Bond election coming up in November for affordable housing (Austin: low income, real estate)

[787]

Imagine living in a town filled with poor people and no libraries. Poor people who won't pay the taxes necessary for the sanitation department to clean up after them when they throw garbage on the ground.

Someone show me a poor neighborhood where the people clean up after themselves. Go ahead.

[787]

The issue is not affordable housing. The issue is people wanting to live where they can't afford, and demanding that others pay for it. I want to live in Westlake Hills, but I'm short about $400,000 for a house. What if I used the government to take money from YOU, so that I could buy that house?

How would you feel about that?

How would you feel about that after finding out your health insurance was going up $300/month because that same group of people decided that you were going to help pay for their healthcare, and took money from you without your permission.

How would you feel about that?

[another_hot-day]

Originally Posted by 787

The issue is not affordable housing. The issue is people wanting to live where they can't afford, and demanding that others pay for it. I want to live in Westlake Hills, but I'm short about $400,000 for a house. What if I used the government to take money from YOU, so that I could buy that house?

How would you feel about that?

How would you feel about that after finding out your health insurance was going up $300/month because that same group of people decided that you were going to help pay for their healthcare, and took money from you without your permission.

How would you feel about that?

Right on, right on.

[tom331]

Originally Posted by 787

The issue is not affordable housing. The issue is people wanting to live where they can't afford, and demanding that others pay for it. I want to live in Westlake Hills, but I'm short about $400,000 for a house. What if I used the government to take money from YOU, so that I could buy that house?

How would you feel about that?

How would you feel about that after finding out your health insurance was going up $300/month because that same group of people decided that you were going to help pay for their healthcare, and took money from you without your permission.

How would you feel about that?

100% agree!! I want to live at downtown too, can someone pay for it?

[tom331]

Originally Posted by creepy

Hi Komeht,

I am the original poster and am always open to more info. I care very much about affordable housing, not just for me but for the people who are truly on the edge of poverty. I don't just look out for myself. Just to make sure you are not a wolf in sheeps clothing can you please send me some links to what you are talking about when you say "To make any kind of dent whatsoever, it must be done through increasing supply."?

Also "scm53" asks "Since the demand for below market rate housing in Austin will always exceed supply, I was wondering how you would ration the supply?" In the case of the Affordable Housing bond-the people who run it would ration it according to their policies. You can look those up-they sound very fair to me.

You all bring up a lot of good questions and I am now on the fence about the bond issue.

As far as CptnRn and mm57553 the city council did create affordable housing projects but not from a bond as hoffdano says. Affordable housing gets boost from council | kvue.com Austin

So for those FOR affordable housing why can't we do both? The bonds and a vast increase of supply of new housing in the center city? As far as supporting the notion that they are doing that I have to mention The Mueller development.

Many of the developments that seem rich have a segment that is affordable. Such as the condos at Riverside x Lamar. The homes they are building with the $14 million city surplus are affordable but not in the city center but SW Austin. So for those-they do not count? To me they do. I have to say my personal dislike is that the poor parts of town get all the transitional housing, projects, affordable housing-why does the west side not take it's share? Or is this just not true a perception of mine? The rich too vocal and block all those pesky poor and mentally altered folks?

For those against affordable housing and say the city voted in November and they should respect that vote-the voters voted for museums and libraries over housing and personally I have a problem with that. I voted FOR affordable housing then and against the museums.

They are redoing the vote because they know the education about the bond was lacking while the people behind the museum/library were very vocal. One of my friends who works for the library system let me know I should vote for it because she worked there-I did not.

So saying the voters should be respected-not sure how I feel they are disrespected by running it again, I feel disrespected symbolically that voters felt a museum was more important than housing. That says something frightening to me, I can picture some new, rich, liberal Austinites heading to the museum as some family is put out on the street. I am liberal by the way but not-new, rich, liberal.

But I know my emotions are a gauge and not to be listened to 100%.

I know the Republican party's position was against all the bonds in that last election. Not saying that is good or bad just consistent with the current party probably.

Starting about 1 year ago I finally got so sick of my personal laziness I now look at all voting issues from multiple parties and groups so I can be an educated voter. I have been and we as a US people have been too lazy for too long. I voted for half the bonds.

