The organization responsible for distributing $76 million of Columbia’s money in Manhattanville has, after prolonged criticism from locals, established an office and created a website with their bylaws, members, and funding activities.
The West Harlem Development Corporation, which has already received at least $3.55 million from Columbia, has been criticized by local politicians and community leaders for delaying the distribution of funds and lacking a permanent office or phone number, nearly three years after its creation.
The website, which went live on Dec. 25, includes a mission statement, a list of board members, and a progress report of the organization’s recent activities. According to the list, these activities include sponsoring 200 West Harlem youth in a city employment program, co-sponsoring policy forums between community leaders and Columbia academic departments, and approving $3 million for programs at Grant and Manhattanville houses.
The WHDC’s website also lists an address for their office at 560 W. 133rd Street, which is part of the Nash Building, owned by Columbia.
The WHDC is charged with ensuring that West Harlemites receive the benefits promised in the Community Benefits Agreement, which the University established in the wake of its campus expansion into Manhattanville.
The president of the WHDC, Donald Notice, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
According to the website, the West Harlem Local Development Corporation—the WHDC’s predecessor, known as the LDC—was dissolved by a board vote on Feb. 17. Documents on the website show that the organization, under its new name, was approved for status as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit on July 6.
But parts of the site appear to be outdated—the name of the organization is frequently referred to by its former name, and, until Jan. 17, the site said that an announcement in regards to the hiring of an executive director would be made by the end of 2011.
Juanita Scarlett, a spokesperson for the WHDC, said that an announcement was expected soon, but declined to discuss how far the organization had progressed in the hiring process.
“When we announce those plans we will make them public,” Scarlett said.
Congressional candidate Vince Morgan, an outspoken critic of the WHDC, said that he remains unsatisfied with the organization’s lack of transparency. Morgan referred to the WHDC’s most recent sign of progress as “just a shell of a website.”
“There needs to be more transparency as to the qualifications of the board members and how they were selected,” Morgan said. “I’m happy that they put up a website and I hope they populate it with some relevant information.”
Last month, Community Board 9, which represents West Harlem, passed a December resolution proposed by member Walter South that set a three month deadline for the group to devise a plan to distribute the money and adopt bylaws.
South said that he was dismayed that the WHDC still did not appear accountable to the residents of Manhattanville. “They need a very clear program as to where this money will go to going forth and what the goals of the organization are. Where is the professionalism here?”
CB9 members Anthony Fletcher and Ivonne Stennett plan to replace Ted Kovaleff and former CB9 chair Pat Jones as the community board’s representatives, a move that current CB9 chair Georgiette Morgan-Thomas said was the result of lack of communication between the board and the WHDC last year.
“It is the desire of CB9 to see the LDC represent the community as originally desired,” Morgan-Thomas said. “At this point the LDC is made up of volunteers and those individuals have the desire to put the CBA into action but not always the time. We are very excited now that they will have an executive, an office, and a website to communicate with the community and allow the community to communicate with them.”
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