Truth Comes From Everywhere

Yesterday turned out to be a super-full day.

In addition to a number of meetings before lunch, I had the pleasure of attending a combined meeting of The Real Estate Council and the Central Dallas Association. Over 500 people filled one of the ballrooms at the Fairmont to hear Albert Ratner, Co-chairman of Forest City Enterprises, Cleveland, Ohio.

Forest City is one of the largest and most aggressive development firms in the nation. The company is not afraid to tackle huge or the "risky" projects.

No wonder Dallas Mayor Laura Miller is courting the group to lead the way in the revitalization efforts in our downtown core. Mr. Ratner explained how the company selects projects, why Dallas was a long shot for them, but also why he wanted to do a big deal here.

He was entertaining and inspirational to say the least. The crowd seemed to hang on every word, even as he chided us for being so shortsighted when it comes to real vision.

An important part of his presentation--in fact the backdrop of the entire speech--was his obvious commitment to include everyone in the process and his concern for those whom he referred to as "the least" among us.

"If you have no concern for 'the least' as you do your work, no one will be satisfied with the outcome," Ratner counseled us.

Here's a guy who has helped renew places like downtown Cleveland, inner city Brooklyn, NY and the area around the New Jersey Nets new coliseum. The retail statistics he reported from these developments in "risky" locations amazed everyone. Lesson: low-income, working people have money to spend. If they can find places to spend their money close to home, their neighborhoods have a way of improving!

Speaking to a well-to-do Dallas audience, he told us to remember the poor as we redo our downtown. Strange though. This brilliant, mild-mannered business tycoon spoke more powerfully and fairly about much neglected subjects (poverty, equal opportunity and justice) than most of the preachers in this town!

The Mayor and the entire City Council heard the speech. I hope they were listening.

Later in the day as I walked down Elm Street on my way to my last two appointments, I encountered Jeff on the street. I had talked to him before and he recognized me.

"Why you still down here so late?" he quipped at me.

"Oh, on my way to meet some guys. What's up?" I replied.

We talked a bit and then I decided to conduct an interview.

"Jeff, mind if I ask you a personal question," I said.

"Shoot," he replied.

"If I had a building down here where our headquarters offices, our law offices, our works training operation and our community development corporation offices were located and if the top 10-15 floors were single room apartments and you could afford the rent, would you like to have one? Would you live in a place like that if you had your own apartment?"

"Are you kidding? Of course I would. I person would have to be stupid to say 'No' to a deal like that," he answered with renewed energy.

We talked a bit more about his situation, the possibility of his finding work and some training for new skills.

"Do you stay in a shelter?" I continued.

"No, I hate shelters. I prefer the street. I feel safer out here. I don't drink or do drugs. I stay away from shelters," he explained with resolve.

I've been conducting these informal interviews for months now. I always get the same answers to these questions.

People on the street want homes. Homes of their own. It is so obvious.

Mr. Ratner would have liked Jeff. I expect Jeff would have felt the same. Both are what I call "truth-tellers. "

When it comes to poverty, truth is what we need in this nation. A large dose of it from whatever the source.