Madison City Home Owners pushing out the poor. (Huntsville, Excel: low income, sale)

[TC2coolmom]

Living here in Madison City is wonderful in many aspects. What was once a small quite easy-going place with plenty of open spaces is now strip malls and stores everywhere. Houses everywhere cookie-cutter houses subdivisions that are overpriced and It's a very nice looking city. I do love living here thou, except for the traffic. One of the main reasons I moved away from Huntsville was traffic and OMG now the traffic is bumper to bumper everyday.
The fact that the home builders own workers are even sharing the truths. The Homeowners want to raise the price of the homes in the areas so that they will keep the lower middle class out of the city. These homeowners want to price everyone out.

What the right thing to do would be is to build areas where families could buy homes that were not so expensive. Build more nice apartment complexes that are affordable for the poor and get rid of the nasty looking blight ones that hide those that don't belong here, committing the crime and those that deserve better living conditions for what they pay. The low income deserves the ability to homeownership too.

I believe turning this city into a super upper-middle only is wrong. If you want it that way that sounds racist, classist, and just small-minded. People do not want to drive a long distance for work and you need the people to work in your stores that you want.

[Maya Blue]

While I completely understand what you are saying, the market sets the prices. Even if you build "low income" housing of some sort, the prices will still reflect the market. If I own a home and I bought it for $100,000, but someone offers me $200,000 for it because that family really wants to live in Madison for the schools, then i have every right to sell it to that family. Same if I owned apartments and I can get $1500/mo rent as opposed to $500/mo.

I always kind of flinch at the word "deserve" as in people deserve something just because.

[David1502]

Originally Posted by TC2coolmom

Living here in Madison City is wonderful in many aspects. What was once a small quite easy-going place with plenty of open spaces is now strip malls and stores everywhere. Houses everywhere cookie-cutter houses subdivisions that are overpriced and It's a very nice looking city. I do love living here thou, except for the traffic. One of the main reasons I moved away from Huntsville was traffic and OMG now the traffic is bumper to bumper everyday.
The fact that the home builders own workers are even sharing the truths. The Homeowners want to raise the price of the homes in the areas so that they will keep the lower middle class out of the city. These homeowners want to price everyone out.

What the right thing to do would be is to build areas where families could buy homes that were not so expensive. Build more nice apartment complexes that are affordable for the poor and get rid of the nasty looking blight ones that hide those that don't belong here, committing the crime and those that deserve better living conditions for what they pay. The low income deserves the ability to homeownership too.

I believe turning this city into a super upper-middle only is wrong. If you want it that way that sounds racist, classist, and just small-minded. People do not want to drive a long distance for work and you need the people to work in your stores that you want.

Have you looked at the website Zillow lately? There are numerous neighborhoods in Madison where the homes are valued at well under $200K. For the quality of the public schools, these homes are low cost and a great value. The neighborhoods I'm thinking of are the area south of the railroad tracks and east of Hughes, all along Wall Triana, and Browns Ferry Rd.


Given the top ranking of Madison City Schools, I'm amazed that there isn't any renovation of these 1980's era homes which are selling below $200K. In larger cities, you would see massive amounts of renovations taking place similar to what you see in Huntsville's Blossomwood neighborhood where it's practically impossible to buy a house there now for under $300K, and it's likely to be a mid century fixer upper.

[TC2coolmom]

Originally Posted by David1502

Have you looked at the website Zillow lately? There are numerous neighborhoods in Madison where the homes are valued at well under $200K. For the quality of the public schools, these homes are low cost and a great value. The neighborhoods I'm thinking of are the area south of the railroad tracks and east of Hughes, all along Wall Triana, and Browns Ferry Rd.


Given the top ranking of Madison City Schools, I'm amazed that there isn't any renovation of these 1980's era homes which are selling below $200K. In larger cities, you would see massive amounts of renovations taking place similar to what you see in Huntsville's Blossomwood neighborhood where it's practically impossible to buy a house there now for under $300K, and it's likely to be a mid century fixer upper.

Yes true but that's not going to be true long. Many people are trying to buy those homes and complex's out and fix them up and get them up in prices so to bring them up to par to what they call the Madison way.

[Rick In Madison]

Originally Posted by TC2coolmom

Yes true but that's not going to be true long. Many people are trying to buy those homes and complex's out and fix them up and get them up in prices so to bring them up to par to what they call the Madison way.

