Conservative assumptions often include that most federal agencies are staffed by slow working, risk adverse bureaucrats. My real estate development (affordable low-income housing) requires a great deal of work with federal, state and local workers.
I have worked now extensively with many fine workers at the USDA Rural Development to help preserve multi-family housing. Its multi-family program director is leaving for a different position in another state. I had the opportunity today to thank him and those he worked with in California for a very fine job. I have found USDA RD to have some of the most creative, can do, hard working individuals outside or inside the private or public sector.
While our company is small, we have in the past years succeeded in preserving and improving 398 family and elderly apartments of affordable housing in California, thanks to the tremendous efforts of USDA Rural Development.
Jeff, you will be missed. You have blazed forward an impressive trail in California and made a difference for thousands of the state's residents. Thank you.
In particular, this arises out of the fact that a lot of work done by government employees IS done slowly. However, the misconception is that it is the employees' faults. The blame, in many cases, actually lies with the extremely high amount of red tape and bureaucracy they are forced to endure, and if rid of, could accomplish much more than are being allowed. Both sad and wasteful at the same time.
Posted by: Robert Mayer | February 18, 2005 at 03:58 PM