homes or condos, makes no difference, Maud is opposed to it. You said our original response was 'decidedly unhelpful'. Does this lengthier response make it clearer?