No, people investing their money and time to make money, to benefit themselves or their companies, and to achieve their goals. There is no "Madison way" driving it.

Buy stocks when they are low and sell them when they are high; Madison way?

Buy a worn out lawnmower at a garage sale; refurbish it; fix the broken parts and turn around and either use it or sell it for more money then what you have in it; Madison way?

Buy the loaf of bread that is on sale instead of the loaf you normally buy; Madison way?

The city of Madison is levying impact fees on builders who can & will develop all the land they are able to without care or concern of the infrastructure, the schools, the residential services. Their (builders/developers) attitude is it the city's/county's/state's problem. Somebody has to pay for it. Madison city is executing one of very few options they have to pay for the items needed before people like us get on forums like this and complain about the crowded streets and schools, lack of parks and recreation facilities, or lack of police and fire protection. It's the economical cycle of life.

[cgrab]

When I was a kid, my little sister asked my Dad if we were poor. With 8 children my parents couldn't afford for us to have everything the other kids in school had. My Dad's answer is something I've taken to heart and reminded myself of often.



He said "No, we're broke, poor is a state of mind."


I, and my brothers, were those kids that pulled bikes and mowers from the junk yard and fixed them up to make money. We were the ones that stayed in and studied because my Dad also told us that education was the best investment. Today we are older and mostly retired but here's how we turned out: 1-her physics degree helped Sprint build the first fiber optic network, remember the "you can hear a pin drop" she worked on that; 2-her 1600 SAT scores got her a scholarship and into law school, now retired, she's a volunteer ranger out west; 3-he worked around the world in oil fields and later retired after selling his construction company; 4-a world renowned immunologist and consultant to the UN; 5-I retired from the Marines as a Colonel (3 war zone tours) and retired from the Government, now I volunteer about 25 hours a week; 6-a special needs school teacher; 7-retired Marine Colonel, lawyer, triathlete; 8-Massage therapist and interior decorator.


What does all this have to do with this thread. Well, simply put, no one deserves anything but if you are lucky enough to be an American you are free to do as much as you can for yourself and others.

[Maya Blue]

Originally Posted by Rick In Madison

No, people investing their money and time to make money, to benefit themselves or their companies, and to achieve their goals. There is no "Madison way" driving it.

Buy stocks when they are low and sell them when they are high; Madison way?

Buy a worn out lawnmower at a garage sale; refurbish it; fix the broken parts and turn around and either use it or sell it for more money then what you have in it; Madison way?

Buy the loaf of bread that is on sale instead of the loaf you normally buy; Madison way?

The city of Madison is levying impact fees on builders who can & will develop all the land they are able to without care or concern of the infrastructure, the schools, the residential services. Their (builders/developers) attitude is it the city's/county's/state's problem. Somebody has to pay for it. Madison city is executing one of very few options they have to pay for the items needed before people like us get on forums like this and complain about the crowded streets and schools, lack of parks and recreation facilities, or lack of police and fire protection. It's the economical cycle of life.

Absolutely correct

[xPlorer48]

No one “deserves” the ability to own a home. You get an education, work smart, save and use sweat equity.

[Trail]

cgrab, EXCELLENT post.

Everyone born in the United States as Warren Buffet says, “won the ovarian lottery.” I would actually suggest we won the geographic lottery to be born in the US during the 20th or 21sr centuries. Things may not be perfect here but if you are well traveled you will find this truly is the place with the most opportunity. I can’t for the life of me understand this self defeating mindset that so many have. Congrats on a successful career and thank you for sharing your story.

[cooldiver]

Originally Posted by TC2coolmom

The fact that the home builders own workers are even sharing the truths. The Homeowners want to raise the price of the homes in the areas so that they will keep the lower middle class out of the city. These homeowners want to price everyone out.

Say what , where are you getting this? Is this based on the proposed impact fees?

If that is the case, you are 100% wrong. Some residents want the impact fees so the builders (who profit greatly from building here) can pay towards the roads and other services that are required to support their new build homes. And some hope that the same can be done for schools so there won't be future tax proposals to deal with overcrowded schools.

It seems likely that the "home builders own workers" would not be thrilled about anything that might slow down the building gravy train. Personally I would like to have more sources before denigrating folks for being (as you say) "racist, classist, and just small-minded".

Originally Posted by TC2coolmom

I believe turning this city into a super upper-middle only is wrong. If you want it that way that sounds racist, classist, and just small-minded.

OK then. Cheers.