Would you live here if you could? (Houston: middle-class, houses)

[Jamesww]

Hello everyone,

I was hoping to get peoples opinion. Would you buy in a redevelopment block of Houston if the U.S. governement would pay for 50% of the cost of purchasing the home. Their is a government program that will help police officers and teachers buy a home in a designated revitalization neighborhood for 50% of the as is coindition value. I just wanted to hear if this would be incentive enough for people in Houston to live in one of these neighborhoods. Thanks in advance for everyones opinions and responses.

[Beto]

Are you talking about the officer next door program? If so those types of developments are very slow at generating tenants due to bad neighborhoods and crime.

[luvragdolls]

I wouldn't do it either. This is another way to take advantage (in my opinion) of underpaid government employees - offer to help them buy homes in bad neighborhoods so that others can benefit. I think government employees such as teachers and police officers actually do enough of sacrificing something to for the benefit of others...

It would be better to go FHA and pay 3% or less down on a home that YOU actually like in the neighborhood you choose...

[houston-nomad]

Depends on the neighborhood. Which one are you thinking of?

[Vicman]

Check the addresses available and see what neighborhoods are in mind. If the neighborhoods are livable it could work.

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by luvragdolls

I wouldn't do it either. This is another way to take advantage (in my opinion) of underpaid government employees - offer to help them buy homes in bad neighborhoods so that others can benefit. I think government employees such as teachers and police officers actually do enough of sacrificing something to for the benefit of others...

It would be better to go FHA and pay 3% or less down on a home that YOU actually like in the neighborhood you choose...

Whowwwwwww there. There is no such thing as an underpaid government employee.

Most people can only dream of making what they do, getting automatic raises and benifits that rival the old auto makers assembly line workers.

Anyway......... even if I could ignore the still dangerous areas these programs apply I would not. Profiling and discrimination are wrong. Just as adopting special rights and opportunities for some are wrong. Why cant I sue for discrimination against me for not being a cop? Hey you gave that cop a special price for that house, I want the same. And if you dont you are discriminating.

It is just not right. May the few who qualify benifit and all the rest of us be damned.

Give Teachers and cops special rights? That is downright wrong. They are nothing more special then the rest of us. We are all equal and have to work to get what we want in life all the same.

[Mr. Football]

Agreed. Creeping socialism.

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by desertsun41

Whowwwwwww there. There is no such thing as an underpaid government employee.

Most people can only dream of making what they do, getting automatic raises and benifits that rival the old auto makers assembly line workers.

Anyway......... even if I could ignore the still dangerous areas these programs apply I would not. Profiling and discrimination are wrong. Just as adopting special rights and opportunities for some are wrong. Why cant I sue for discrimination against me for not being a cop? Hey you gave that cop a special price for that house, I want the same. And if you dont you are discriminating.

It is just not right. May the few who qualify benifit and all the rest of us be damned.

Give Teachers and cops special rights? That is downright wrong. They are nothing more special then the rest of us. We are all equal and have to work to get what we want in life all the same.

Further, if you wanted to live at Sunbeam and Airport you probably wouldn't need the government's 50% discount for one of the larger houses in the inventory anyway. And if you make an offer on a house there, the tenant will take you up on it immediately.

This program of which you speak- Does the government have a 50% interest in the house or is this simply a purchase assistance program intended to kick-start gentrification?

[Jamesww]

Originally Posted by jimboburnsy

Further, if you wanted to live at Sunbeam and Airport you probably wouldn't need the government's 50% discount for one of the larger houses in the inventory anyway. And if you make an offer on a house there, the tenant will take you up on it immediately.

This program of which you speak- Does the government have a 50% interest in the house or is this simply a purchase assistance program intended to kick-start gentrification?

The programs I am talking about reduce the amount the participant needs to bring to closing for purchase to 50% of list. I believe the whole idea is to clean up rough neighborhoods more rapidly than would occur on there own. Police officers that would qualify would have to have the legal ability to make an arrest.

The neighborhoods that qualify are all over the metro. I am just trying to see if people would take part in these programs if they qualified.

[houston-nomad]

Sure, why not, if it were a house I was interested in. I disagree with the posts above about "creeping socialism." There is major income disparity in our country, and if we want to have teachers and cops who are willing to work in city where housing is expensive, the government either needs to pay them more or offer incentives. NOW, Houston's housing is not expensive (like in the SF Bay area, for example), but as a middle-class worker myself, I know it's challenging to live anywhere near the inner loop. So if that's the purpose of the program, great.