I am absolutely in line with Greg Luce on this one. The craziness and evil behavior going on in the house across the street from me is not a reflection of section 8, public housing or low income people. It is a reflection on one family. A family that is completely "out of control". A family that as Victoria Heller put it was able to slip through all the tenant screening mechanisms built to prevent problem tenants from renting the place.
I have 6 2 1/2 story walk-ups on my block as well as several duplexes. I am sure some of the tenants are using section 8 certificates to rent. One of the buildings is an affordable housing cooperative. All of the tenants in these buildings are fine neighbors. Public Housing has made extensive attempts to locate families into their housing portfolios that exist all over town. There is even some in affluent neighborhoods. Quite frankly in most cases you wouldn't know the difference between a scattered site house and a regular house. The families in these houses blend into neighborhoods just like anyone else living there. Unfortunately, when we get one "out of control" family people want to start condemning the whole system. The system works just fine. It does not need fixing. The "out of control" family needs fixing. It does not appear to me right now that they want to be fixed. I have heard people say on this forum and the Whittier forum that we need to support this "out of control" family, nurture them and help lift them from their problems. Give me a break! You are assuming they want to be lifted from their evil plight. I am here to tell you that there are mediation services, treatment programs, social programs and tons of other intervention processes in place to help people and families who want to change. The problem is you have to want to change. You can't make somebody do something they don't want to do. Like any behavior change it must begin from within. Ask any recovering alcoholic or drug addict. Right now it appears to me that this family is more driven by the perception of material wealth gained from drug dealing and selling guns than they are in finding a way to live a productive contributing life, "gramma" included. Don't condemn section 8 and public housing because a few people on these programs screw up. Both of them are working just fine for the most part. Barb Lickness Whittier ===== "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
