Latest news with #Rappaport
Winnipeg Free Press
18-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘We really need that federal piece': city awaits Ottawa grants for housing projects as deadline looms
City housing officials fear more than half of the first round of Winnipeg projects awarded Housing Accelerator Fund grants could miss a key deadline. 'Six out of the 10 projects that we've approved through our (Housing Accelerator Fund) capital grants (in) Round 1, which require a building permit by September of this year … are still awaiting approval from (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) under the Affordable Housing Fund,' Lissie Rappaport, manager of the city's Housing Accelerator Fund office, said during Tuesday's executive policy committee meeting. 'The loan (portion) of that program has run out of funds. There's still money left in the grant program but most groups access both to make a project work.' Rappaport told the committee her office is 'fully optimistic' the federal government will commit more money but it's not yet clear when that could happen. SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES In late May, some groups proposing housing projects learned the federal Affordable Housing Fund's community housing development stream had been exhausted. 'Some of those projects may be late on that September deadline … It could be a risk for us to not meet our targets under this year,' she said. In late May, some groups proposing housing projects learned the federal Affordable Housing Fund's community housing development stream had been exhausted. Rappaport said the six affected projects she mentioned include a combined 680 housing units, and 464 of those are considered deeply affordable. One of the affected projects aims to provide 154 housing units with affordable rents at 145 Transcona Blvd. But a key proponent of that $46-million project said it is now in limbo. 'We've been pushing really hard from a political level to try to get support for this project,' said Stephanie Haight, director of development and construction for the Winnipeg Housing Rehabilitation Corporation. Haight said the project would provide homes for vulnerable people who are facing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless due to a physical disability. The organization applied for CMHC funding to cover more than half its costs, seeking an $11.5-million grant and $14.8 million in long-term, low interest loans. Haight said the project received a $5-million grant from Winnipeg's $122-million share of the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. While CMHC has not provided written approval for the project, it would need that funding to succeed, Haight said. 'We have city support, we have provincial support and we really need that federal piece,' said Haight. Mayor Scott Gillingham said he's confident the senior government will act on the issue. 'The federal government has already told us that that Affordable Housing Fund is an important fund. Even though it's fully subscribed, they've committed to my office that … they're working on either replenishing the fund or finding a way to make sure those projects still go ahead,' said Gillingham. To secure federal Housing Accelerator dollars, the city made sweeping changes to its zoning rules, including allowing up to four housing units to be built on a single lot in most residential areas. Gillingham said those changes will help attract more housing projects, long after current funding programs end. 'What those zoning changes are about is getting more housing built quicker. There are many projects that will never try to access or need federal or provincial funding to get built,' he said. In an email, a CMHC spokesman noted the Housing Accelerator Fund and Affordable Housing Fund are not directly tied to each other. He also noted many housing proponents applied for the latter fund. 'With the significant demand for funding, CMHC continues and is committed to working with our clients and partners to process as many (Affordable Housing Fund) applications as possible. Further updates on (that fund) will be provided as they become available,' wrote David Harris. Overall, the city awarded $25 million to 11 projects from its share of the Housing Accelerator Fund last year, while another 12 projects split $25 million of the funding in 2025. Rappaport noted one of the 11 projects granted last year has now withdrawn its application for Housing Accelerator Funding, leaving the total for that year at 10 projects. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Westgate Developments Ltd. and LVDC Holdings Ltd. had planned to convert a commercial building at 125 Garry St. into a mixed-use apartment complex with 126 housing units, including 32 affordable ones. The city and developer declined comment on the reasons that project won't proceed. Rappaport said city staff will look at other options to invest the money allotted to that project, which could be offered to another applicant who didn't initially receive a grant. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
22-05-2025
- Health
'Wrong organ was removed': Surgeon faces lawsuit over alleged kidney removal error
A Minnesota woman in her 80s is now living with stage 5 kidney disease after a surgeon allegedly removed her kidney during what was supposed to be a routine spleen removal procedure, according to a recently filed lawsuit. Wendy Rappaport of Plymouth, Minnesota, went to Abbott Northwestern Hospital in March 2022 for treatment of a spleen condition. However, the surgery took an unexpected turn when the surgeon removed her left kidney instead of her spleen, the court documents filed on May 16 claimed. "The wrong organ was removed," Rappaport's attorney Aaron Lawrence told ABC News. "This never should have happened. We hope that Allina takes responsibility for this negligence instead of blaming the victim," he said, referring to the Minneapolis-based Allina Health System, of which Abbott Northwestern is a part. According to the lawsuit, Rappaport was admitted to the hospital on March 24, 2022, for concerns about a possible spleen abscess or rupture. After undergoing initial tests and consulting with doctors, she was scheduled for spleen removal surgery on March 28, 2022. The lawsuit alleged that Dr. Devon Callahan performed the surgery and instead of removing the spleen, the surgeon removed Rappaport's healthy left kidney. The legal documents also claimed that the doctor's post-operative note indicated he had removed an intact spleen. ABC News reached out to Callahan for comment but has not yet received a response. The lawsuit stated that Rappaport remained hospitalized for nearly two months until May 25, 2022. Rappaport's post-procedure diagnoses included "splenic abscess, left nephrectomy (left kidney removal), respiratory failure, left pleural effusion, and diastolic heart failure," the court documents stated. She has since been diagnosed with stage 5 chronic kidney disease, for which she now requires regular dialysis treatment, according to the court documents. Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed in stages, 1-5. Stage 5 is one of the most advanced stages, at which point the kidneys are close to failure or have completely failed, according to the Cleveland Clinic. After this point, those affected may require dialysis or kidney transplant -- at which point they would enter what is termed "end stage" kidney disease. Rappaport is suing Callahan and Allina Health for the alleged medical mistake. "While we will not discuss details of a patient's care due to privacy laws, the court filings don't accurately reflect the full picture of the patient's condition, or the life-saving medical care provided," Allina Health said in a statement to ABC News. "We intend to vigorously defend, in court, the care that was provided." The lawsuit seeks monetary damages exceeding $50,000 -- though Rappaport's legal team noted that this figure is just a procedural requirement under Minnesota law, and the actual amount sought will be higher. "We are seeking fair compensation that exceeds $50,000," Lawrence explained, clarifying that Minnesota court rules prevent them from specifying the exact amount in their initial complaint.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Wrong organ was removed': Surgeon faces lawsuit over alleged kidney removal error
A Minnesota woman in her 80s is now living with stage 5 kidney disease after a surgeon allegedly removed her kidney during what was supposed to be a routine spleen removal procedure, according to a recently filed lawsuit. Wendy Rappaport of Plymouth, Minnesota, went to Abbott Northwestern Hospital in March 2022 for treatment of a spleen condition. However, the surgery took an unexpected turn when the surgeon removed her left kidney instead of her spleen, the court documents filed on May 16 claimed. "The wrong organ was removed," Rappaport's attorney Aaron Lawrence told ABC News. "This never should have happened. We hope that Allina takes responsibility for this negligence instead of blaming the victim," he said, referring to the Minneapolis-based Allina Health System, of which Abbott Northwestern is a part. According to the lawsuit, Rappaport was admitted to the hospital on March 24, 2022, for concerns about a possible spleen abscess or rupture. After undergoing initial tests and consulting with doctors, she was scheduled for spleen removal surgery on March 28, 2022. The lawsuit alleged that Dr. Devon Callahan performed the surgery and instead of removing the spleen, the surgeon removed Rappaport's healthy left kidney. The legal documents also claimed that the doctor's post-operative note indicated he had removed an intact spleen. ABC News reached out to Callahan for comment but has not yet received a response. MORE: Military use of AI technology needs urgent regulation, UN warns The lawsuit stated that Rappaport remained hospitalized for nearly two months until May 25, 2022. Rappaport's post-procedure diagnoses included "splenic abscess, left nephrectomy (left kidney removal), respiratory failure, left pleural effusion, and diastolic heart failure," the court documents stated. She has since been diagnosed with stage 5 chronic kidney disease, for which she now requires regular dialysis treatment, according to the court documents. Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed in stages, 1-5. Stage 5 is one of the most advanced stages, at which point the kidneys are close to failure or have completely failed, according to the Cleveland Clinic. After this point, those affected may require dialysis or kidney transplant -- at which point they would enter what is termed "end stage" kidney disease. Rappaport is suing Callahan and Allina Health for the alleged medical mistake. "While we will not discuss details of a patient's care due to privacy laws, the court filings don't accurately reflect the full picture of the patient's condition, or the life-saving medical care provided," Allina Health said in a statement to ABC News. "We intend to vigorously defend, in court, the care that was provided." MORE: Biden's cancer diagnosis may change conversation about his mental acuity: ANALYSIS The lawsuit seeks monetary damages exceeding $50,000 -- though Rappaport's legal team noted that this figure is just a procedural requirement under Minnesota law, and the actual amount sought will be higher. "We are seeking fair compensation that exceeds $50,000," Lawrence explained, clarifying that Minnesota court rules prevent them from specifying the exact amount in their initial complaint. 'Wrong organ was removed': Surgeon faces lawsuit over alleged kidney removal error originally appeared on
Winnipeg Free Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
City seeks policy ideas to promote affordable housing
The City of Winnipeg will explore more ways to attract affordable housing, such as adding new tax breaks or altering building rules. A new request for proposal seeks a contractor to suggest policy changes and incentives, with a final proposal tailored to Winnipeg's unique needs and budget. 'We're in an affordable crisis right now and we need more housing to support our growing and changing population, so we're interested in exploring all the tools available to us as a city to address that need,' said Lissie Rappaport, manager of the city's Housing Accelerator Fund office. