🚀 go-pugleaf

Tony wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 07 May 1998 07:32:44 -0500, WillWork4food <work4food@gte.net>
> wrote:
> 
> >In my area, Long Beach, the waiting list for Section 8 is from 3 to 5
> >years.  I doubt if its much different elseware.
> 
> Wow, I had no idea it would be so long.  I guess I better brace for
> the long haul.
> 

I always wondered, "If someone could exist for three to five years
without the assistance (as they waited on the list), do they really need
the assistance?"

I am a landlord.  Generally, landlords with decent housing in a decent
area hate Section 8.  Most tenants pay rent on time, or only slightly
late, so why put up with the gov. BS.  It is in bad areas where
landlords cannot get good tenants, that landlords go to Section 8.  It
is better to get Sec. 8 money and put up with the paperwork,
inspections, etc. required for the program, than to get nothing at all.

I have been seeing where in nicer areas, appartment builders keep coming
into an area.  The apartments that were "The place to be"  15 years ago
cannot be filled now because of the glut.  These owners will often
switch to Sec. 8 because the gov will pay according to market rents. 
Joe Low-Income Worker cannot afford the $675 per month price tag,
however, if that is the going rate, the gov. will pay it for the person
who qualifies for Sec. 8.

I had a tenant move out of one such complex because he and his wife
could no longer afford the rent.  They moved into one of my doubles.  At
the same time, one of my tenants just quit working to go on the system. 
She moved her family from my unit into the complex the others couldn't
afford (swimming pool, tennis courts, etc.).  Something's wrong here!

What I have seen is many "single" moms have a live in that makes about
$25 - $35,000 annually at a local auto manufacturer.  The woman goes on
the system waiting list, and works and provides day care while they
wait.  They live in non-subsidized housing.  When their name comes up on
the list, the mom quits work (to remain qualified), and they ask their
landlord to go Sec. 8 (basically lie and say the man doesn't live
there).  If the landlord doesn't (as I don't), they move out to a Sec. 8
property.  The live-in in one case earned $17 per hour.  The woman got
all of their housing paid for, plus food stamps, plus more for ADC. 
They had the taxable equivalent of a $60,000 per year income.

If many of you would see the 48" TV sets I have seen in Sec 8
apartments, you would die.  Today's poor are not those on the system. 
From what I have seen most of them do OK (except for the drug addicts). 
The poor are those that make just enough to not qualify for aid, or feel
they should not ask for a handout.

Got to run.

These are my opinions, and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.

Russ