Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Pros and cons of subsidized housing in PTC

Being a member of the board of the Homeowners Association for Wynnmeade subdivision has granted me the opportunity to observe and learn how subsidized housing (HUD) operates in a county that is well endowed with money as well as influential residents.

First of all, I’m sure that there are those of you that have heard of “Section 8,” better known as subsidized housing. Here is my opinion as a middle- to low-income taxpayer (depending on which side of the street you live on) about this program that provides or should provide affordable living for those that not only qualify, but are deserving of the opportunity to own or live in a home.

There are undoubtedly people that could not afford to enjoy this privilege without some type of aid, such as an elderly couple that are living on a low, fixed income and after the children are grown and gone they have to downsize in order to help ends meet.

Or maybe there is a working single or divorced mother with two or three children that she has to provide for while going to night classes in order to make a better life for her and her family. The situation could be a disabled father with a wife and family and “Section 8” is a way that his family can live in a safe and clean environment affordable to their income.

The positive impact works well for older communities, since this would be where you would more than likely find this program offered. Therefore there is a balance of sorts in what is high to low income. These are the people who will work at the Wal-Marts, McDonald’s, serve you at the restaurants, sell you a pair of good shoes, work in housekeeping for the hospital and the hotels/motels in our area, pickup our garbage (sanitation companies) and feel proud to work for a living and to earn an honest dollar.

Now for the “cons” as it pertains to subsidized housing. There isn’t a monitoring system that works well enough to keep the riffraff out of our communities. Some of the recipients will provide false information when applying for assistance, such as how many people will be living in the home. There usually is more than was originally named on the payment voucher and that in itself opens the door to problems for any community. This is called “unauthorized live-ins.”

This means that when they applied they had a family of four, and when they moved into the home they had three or four extra people move in with them.

Frequent police reports at the address is another violation of compliance with HUD subsidized housing, but it is up to the landlord to report this unless there is a neighborhood watch that will monitor and inform the proper authorities.

In most cases the people that have moved into our subdivision are not aware of what ordinances are, or what a homeowners association is, not to mention bylaws and protective covenants.

Code enforcement, in their eyes, is just a bad dream. Crime (as petty as it may be) becomes an issue with the excuse of supplementing the lack of income. Out-of-control teenagers that do not or can not attend school because of their bad attitudes and the fear of having them in the school population, with nothing to do and nowhere to go and no one that cares. The destruction of the properties in which they live almost free of charge. No regard of community, neighbors, or the value of life and learning.

Now that all of that has been said, you might ask, who is responsible? There is a simple answer. The landlord to the property is.

What we have learned is that the property owner should require a rental history, a credit check, a criminal background check before leasing the home, whether it is Section 8 or not. They should monitor the property and their tenants on a regular basis. Any complaints can be filed with the compliance officer for Section 8 by the homeowner with or without documentation. Whether or not the applicant receives a voucher to lease that home or not totally depends on the homeowner.

Unfortunately, in the case of Wynnmeade subdivision, we have to take it upon ourselves to do what is necessary to bring that balance (that I spoke of earlier) to our community. We have a vicious circle of people misusing the properties and enabled by other landlords to move immediately into another property. It is guaranteed money, never late and always on time. The impact to the community was never questioned until now and it will continue to be.

Older communities with or without an HOA have to be aware of what their rights are and what they do not want their lives subjected to. If they aren’t they may look up and find an uncomfortable reality living right next door.

Everyone has a right to live where they choose, but we have a right to question it if it brings disorder to our home and community.

Merrilyn Arnold

Peachtree City, Ga.