[Mpls] Section 8 and Boarded Up Houses....

[V.L. Freeman]

Oh those boarded houses are just a pain in the you know what. I wish that the city would think outside of the box for a change. In Des Moines, Ia, there is a program that helps people that are homeless with children. It is a church organization, they buy up abandon/boarded property to rehab them and use as a short term shelters. While a family is there, they are provided with numerous services to help and support them along the way. One of those services, being budget counseling, how to shop for groceries, etc.....

One cool thing about it is that, every single place is fully equipped, the only thing needed to buy is food and personals. Anyway, resident's are required to look for work and attend support group's, while finding
permanent housing.

Another program is to place resident's in new homes that are being built, while staying there the renter has the option of buying the house. The house is equipped with a tool shed that has everything for up keep of the house. What is mandatory is that resident's must do community service and be involved in the community in order to take place in this programming. After about 24 months, the person either has the option of buying or moving to non assistance rental unit. As the goal is to get people into their own homes.

Last but not least, I think Minneapolis needs to look into Public Housing. The number would just surprise to you know that there have been some on public housing assistance for 10-15 years. As long as they are not being asked to leave, they will not be serious as to finding permanent housing or non assistance housing. I think this is one reason why the homeless population is so great, a back log in our public housing..

I often call myself the poster child of homeownership. When people ask me how I got it, I go a step further and give them the numbers to Northside Housing or Southside Housing, going one more step to give a contact name and follow up afterwards. (Many have went on to own their own home)


Vanessa Freeman is stepping down from her box....in Hawthorne



_________________________________________________________________
The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

_______________________________________

Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls