Although he was born in Manhattan, Aldolfo Carrión Jr. home has always
appeared to be the Bronx. Since moving to the borough when he was an
elementary student, Carrión has always been an active member within the
Bronx community. Like his father, a minister, Carrión worked as an associate
pastor for some time and eventually shifted careers and became a public
school teacher. Maybe it was his time spent working close with residents of
the Bronx that Carrión eventually felt the need to pursue a career in local
politics. After obtaining his master’s degree from Hunter College in Urban
Planning, Carrión stepped into the realm of politics where his reign in
Urban Policy began.
Elected to New York City Council as an Urban Planner for the City in
1998, Carrión’s foray into local politics began with the Hispanic politician
gaining valuable experience in politics and policy to go in-hand with his
passion for urban planning issues. As a New York City Council member,
Carrión was able to climb upward within the political world and won numerous
positions and powers against some political opponents considered far more
experience than he. In 2001, Carrión would once again claim another
impossible feat after becoming elected Bronx Borough President despite the
advice of critics who suggested the young politician to “wait his turn.” And
it was as Bronx Borough President that Carrión earned himself the title
Urban Policy Czar, a policy entitled to him by the 44th President of the
United States of America Barack Obama.
Under his two-term administration as Bronx Borough President, and
according to reports made by the White House, Carrión oversaw the creation
of 40,000 new units of housing, 50 new schools, $7 billion in capital and
infrastructure expenditures and more than $400 million in the development of
new parks and the renovation of parkland renovation a recorded 25,000 new
housing units have been built within the borough. It is because of his
successes in developing an urban area like the Bronx, Carrión was selected
to head a new White House office slated to the affairs of the urban
communities in America.
Created back in 2009 by President Obama and Vice President Biden, the
White House Office of Urban Affairs was created within the White House
Domestic Policy Council as a way to ensure that all federal dollars are
effectively spent on the highest-impact programs for the development of
urban areas within all of the United States of America. And as Director,
Carrión would ensure that these federal dollars are well-spent. In his
announcement in appointing Carrión into the position on February 19, 2009,
President Barack Obama stated that he is looking forward to working with
Carrión since he will be one of the, “talented leaders to bring long overdue
attention to the urban areas where 80 percent of the American people live
and work.” Obama also stated that the office and Director Carrión is in
charge of making sure that the office will focus on, “wise investments and
development in our urban areas that will create employment and housing
opportunities and make our country more competitive, prosperous, and
strong.”
Under his new promotion to the White House, Carrión reported to Obama
and coordinated all federal urban programs. But as soon as his anointment
was announced, rumors to backdoor deals involving Carrión started tarnishing
his recent promotion. In March of 2009, the Daily News made claims to
Carrión pocketing thousands of dollars in campaign cash from city developers
in exchange for approving projects with the borough. According to a Daily
News Probe, Carrión “received contributions just before or after he
sponsored money for projects or approved important zoning changes,”
according to records they reportedly obtained.
One example of Carrión’s alleged pocketing of money occurred back in
2008, when registered fund-raisers for Carrión and developer Jonathan Coren
and a partner raised $2,577 from numerous donors in a total of three weeks.
The Daily News claimed the money was raised due to Coren and his partner
wanting to build 166 units of affordable housing in the Parkchester area of
the Bronx which the project was approved reportedly after the money was
raised on March 26, 2008. Another alleged deal made between Carrión and
developers was a deal struck between Carrión, Boricua College, and Atlantic
Development Group (ADG).
After Boricua College proposed a project called, Boricua Village, to
build 679 units of housing and a 14-story college tower in Melrose the
College and its developer became one of the top sources that provided
Carrión’s campaign with funds. The alleged money came after officials at
Boricua College and the Atlantic Development Group, the project’s
developers, contributed an estimated $70,000 to Carrión in order for the
project to be moved through the system and given the go ahead.
The application for the project was submitted in March of 2006, and less
than a month later the Daily News reports records showing Carrión received
eight donations on the same day for $8,750. The money was traced back to
Boricua College administrators, including a $4,000 check from the President
of the College Victor Alicea a known Carrión fund-raiser. After an estimated
$17, 512 from Boricua College and $52, 400 from ADG owner and employees were
recorded in donations, in March of 2007 Carrión approved the application.
When asked about the contributions to Carrión’s campaign, Boricua College
President Alicea insisted that “we’re very careful about anything that could
be constructed as a tradeoff or quid pro quo,” and that all donations came
from, “individuals,” and not the college.
The controversy regarding Carrión’s backdoor deals continued when the
Daily News reported that back in 2009, Carrión was involved in misusing his
power for personal deals. The probe into Carrión’s abuse of power deepens
when it was claimed that Carrión may have received a discount on a
renovation to his home in exchange of approving a project. In 2006, Carrión
hired an architect to build a new porch and attach a balcony on his
Victorian home in the Bronx on City Island. This claim was headed by a law
enforcement agency receiving documents from the contractor’s firm,
Nationwide Maintenance, who worked on his home showing that the project was
an estimated $50,000 but Carrión only paid $24,000. When confronted on
whether her firm built both porch and balcony, owner Marcie Manfredonia
said, “I’m not really sure. I think we did both of them, but I don’t know.
We did a job and we were paid for it and exactly what we did we were paid
for.” Despite Manfredonia claims, the controversy surrounds Carrión not
paying the architect of the project.
According to a report made in March of 2009 in connection with the Daily
News, the New York Times reported that Carrión neglected to pay architect
Hugo Subototvsky. The very same architect used in the Boricua College
project, Boricua Village, that Carrión had approved in March of 2007. When
asked if the hiring of Subototvsky posed a conflict of interest, Carrión
responded that he knew Subototvsky, “because he is active in our community
and I was aware of his and his office’s extremely good reputation. Our
hiring of him had absolutely nothing to do with other projects that he does
in the community.” However, an investigation in 2009 has not proved whether
all these claims are true. Despite moving to Washington in 2009 to act as
Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs, Carrión kept his house
on City Island. A decision that was wise since May of 2010 Carrión has
returned to Bronx due to another promotion he received thanks to the
president.
Carrión’s position as Director of the White House Office of Urban
Affairs ended only after one year after President Barack Obama named Carrión
the new Regional Director for the department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) New York and New Jersey Regional Office. According to
Shaun Donovan, secretary of U.S department of Housing and Urban Development,
who has worked closely with Carrión in Washington, claims Carrión is the
perfect man for the job since he, “knows the New York and New Jersey region
and its economic and affordable housing challenges. The wealth of
information he has gathered on his nationwide Urban Affairs listening tour
will be of great use to HUD.” Carrión received this position back in May
2010 and still holds it to this day.
From being the Director of Urban Affairs regarding every state within
these United States to the Regional Director of just two states, is this
current promotion actually a demotion? Or is it all simple political
strategy on Carrión’s part. After his record as Bronx Borough was targeted
by the press for backhanded deals that weren’t proven, did the White House
rethink the anointment of Carrión and try to correct their decision by
giving him another prestigious promotion in order to distant themselves from
Carrión. Or, is Carrión simply planning is political future.
When it comes to politics, Carrión is not a novice. Carrión has had many
years learning the inner-webbings of the politics. According to a profile on
Carrion on WhoRunsGov.com (a website linked to The
Washington Post) Carrión’s newest position may seem like a demotion but
could very well be Carrión’s attempt in building accomplishments as Regional
Director in order to obtain a higher elected office within New York. Whether
controversy or strategy is behind Carrión’s recent change in political
positions, political commentators in New York City have commented on Carrión
being a key player in NYC politics due to the ideological similarities he
shares with Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
