Praise be! Vanessa, we agree on something. I would add to your list of excellent options, condominiums. Not every one has the desire, need or talent to keep up a home. Some of those boarded buildings appear to be multi-unit dwellings. If they were rehab and sold for condos at a reasonable price, people could share the expenses of upkeep, get the tax benefits of home ownership and govern their own buildings in owner associations. This has been tried in Chicago and apparently been quite successful. We have to get away from the one solution fits all.
As far as Public Housing goes, I wonder what qualifies a person for public housing and if the most deserving are first in line. When Martha Donald was shot, it came out that although she lived in Horne Towers, she owned a house in Apple Valley or Eagan and ran her own business. I never heard how she still qualified for public housing. Anyone else know? Maybe I'm mistaken thinking that public housing is based on financial need. Anne McCandless Jordan ----- Original Message ----- From: "V.L. Freeman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2003 4:11 AM Subject: [Mpls] Section 8 and Boarded Up Houses.... > > > 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 _______________________________________ 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
