Why Is There Section 8 Housing In A Good Area? (Houston: violent crime, safe neighborhoods)

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by h0tmess

For me, it's not about "being on Section 8". It's the "stereotype" that's on Section 8. I live in an Apt complex (that I will soon be out of) that is in a VERY nice area..but..it takes Section 8...and it's filled with people who don't work, loiter, litter, deal drugs, etc. It's awful. Hate them!

No doubt true to a point and also demoralizing for those that work and pay their own way...

There are also those that you would never know are on the program... they have jobs, family, PTA, etc.

I have helped two elderly widows get assistance... one was facing a rent increase to $475 which would have left her $90 for utilities and food for the month...

Under Section 8 her rent went to something like $135... she could actually turn on the heat a little in the winter.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

I have helped two elderly widows get assistance... one was facing a rent increase to $475 which would have left her $90 for utilities and food for the month...
Under Section 8 her rent went to something like $135... she could actually turn on the heat a little in the winter.

I don't think anyone has a problem with the elderly, physically or mentally disabled receiving some assistance. In any area.

A problem that has happened in the Houston metro is developers taking advantage of tax credits, to fund their new building on open land (rather than renovations of existing housing) for subsidized, general family housing, so that they can make a profit and spend less of their own money building their development... piggy-back off the taxpayers instead. Sometimes they've done very little research on the location, the effect on the schools with overcrowding and straining resources, etc. It's usually all about making a profit, not something they're doing from the goodness of their hearts.

The state allocates money for these programs; however, more apply than there is money to go around. The key then is protesting the worst ones so that the better ones (i.e. ones where the developers have done research, have community support, etc.) can get the funding instead.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by AK123

I don't think anyone has a problem with the elderly, physically or mentally disabled receiving some assistance. In any area.

A problem that has happened in the Houston metro is developers taking advantage of tax credits, to fund their new building on open land (rather than renovations of existing housing) for subsidized, general family housing, so that they can make a profit and spend less of their own money building their development... piggy-back off the taxpayers instead. Sometimes they've done very little research on the location, the effect on the schools with overcrowding and straining resources, etc. It's usually all about making a profit, not something they're doing from the goodness of their hearts.

The state allocates money for these programs; however, more apply than there is money to go around. The key then is protesting the worst ones so that the better ones (i.e. ones where the developers have done research, have community support, etc.) can get the funding instead.

Local Housing Authorities do have some latitude with implementation...

Generally, the family must be disabled, elderly or have dependant children...

It is just about impossible for a young healthy man or woman to receive assistance without dependants...

Local City Leaders control zoning... developers can't build anything without city/county approval... only the Federal Government has this option... as in a new Post Office that the community opposed... the city said there was nothing they could do to stop it.

Tax Credits provide incentives... just like solar... I don't fault a business for factoring in the benefits of tax credits when determining if the project is viable.

[Zhang Fei]

I think placing low-income housing in affluent neighborhoods is laudable. The problem some politicians run into is voter backlash, sometimes even from quite progressive constituencies:

I've got a new piece up at City Journal on Tuesday's sensational Westchester County upset, in which GOP challenger Rob Astorino knocked off Andy Spano, the longtime Democratic incumbent county executive, by a convincing 58-42 percent margin. Taxes were a key issue, but so was the county's consent to what was billed as a landmark housing-reform settlement in which it agreed to arm-twist affluent towns into accepting low-income housing. Many Westchester residents were wary of the potential consequences -- and downright insulted when Spano suggested that to resist the lawsuit further would be to make the generally liberal-leaning county a "symbol of racism".

The federally brokered settlement is itself of interest far beyond Westchester, if only as the occasion of a truly remarkable rhetorical flourish from an Obama Administration official, HUD deputy secretary Ron Sims: "It's time to remove zip codes as a factor in the quality of life in America." It was also hailed at once in some quarters as a model for similar legal action against other suburban jurisdictions considered guilty of not being hospitable enough to low-income housing. The Westchester voter revolt, I argue in the piece, may serve as a signal to local officials elsewhere to fight, rather than roll over, when the social engineers and their lawyers come knocking.

