There was one person conspicuously absent from Wednesday's rally for Allied Drive: Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.
Although the event -- which attracted about a dozen residents -- was held on the front steps of the City County Building, neither Cieslewicz nor anyone from his office came down to see.
Residents were protesting the city's suggestion that 50% of new housing in Allied be owner-occupied. They say most residents won't be able to afford to buy a house and will have to leave. The city says the typical Allied resident earns just $14,800 a year.
"Most people in this neighborhood don't want to be forced to relocate to another poor section of Madison," says Barry Hayes, an Allied resident.
The neighborhood is hoping the city council will pass a resolution designating some of the housing as low-income. Ald. Brenda Konkel, who has written about on this issue, was at the rally, as was Ald. Austin King.
"We've taken the liberty of saying low-income needs to be part of the conversation," says Fred Clark, an Allied resident who helped organize the rally.
It's a conversation that Mayor Cieslewicz, who has identified Allied Drive as a major focus of his administration, would do well to join.
