CityLink's Michael Armand

Let’s go back to an article written on December 20th, 2005. It was written right before the West End Community Council voted against the CityLink mall for the homeless, drug addicts, and ex cons.

West End Can’t Stop Mall

“Michael Armand of Over-the-Rhine, who is in the Exodus program now, also believes a one-stop center would help addicts like himself. And he's puzzled by the opposition from West End residents.

"When you drive through the West End you see a lot of bad elements now. You see evidence that it is a high crime area. A substantial one-stop service center could only help the image of the community," Armand said.

Because the area is zoned for manufacturing and multiple use housing, CityLink will also be able to provide about 100 beds.

[Citylink’s Rodger] Howell estimates CityLink will serve 35,000 to 40,000 people a year.

Michael Armand was puzzled by the opposition. The CityLink homeless mall was going to help the image of our community.

That takes us to our “Where are they now?” Segment….

According to courtclerk.org, Michael Armand has been arrested for theft and drugs since the article was written. CityLink highlighted Mr. Armand and the Exodus program of City Gospel Mission in the article. And the one person they highlighted that was undergoing treatment ending up arrested for trying to take personal property and for drugs. A warrant is currently out for Mr. Armand.

It is true that you can’t extrapolate fairly when the data set consists of one relapsed drug addict. That said it makes you wonder how many of the thousands of people CityLink hoped to serve would relapse into recidivistic and self destructive behavior. If these poor souls didn’t have money to feed their addiction, what would the effect been on personal property crimes in the surrounding neighborhood?

I am all for people being saved. What I am not for is the naivety of suburban mega churches who think that they can save everyone without taking a reasonable look at the possible consequences. Either they are so foolish that they don’t understand the statistical reality of relapse or recidivism, or they just don’t care about the neighborhood, schools and businesses surrounding the area where they wished to concentrated thousands of these people.

Also in the article:

"Once they buy the property, no one has the authority to stop them.," said CityLink supporter Dale Mallory, president of the West End Community Council and brother of Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory.

After that article came out, Dale Mallory denied being a CityLink supporter and complained about the press coverage. Months later public records requests of Cincinnati Empowerment Corporation documents revealed that Dale Mallory was paid to promote CityLink. He was paid to meet with CityLink’s Mark Stecher and devise plans to overcome community opposition.

One plan to thwart his neighbor’s opposition was to not let the community vote on CityLink. Dale Mallory refused to take a motion on CityLink for three straight WECC meetings, and he even presented a lawyer in the January meeting to claim that the vote opposing CityLink was invalid.

Another plan hatched by Dale Mallory and Mark Stecher was to hold a special West End Community Meeting. That meeting was hosted by Dale Mallory, (paid CityLink promoter). It was moderated by Lincoln Ware, who was pro CityLink. The speakers were all from CityLink. And though the location of the meeting was at the Lincoln Center in the West End, the crowd of hundreds was directed in by Brian Tome of Crossroads Community Church and told to cheer for CityLink.