A good case for the effectiveness of K Street's private leadership, and judging from the well-known and long-term lack of public leadership about K Street, maybe closer to the truth than the conventional wisdom.
Another View: Mohanna is not the problem on K Street
By Griselda Barajas - Special To The Bee
Published 12:00 am PST Sunday, December 9, 2007
Nearly three years ago, Americans across the country rallied behind Suzette Kelo, the woman who stood up to city officials in Connecticut when they wanted to condemn her home and give it to a developer. It is unjust for anyone to lose his or her property so another person can profit from it.
Sadly, Sacramento City officials want to do the same thing to a man whose commitment to our town is unparalleled. His name is Moe Mohanna.
City "insiders" want you to believe he's the problem. If you blame Mohanna for all of downtown's problems, it's easier to "take" his land. They aren't taking his properties for a park or some other public use. No, the city intends to give the property to another developer.
When few cared to invest a dime downtown, Mohanna invested his money, his time and his energy. For more than 20 years, he partnered with local businesspeople and the community to preserve unique old buildings. Mohanna renovated The Grand on J Street, the Crepe Café on K Street and the old Levinson's Bookstore on 10th Street, and now the Temple Coffeehouse. And, of course, my restaurant, Texas Mexican.
The city says Mohanna's buildings are empty and vacant. City officials fail to mention it was they who created the so-called "blight." It was the city that evicted tenants from their properties more than a year ago. I know because the city forced me to shut down my restaurant in 2006. And, it's the city that owns half of the vacant and run-down properties on the 700 block and the big hole in the ground on the 800 block.
The city says Mohanna didn't complete a deal to swap his buildings on the 700 block for buildings on the 800 block. What the city won't say is the buildings Mohanna was to receive in the "exchange" are no longer there – they were demolished by the city after a fire.