It would be a refreshing change if Section 8 housing could be placed next to the homes of every Federal politician and senior civil servant in the country, so that the Section 8 benefit recipients have role models to whose example they can aspire.

[John C. H.]

Section 8 brings natural problems. Now the majority of people on Section 8 are good people. However, there is a larger than comfortable number of people who come from Section 8 homes that are Ghetto, Riff Raff, Hoodlum, Lazy, Thugs...whatever. Why, people on Section 8 are poor and need the gov't assistance to live. Poor people are poor because they are uneducated. They are uneducated because they were to lazy to finish school and continue onto college. And the poorer you are the easier it is to get loans, grants, etc. If they were educated and had a B.S. or Masters, chances are they wouldn't be on section 8. People who do not own property, much less pay little for rentals, don't care about the property and surrounding areas as a homeowner would, or people paying good rents in a "Luxury" rental community. So you have these folks living next to people who have worked their butts off to go to school to get that degree that got them the job which paid for their house. Can't blame folks for being a little uncomfortable with the idea.

[hsw]

Hard-working, law-abiding taxpayers already pay too much to subsidize poor life choices of others; top 1% of taxpayers already pay ~50% of all taxes

With freedom of choices comes responsibility for own mistakes; why do taxpayers continually have to pay for others' poor choices and life outcomes??

Common sense suggests one is more likely to be a target of violent crime if proximate to poor in one's choice of housing location or transportation (mass transit is ideal for muggers) or schools or shopping, etc; so, I'd pay up to distance/insulate self from poor to increase own safety and avoid healthcare costs of muggings

Every major city/suburb in world already has plenty of poor living near rich in rent-controlled apts, public housing projects, Sec 8, homeless, etc etc; always amused when people claim it's a unique Houston issue....just visit wealthiest parts of Manhattan's Upper East Side or suburban Greenwich to see same ugly "proximity" issues....zoning or no zoning

[cowgirl2006]

What are u calling a good area. There is more bad things happening in the rich areas of town as there are in your so called good areas. Where Do U Live?

[EasilyAmused]

Being a native Houstonian, and living within blocks of "ghetto," whether it be Tanglewood or Memorial, I have to be amused at this viseral response to low income housing. Honestly, it has affected none of the neighborhoods I've lived in, whether it be by crime or lowering education.Crime is NIL, the schools are recognized or exemplorarygetagoldstarforpassingtheTAKS. Now crime within the complexes is there, but it seems not to leak into the high income areas...just a few blocks away. What do I respect this mixed, income mash that has been created for? Keeping your butt in gear and walking the straight and narrow. Nothing like driving the kid through the "ghetto" to show them what low grades and laziness will get them. In the burbs, it gets them an IPOD...jmho by experience.

I think the middle class fears the poor far more than those in the upper 10%. It's almost a fear of what was, or what could be by the slip of a pay check. Nothing like a 75% mortgaged house to make the fear meter go off the charts,whether it be an apartment complex or a strip mall.

People always forget to take a deep breath and LIVE.

[Callo]

Originally Posted by cowgirl2006

What are u calling a good area. There is more bad things happening in the rich areas of town as there are in your so called good areas. Where Do U Live?

Hi, your new here.

I've seen firsthand what low-income housing and government socialism gone mad brings to a community. Travel down Ella Blvd or Kuykendall or Bammel North Houston and you'll see what I mean.

No socialism. No government housing.

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by Callo

No socialism. No government housing.

Is this sarcasm? Or just ignorance?

I mean, we've had government housing -- both directly government owned and government subsidized private market -- for generations, and yet the country is not socialist. How is such housing "socialism" (which involves government ownership of the major means of economic production)?

The word "socialism" gets tossed around so much these days and it seems that people do so out of complete ignorance, having no idea what the term means nor having much understanding of the American political system and it's history.