From the department of "Oh my people..."

As companies are steady evicting folks from rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem, Charlie Rangel is holding on to four--FOUR--rent-stabilized units. Incredible.

Comments

Coates:

not trying to hijack the discussion thread (this is sorta on topic, black news and all), I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the new black news channel J.C. Watts is starting up.

http://blackstarnews.com/?c=125&a=4680

I know you've been critical of him/his ideas/black Repubs in the past
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_12_34/ai_95914097
but despite finding the Repubs, er, well, gross, I have to admit to being a bit hopeful about this. A new perspective in cable news that doesn't either ignore or demonize black people would be very welcome.

Posted by Alexander | July 11, 2008 3:39 AM

money quote from the NYTimes: asked whether it was fair that he had four apartments, he responded to the effect that "fairness is so subjective."
Now there's a thought to take away from this.... "Fairness is so subjective." Just think of all the situations to which you could apply this sterling bit of wisdom.

Posted by Diana | July 11, 2008 1:17 PM

Ta-Nehisi Coates,

My apologies for using the Rangel post to reach you. (I'm new to the blog world and its many portals and couldn't figure out how to just send you a general purpose e/m.) All that to say that since I heard you on WNYC talking about your book my ears perked up, and then I found your blog and they really perked up and now I have to put myself on a "diet" or I'll never get any work done for running to your site to see what you have to say about this or that. So, thanks so very much on your commentary these days.

However, and this is why I really wrote: I was messing around and decided to watch the trailer for your book. I remember that during your WNYC interview you mentioned that your father had recently died. As I'm looking at the trailer I said, I KNOW THAT MAN!! That's PAUL COATES!!! I loved your father!!!! (Obviously I haven't read your book yet or I'd already known who you were writing about. I'm about to rectify that.) Your father gave me one of my first writing assignments. I was a struggling (and I do mean struggling) single mother who longed to be A Writer. (I couldn't finish the article -- I didn't have the discipline and journalistic skills to do the review of BCP's "The New Negro". Your father was gracious when I told him I couldn't. This was years ago -- mid 80's -- and I was working/living in the DC area.)

Anyway, God bless your father and God bless you. What a great legacy your father left. And how selfishly fortunate I am to be able to sip twice from the same well.

Onward with grace,
ATG

Posted by Ann T. Greene | July 11, 2008 2:00 PM

How many of Charlie's friend will step up to the bat to defend him?

Just wondering.

Posted by rikyrah | July 11, 2008 2:10 PM

Whoa, whoa Ann. I don't think I said on the show that Dad passed. Pops is alive and very well. He actually comments on this blog from time to time, and remains, as he's been since I first put pen to pad, my biggest critic and most ardent fan.

Posted by Ta-Nehisi Coates | July 11, 2008 2:11 PM

I think we're expectiong more from Rangel that we'd expect from ourselves.

Who goes out of their way and says "Please charge me more rent. It's a crime that i'm getting such an awesome deal". The dude's lived there for 20 years.

My current salary could allow me to buy a spot made for broke mf's like myself (govt subsidized housing in alright neighborhoods). Thing is, i dont expect to be broke forever. Quite the contrary. If i could currently afford to put down on a govt subsidized spot, sheeeeiiiiit, you best believe i'd do it. And i'd continue to own/live in/hold onto the place even after I elevate myself from hundredaire to thousandaire (and maybe even millionaire)

The shadiest thing about it is probably the fact that one of them was a campaign office. Other than that, i cant really fault dude for basically just holding onto a deal.

Posted by CeezDiem | July 11, 2008 3:12 PM

You also aren't a public servant. Moreover, we aren't talking about buying--we're talking about renting. I'm a New Yorker and a Harlemite. At a time of rising rents, and gentrification Uptown, I've got an issue with a public servant whose net work is a half-mill--bare minimum--making use of a program meant to help people who were working and struggling. And not just making use of it--making use of it FOUR TIMES OVER. A rent controlled apartment for an office?? Really??

Posted by Ta-Nehisi Coates | July 11, 2008 3:23 PM

I believe two of the apartments were already converted into one 20 years ago before he moved in.

At the end of the day, it certainly isnt fair. But if he was an upright, moral, completely selfless person (and somehow still a politician), how should he have gone about things?

He moved into a bldg 20 years ago that offered the subsidy to EVERYONE living there. At what point should he have asked to pay full rent, or moved out of his home. Or should he have NOT moved in at all?

Hell, even Barry O got a lil slick deal with his crib. He got it for less than market value from a company he happened to have done some work for. wink wink, nudge nudge. Is that gonna keep me from the voting both? no dice.

Politicians as a whole are all in it for the attention and the power (certainly to varying degrees). Sometimes they manage to help a few folks or make life better for some folks. I think Rangels managed to do that.

Posted by CeezDiem | July 11, 2008 3:46 PM

Rangel can be in it all he wants for the attention and the power. That's his right. But it's also my right--as his constituent--to be pissed about the ethics of it, and then express that to the wider wider world. There's no way I'm defending a public servant worth that much money taking up four, OK three, rent-controlled apartments. He seems to be doing a fine job of it himself...

Posted by Ta-Nehisi Coates | July 11, 2008 3:52 PM

I hear you. Not asking you defend the guy.

I imagine we'll hear more about this in the coming days and there'll be more info on the whole thing. I dont think he conspired to do this (whilst laughing nefariously and twirling his mustache), I think he just let it happen.

As Chris Rock said about OJ .... "I'm not saying it was right.....but I understand"

Posted by CeezDiem | July 11, 2008 4:09 PM

This stinks to high heaven - and, anyone remember how he (and more than a few other congressmen) are using their staff allowance to lease really nice rides? I believe when Mr. Rangel was questioned about it, he essentially said that his constituents expect if of him and if he was leasing something less, it would be disrespecting them.

Anyway, I also liked this post b/c it points out how stupid rent control is - it's intended to help lower income people, but it just ends up being subsidized housing for whomever hangs in there long enough, or at least keeps their name on the lease.

Posted by Arclight | July 11, 2008 7:41 PM