Madison Park North (Mayo: section 8, to rent, homes)

[mrboltonman]

Looks like Madison Park North may not be getting shutdown. What a shame!

Madison Park North is the garden style section 8 housing complex on the North side of North Ave between Park Ave and Linden Ave.

It is a hot bed for drug activity, crime, and numerous murders. Some call it "Murder Mall".

In August of this year, the Mayor and the city took steps to revoke the Madison Park North multi-dwelling license, which would effectively shut it down. Plans were also drawn up to provide section 8 vouchers for the current residents.

It now seems the city may be back peddling on its commitment to closing it.

There is a petition what Reservoir Hill Residents are passing around in order to voice our desire for the city to follow through and revoke the license.

Please lend your support if you are so inclined:
Petition: Close Down Murder Mall -- Madison Park North | Change.org

In addition Housing Commissioner Graziano will be addressing the neighborhood's concerns this Tuesday April 5th, at 7pm at John Eager Howard Rec Center -- 2100 Brookfield Ave. We are trying to generate a large turn out so that the message is clearly sent, we want the city to follow through.

Best regards,
Jacob Green
Reservoir Hill Resident

[bmoregrimey]

yeah this housing project defintiely needs to be shut down, although the residents of madison park should be offered some alternatives

[Woodlands]

This is interesting.. Does anyone know why the City reversed course?? Did they correct the violations or just promise to do better? I would hope it was not the latter. I bet they threaten to take the city to court and took photos of all the city public housing projects and stated our development is safer than yours so how can you close us down unless you shut down your own?? The other alternative is that someone was paid off to make this go away.......just sayin its suspect

[mrboltonman]

I read that someone may purchase the property and said that they would clean up the property.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by bmoregrimey

yeah this housing project defintiely needs to be shut down, although the residents of madison park should be offered some alternatives

The alternative being find a job that they can afford to rent without government assistance, assuming they are physically able to do so.

[bmoregrimey]

yeah thats really realistic, most of the residents are poor and not able to earn a higher salary, why else would you be living in a public housing project....there are plenty of other govt subsidies that should be cut like the defense contractors...whom dont even provide a good service to the troops

[MobileVisitor09]

Does anyone know what was the outcome of the court case the city had engaged in against the property owner, back in late 2010? I can't seem to find any information about the outcome online.

Also, wondering why HUD has not intervened here--drove by this property today and no one should be subjected to live in those kind of conditions. It's inhumane.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by bmoregrimey

yeah thats really realistic, most of the residents are poor and not able to earn a higher salary, why else would you be living in a public housing project....there are plenty of other govt subsidies that should be cut like the defense contractors...whom dont even provide a good service to the troops

Not my problem. They had every opportunity to go to school and better themselves for whatever reason they did not. There are plenty of vacant rowhomes maybe they could rebuild them and live there.

The government has no place in the housing business. Causes more problems than it solves.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by MobileVisitor09

Does anyone know what was the outcome of the court case the city had engaged in against the property owner, back in late 2010? I can't seem to find any information about the outcome online.

Also, wondering why HUD has not intervened here--drove by this property today and no one should be subjected to live in those kind of conditions. It's inhumane.

Who destroyed it?

[MobileVisitor09]

EdwardA, my friend.

I should take you along one day, when I conduct housing research in low-income neighborhoods nationwide. You'd soon change your tune. But, you are entitled to your opinion, hence, I will end the argument here.

However, I will note, leaving things to the 'private market' often does nothing and rarely serves as a solve. Madison Park is a prime example. Project-based assistance means less federal intervention than standard public housing--the property is privately owned. HUD obviously has not intervened here. Everyone except the property owner loses: the families, the taxpayers, the community.

Furthermore, I suggest conducting a literature search on Section 8 landlords, to further understand why limited intervention (or the shift to the private market), in regard to housing policy, does little to solve the affordable housing crisis, nor, attack the cyclical nature of intergenerational poverty.