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES The City of Winnipeg is trying to expand and incentivize affordable housing, as per a new request for proposals. The RFP calls for the winning bidder to examine best practices for affordable housing. It suggests that could include zoning entitlements, which let property owners deviate from certain zoning requirements when they produce affordable housing, fast-tracking the development process, waiving some development fees and/or creating new grants. Rappaport said zoning entitlements would be part of a program, not considered on a case-by-case basis. The contract is meant to help the city develop a housing strategy and action plan, which is part of an ongoing agreement to secure $122 million from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund by the end of 2026. Any new incentives would add to changes the city has already implemented to attract affordable housing, which include reduced minimum parking requirements, density bonuses and a series of tax-increment financing grants (that waive property taxes for a set period.) The city now allows a minimum of just 0.15 parking spaces per affordable housing unit built, instead of the standard 1.5 parking stalls per housing unit. 'That … saves developers money and also aligns with affordable housing,' said Rappaport. A density bonus pilot project that began in 2023 allowed developers to construct projects with more housing units than the standard maximum number, as long as 50 per cent of all extra units had affordable rents for at least 20 years. The city also devoted $54 million to capital grants for new housing projects in 2024 and 2025 through its share of the federal Housing Accelerator Fund. Rappaport said the contractor will review the city's current efforts to attract more affordable housing in addition to recommending new options. 'There is a lot the city can do to incentivize affordable housing, some of which doesn't even cost us anything,' she said. Coun. Sherri Rollins, a former chairwoman of the property and development committee, said the city should continue to seek more ways to attract affordable home construction. 'There is still a great pressure to produce housing units … The city can't afford to wait for other governments … we need to be producing housing units ourselves,' said Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry). The councillor said the city can struggle to attract development at times because some civic planning positions are 'chronically understaffed.' She also cautioned against letting 'one size fits all' density rules supersede some of the city's previous zoning rules. For example, Rollins said an Osborne Village secondary plan allows for more units per lot in some areas than the four-per-lot the city must implement to support its federal funding agreement. 'I have a mixed review of some of the tools that we put in the toolbox,' she said. The city has started holding public consultations the major zoning change that would allow up to four residential units per lot in most residential areas, which council will vote on in June. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. City council previously approved new rules aimed at attracting more affordable home projects near malls and transportation corridors. The city's definition of affordable housing includes homes that cost no more than 30 per cent of the household before-tax income, or rents of less than 80 per cent of the median market rate, according to the RFP. The RFP sets a deadline to complete the contract by the end of this year. The city will pay up to $150,000 for the work. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Forbes
24-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Google's $32 Billion Wiz Purchase: Strategic Imperative Or Overreach?
Google's $32 Billion Acquisition of Wiz Aims to Strengthen Its Cloud Security Portfolio and ... More Competitive Position On March 19, 2025, Google formally announced its intent to acquire cloud security firm Wiz for a staggering $32 billion in cash. The announcement made headlines not only for its size but for the extraordinary revenue multiple attached. Wiz's annual recurring revenue at the time of acquisition was reported between $700 million and $800 million, with projections to surpass $1 billion by year-end. That equates to a revenue multiple between 45x and 65x — placing the deal among the highest-priced cybersecurity acquisitions in history. Founded in 2020, Wiz specializes in Cloud-Native Application Protection, offering agentless, real-time visibility and control over vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and access permissions across public cloud environments. In five short years, the company scaled at an unprecedented pace — achieving $100 million ARR in 18 months and reaching a $12 billion private valuation by 2024. Wiz's platform is now deployed by over half of Fortune 100 companies, as well as governments and startups. Its competitive edge lies in the simplicity and breadth of its platform — securing workloads across all major clouds (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) without friction. From a financial perspective, the 50x multiple seems difficult to justify. However, Google's potential strategic motivations reveal the broader rationale behind this bold move: One of the unanswered questions surrounding the deal is whether Wiz will retain its operational independence post-acquisition. While Google's announcement stated Wiz will continue operating independently until regulatory approvals are finalized, it is expected that Wiz will be folded into Google Cloud thereafter. There is no defined leadership role for CEO Assaf Rappaport within Google beyond the transition period, which could raise concerns about product focus and leadership continuity. Mind you, this is Rappaport's second blockbuster exit — he previously sold Adallom to Microsoft in 2015, a transaction that significantly bolstered Microsoft's cloud security capabilities. Moreover, while Google asserts that Wiz's solutions will remain cloud-agnostic, it is unclear how competitors such as Microsoft and AWS will respond — or if they will continue supporting Wiz on their platforms. Their willingness to support a solution that enhances Google's market position is highly in doubt. Ultimately, whether this deal delivers long-term value will be determined by Google's execution and ability to integrate Wiz into GCP. On paper, the revenue multiple is very steep. But if Wiz enables Google Cloud to win more enterprise customers, enhance security trust, and close the competitive gap with Microsoft and AWS, the acquisition may be seen in hindsight as a bold but necessary move. In today's cybersecurity and cloud landscape, value is not always found on the balance sheet — it is often measured in strategic positioning and long-term market control. Time will tell whether Google's $32 billion bet will pay off.