Like Komeht suggests-maybe this bond is not the best idea. But what can we expect the city to do what he says? Will it do it? Does this bond help nothing?

I can not afford NYC, I will not move to there. I can not afford San Francisco, I will not move to there. There are many affordable places in the country, someone should not expect other to pay them to stay at a place they can not afford!!!

[scm53]

Originally Posted by creepy

Also "scm53" asks "Since the demand for below market rate housing in Austin will always exceed supply, I was wondering how you would ration the supply?" In the case of the Affordable Housing bond-the people who run it would ration it according to their policies. You can look those up-they sound very fair to me.

Creepy, I have no doubt you are a very sincere person. The problem is, who defines "fair"? It seems like you want the political process to define "fair", as you want a governmental body to allocate the admittedly inadequate supply against the greater demand. I prefer the market to allocate these against the supply. That seems fair to me.

The problem is, there are 38,000 families looking for "affordable housing" in Austin, according to the advocacy groups. To build each of them affordable housing will cost over $9,000,000,000,000 - an amount greater than the total of all bond issues in the history of the city. That will most certainly crowd out other bond needs, so my question to you is:

What are you willing to give up to fix the affordable housing issue?

[creepy]

787 we shall have to agree to disagree on this topic.

I am for supporting bonds which are not just for me. Your reply did get me to see why someone would vote for libraries over affordable housing. I see it is a philosophical difference. To me I see the city as a huge version of my family. As such, bonds for luxuries come after bonds for needs. It does not matter to me that I do not need affordable housing, someone in my "family" does.

I personally, even as an artist myself can not support a bond for public art when someone needs a home. Here is one case where as a liberal I am fiscally conservative.

[787]

Originally Posted by creepy

To me I see the city as a huge version of my family.

and when you ask a family member for money and they say "no", do you have the right to take it from them anyway?

Originally Posted by creepy

As such, bonds for luxuries come after bonds for needs.

The needs of the poor have ALREADY been met. Believe it or not, you can get a place to live in Austin for less than 50K that's decent. There are mobile home communities within the city limits that have gyms, pools, and playscapes that cost $500/mo or less. They're available right now, too!!!! At that price, they can be paid off in only 12 years.. Why aren't people willing to live there if that's what they can afford? If we refuse to invest in "luxuries" like parks, roads, beautification, etc - that are shared by EVERYBODY, then we will end up a wasteland with a greatly diminished quality of life for EVERYBODY. Funneling money to a FEW lottery winners in the form of housing is the most SELFISH thing we could possibly do with our limited resources.

The problem is that the government has told poor people that they are victims that deserve taxpayer funded housing, among other things. Manufacturing left this country because we aren't competitive, and we felt we were entitled to unrealistic union wages. The nail in the coffin was the Clinton (democrat) backed NAFTA treaty. We shipped jobs over the border so that we could buy their crap for cheap when it was shipped back to us. The government has stepped in with trinkets and gifts to buy loyalty so that the poor will perpetually bow down to them and do what they say, and their children and grandchildren will do the same if this isn't fixed. The government is a self-perpetuation monster that eats our country's productive capacity and sh**s trillion dollar deficits every year with nothing to show for it.

[creepy]

787-I said we would just have to agree to disagree. I do not have such a low view of poor people as you. Some indeed are con men and undeserving. Maybe 5%, who knows but the majority of the poor I support having affordable housing. It is a bit odd to say there is enough. Have you really looked into it? If there is no need why ask us taxpayers to vote on a bond?

We have very different views of people and their responsibility to each other.

At any rate it is sad that the original question I asked has not been answered but we go off on tangents.

I ask again to those who support affordable housing, "please send me some links to what you are talking about when you say "To make any kind of dent whatsoever, it must be done through increasing supply."? "

Answers please.

Thanks.

[creepy]

Hi scm53, this is going off on a tangent but to answer I am personally willing to give time and money to it.

I support giving my money as a taxpayer. I give money as a private citizen too thru habitat For Humanity. One day I hope to help build houses too with that group.

However I believe in always looking for corruption within systems and fixing it and rooting out liars and taking away when it is appropriate.