Does it annoy you that homeowners are renting their basements (Fairfax: apartments, house)

[ACWhite]

Originally Posted by VRE332

We just called the County Ordenance a few times on the Pakastani family, at one time I counted12 people living in the basement. If you go back a page there's a living space requirement in PWC.

Counties are not the same as HOAs, to which my comment referred. Counties have to budget for all their functions, and they may not enforce their ordinances as well as some might like, esp. when budget cuts are occurring. Their leadership may also weigh the politics of ticking off one group of voters versus another. In an HOA, which is private, residents agreed to abide by the rules; if they are well funded by dues and the residents support the board's being vigilant, they may enforce them much more thoroughly.

[brooklynborndad]

we used to live on a block in Annandale, opposite a circa 1948 SFH.

There were numerous vehicles always parked in the longish driveway, as well as several people who apparently commuted by bicycle. All were men, between 20 and 45 or so, and appeared to be hispanic. They were very quiet, avoided the neighbors, etc. Once my wife had to go over there about something innocous - I forget maybe a misplaced trash can or something. She knocked and NO ONE came to the door, though she was sure folks were at home.

Then one day, about the time of talk of crackdowns on illegals, they all disappeared. Place was empty.

One day some folks from I think south carolina stopped by, said they had lived there in the 1950s. Their knowledge of the neighborhood matched what I knew, they seemed legit. They wanted to go over and look at the old place. My wife is kinda adventurous and insisted on going with them - I went, I swear just to make sure she didnt get into trouble. The door was unlocked, and we went in. The place was almost empty, unkempt, had narrow mattresses on the floor in almost every room.

IOW it was exactly what I expected it would be. A short time later it was put on the market, and sold to someone who fixed it up.


That they were (probably) undocumented actually may have been a benefit in some ways - I suspect their desire to be quiet neighbors was in part motivated by that. OTOH I can see why some neighbors would have concerns.

[katyusha25]

We don't always know if they're illegal or not, but c'mon, let's be honest; we know. Especially if they're living like what brooklynborndad described.

I'm still not sure why so many people like to defend people who are illegal, but to each his own.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by katyusha25

I'm still not sure why so many people like to defend people who are illegal, but to each his own.

I would say one of the problems is that folks on BOTH sides of the issue tend to conflate the question of what to do about new arrivals with the question of folks who came in without documentation, but have lived here as law abiding, working residents for 20 or 30 years or more, and who may even have grown children born here. To my way of thinking its possible to think that the former is a problem, while still wanting a compassionate solution to the latter. But I fear we are veering from anything NoVa specific. (and yeah, I know I just said something about it - sorry)

[kutra11]

I have a low threshold for people committing any crime and illegally crossing into a country falls into the same category. But if you haven't lived in a third-world country, we would never understand the motivation and desperation that drives people to take the risk of crossing over into the US.

As much as I would like to deport every single one for the crime (and not because they suck up the healthcare costs, etc.), I acknowledge that this was, is and will always be a problem for the US. If our elected officials do not have the cojones to tackle this issue, there is very little one can do about renting illegal basements... ...which in my opinion should be the least of anyone's worries!

[Alltheusernamesaretaken]

Originally Posted by kutra11

..which in my opinion should be the least of anyone's worries!

Except maybe the people who are going through the time and expense of becoming citizens via the legal channels.

And those of us paying taxes for their medical care, their translation services, their kids' education...

This goes way beyond "just living in the basement."

[saganista]

Originally Posted by katyusha25

We don't always know if they're illegal or not, but c'mon, let's be honest....

You were, up until that point.

Originally Posted by katyusha25

Especially if they're living like what brooklynborndad described.

People live "like that" for financial and social reasons, not because they either have or don't have a little piece of paper.

Originally Posted by katyusha25

I'm still not sure why so many people like to defend people who are illegal, but to each his own.

What puzzles me is why so many people like to disparage people when all they actually know about them is that they are vaguely Hispanic-looking. (Actually, it's not that big of a puzzle.)

[saganista]

Originally Posted by kutra11

I have a low threshold for people committing any crime....

When is the last time you fudged on your income taxes?

[HereinVA]

Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken

Except maybe the people who are going through the time and expense of becoming citizens via the legal channels.

Agreed. All 3 of my sisters in law are immigrants--all 3 came here legally. Two came here before meeting my brothers. The other, came here after marrying my brother. It cost them a lot in time, and money to do it the LEGAL way. They ended up living apart for several months because he had to work here in the states, but her immigration papers were not yet approved so she had to wait in her home country--even though they were already legally married.
She is now a US citizen, employed full time, and from everything I've known/seen, completely law-abiding. I'm so proud of her!

[saganista]

Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken

Except maybe the people who are going through the time and expense of becoming citizens via the legal channels.

What does citizenship have to do with anything? Do you know what a legal resident alien is? Here's a more general clue: We will not have any control over immigration until we make it easier and cheaper to come here and work legally than it is to come here and work illegally. Right now, it is very difficult and very expensive to come here and work illegally. It is however far more difficult and expensive to come here and work legally. Every year, the US holds a lottery for 50,000 last-chance green cards. For the FY2012 lottery, there are 15,000,000 applicants. You won't get very far demanding that people avail themselves of legal opportunities when there are in fact no legal opportunities.

Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken

And those of us paying taxes for their medical care, their translation services, their kids' education...This goes way beyond "just living in the basement."

Cut down on the nativist kool-aid.