Worried about the new low-income housing in Stanley... (San Jose, Sacramento: low income, section 8)

[talltale12]

I know this is controversial, but please bare with me. I am not trying to troll or trying to be a jerk, I promise.

Ever since Pleasanton/Dublin allowed Bart to go to West Dublin, there have been some very unsavory characters causing mischief within the cities. Recently, a man got stabbed by what appears to be a clearly drug addled woman in a Jack-in-The-Box in Pleasanton.

My parents live there, and I am worried. I am worried especially because Pleasanton is adding low-income housing on Stanley.
Any thoughts?

[Ceece]

There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that more unsavory characters will be in the area due to easy BART and freeway access and lower income housing. Nobody will argue that. It's apparently the price you pay for growth. You shouldn't worry though, there is no place in the USA they will avoid this and Pleasanton is safer than most of them. It's probably scarier where you live.

[ccm123]

All section 8 or "low income" housing does to a nice community, such as Pleasanton, is to force people of different classes who do not want to be together, to be together. It is the most ridiculous government program I have ever seen.

I have seen it destroy communities first hand.

I want to move to Woodside, Pacific Heights or Atherton. Can someone help me? (sarcasm)

[talltale12]

Originally Posted by ccm123

All section 8 or "low income" housing does to a nice community, such as Pleasanton, is to force people of different classes who do not want to be together, to be together. It is the most ridiculous government program I have ever seen.

I have seen it destroy communities first hand.

I want to move to Woodside, Pacific Heights or Atherton. Can someone help me? (sarcasm)

Thank you so much. Pleasanton is a safe community with nice homes, schools, and people. We don't need section 8 housing to muck it up.

[ccm123]

I agree. Lived in Pleasanton for a few years and miss it. The commute to North San Jose (at that time) from Pleasanton was a bit much for me, so we moved closer.

Originally Posted by talltale12

Thank you so much. Pleasanton is a safe community with nice homes, schools, and people. We don't need section 8 housing to muck it up.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

What would you propose?

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by talltale12

Thank you so much. Pleasanton is a safe community with nice homes, schools, and people. We don't need section 8 housing to muck it up.

Please realize that Section 8 Housing can be found just about anywhere... Section 8 is the alternative to Conventional Housing... sometimes called the Projects.

The goal of Section 8 is to disperse housing throughout communities as opposed to being concentrated.

Once a person receives a Housing Voucher, that person is only bound to remain in the city or county of issue for one year... after that, the Voucher is portable since funding is through HUD which is Federal.

Lets face it... if your income is not tied to a job... moving can be less complicated.

At one time I managed a fair number of Section 8 subsidized units in Oakland with the last new Section 8 tenant over a decade ago and today, Oakland is experiencing a huge outward migration of Voucher holders to the suburbs.

Also realize that Developers are often required to build affordable housing and low income housing as a condition to build.

One way to avoid having Section 8 neighbors is live in a community substantially more costly than Section 8 Fair Market Rents...

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

One way to avoid having Section 8 neighbors is live in a community substantially more costly than Section 8 Fair Market Rents...

This is so true. Depending on the funding for the new affordable housing units on Stanley, you will get different types of applicants.

For instance, if it is not a Section 8 based project (meaning those who are accepted get rent for 30% of their income), then even though it's "affordable," compared to full market rent, the truly poor may not be able to afford it.

Example: I was living in Santa Clara and was looking for affordable housing in Santa Clara. The Section 8 based housing was all full with closed waiting lists. There are just a couple anyway. The other "affordable" housing for seniors, was about $700/month and you must make at least twice the monthly rent.

My SSI is $877. So, those apartments will only work for someone who makes at least $1500/month on SSDI or regular SS. Those people will have worked and put money away into the Social Security system. In other words, they probably won't be bums. They'll just be retired working people on fixed incomes, who don't have hefty pensions or savings accounts.

Section 8 based housing can bring in a different clientele. I am on SSI because over my working lifetime, I didn't put enough money into the system to qualify for SSDI, which would have provided a bigger income.

For me to find "affordable housing" I could afford (ha ha), I had to move out of the SF Bay Area. I'm on the Section 8 waiting list up here, and will eventually get the holy grail - the HUD Section 8 voucher.

In theory, I could use it here for one year and transfer back to the SF Bay Area, but in reality, maybe not. If you want to transfer to a different city or county, they have to approve you. AND, then you have to find housing on your own. And like I said, the Section 8 based housing in Santa Clara's waiting list is closed.

So, more than likely, I'll be able to use my Section 8 housing voucher when I get it - but I'll probably be staying in Redding to use it.

So, see what type of funding this "affordable housing" project will have, and you should be better able to gauge what type of impact those new residents will have on the town. If it's HUD/Section 8 funded, then yes, you will have Section 8 voucher holders move into town, because it's so hard to find Section 8 housing in the SF Bay Area. And they will not all be nice old retired working people.

As far as the transit system providing a handy way to the wealthier suburbs for thieves looking for good stuff - this is all too true. I used to live in Davis, and some types of people really stick out in town. You can tell they don't live there. I used to ride a commuter bus to Sacramento for work from Davis and on the way home, there would be people on the bus who would ride the bus all the way to Davis and get off who were most likely going to Davis to look for I-Pods to nab from the students, etc.

If you got good stuff to steal, and a nice transit system to your stuff, there will be some unsavory types to use it. That's true.