Homeowners and neighborhoods under Biden

[MarthaSo]

The truth is I don’t care about living next to people poor as dirt as long as they’re not a safety threat to my family. My husband and I grew up in the poorest of new york city inner city neighborhoods, we lived it for decades. I’ve seen , for my entire upbringing, behaviors that were common among my neighbors including disregard for people, loud vulgarity as common language, nasty looks just because you’re walking by, crime like no tomorrow on a daily, police presence every day. My family and a few others we knew were not like this but it did affect my behavior growing up and I had to retrain myself out of that ghetto personality. Yup I read books just to get rid of that whatever it was in my voice. Now, with this said I likely will not revisit this thread because this hits too close to home and I’m sure folks will flag the mess out of my experience and the lens of life it gave me. Maybe it’s a fact that there is a higher risk of having those kinds of behaviors from people moving in with vouchers vs not and I have the right to want as safe an environment for my family vs the one I grew up in when I lived in the poorest of the poor neighborhood.
Now, if that means I need to work on my Catholicism better, ok, I’ll pray about it more because my heart has hardened from growing up there and when I visit my parents who still live there by choice none of the elements have changed.
So the risk is there and there’s nothing wrong with fearing something that kept you captive your entire first 20 years of life, fear. I’m pretty sure if I grew up in a safe neighborhood where I didn’t see dead bodies out of my window every month and police presence I’d probably have a different view.
My husband, though odds against him, was able to grow in his career to point we were able to move and have a better llfecaway from the people with no desire to grow or work. So maybe people who show they are trying to escape poverty by showing they’ve worked, look at their history. what are they doing now …look at them to see who you’re trying to put next to my little kids before sending them over as my neighbor just because of their economic status. I tel you first hand I know personally dozens of families who want to live off of government and dont want to work at all. Those who do, should be given opportunities or learn about the ones availablle.
I may not come back to this thread because it hits close to home and people don’t understand this fear unless they lived it through experience such as myself including several tragedies thanks to these behaviors from people coming from very poor areas such as the ones my husband and I grew up in.

 

[Peeps]

More on housing projects—

Several years ago, our city embarked upon an interesting experiment.

A very upscale “housing project” (funded by taxpayers, not a private investor or company) was built in a “good section” of the city. The area is within walking distance of a grade school that has a slightly-better record on standardized testing than many of the public schools in our city, and more importantly, no “violent criminal” activity that ends up with police intervention at the school. No evidence of gang activity in the school, either.

The housing project is within two blocks of the bus stops, and also within two blocks of shopping (groceries, household goods, clothing, etc.), restaurants (fast food and others), banks, health clinics, churches, etc.–and the street is generally crime-free other than shop-lifting in the stores. Very seldom is there any violent crime, although it has happened.

LOTS of job opportunities in these stores, restaurants, hotels, car washes, and all the other businesses along the main street, within walking distance of the housing project. Also there are two colleges, one a regular 4-year college, and the other a Rasmussen college (online).

Peeps and Mr. Peeps live about six blocks away from this housing project.

So far, it has been clean, at least of gang activity. We do hear a lot of sirens, but I think that’s probably traffic accidents down the street from the development–the main street is congested and prone to accidents. And I believe there are occasional calls to the police because of “domestic disturbance.” We get that in our neighborhood–fights between couples that turn nasty. In fact, there are domestic disturbance calls in some of the most wealthy neighborhoods in the city.

I think that the gangs deliberately leave this housing development alone. Not sure why–probably because the people who apply to move to this development are determined to keep their kids “clean” and crime-free, and frankly, the gangs don’t need these kids. They have a fruitful recruiting ground in the big housing developments in the “poor” sections of the city.

One more thing–at least 20% of the apartments in this upscale “housing development” are reserved for residents who DO pay their rent in its entirety and are NOT “poor.” In others words, regular people who work at good jobs that provide them with a good income. As I said, this is an upscale housing development–the apartments are spacious and have high-end finishes, not cheap junk that falls apart easily. My husband and I actually considered moving there–the apartments are bigger and nicer than our 60-year old house! But we stayed where we are.

 

[StudentMI]

One more thing–at least 20% of the apartments in this upscale “housing development” are reserved for residents who DO pay their rent in its entirety and are NOT “poor.” In others words, regular people who work at good jobs that provide them with a good income.

In other words ‘regular people’ doesn’t include those who work at crappy jobs with a substandard income and can’t afford to pay their rent on time. Wonderful.

 

[Peeps]

In other words ‘regular people’ doesn’t include those who work at crappy jobs with a substandard income and can’t afford to pay their rent on time. Wonderful.

Oh, for goodness sakes, I wasn’t trying to insult anyone or downgrade anyone.

I was TRYING throughout my post to describe how this housing development has helped to restore the DIGNITY of those who are poor and give them an honest opportunity to improve their lot in life, find work that provides an adequate income, live near stores, schools, churches, and recreational centers, have easy and safe access to bus routes, be SAFE from crime, and be accepted and befriended by neighbors all around them, neighbors that include Peeps and Mr. Peeps.

ALL of us are “regular” people. I didn’t mean to imply that those of us who WORK are somehow “regular,” and those who don’t are “deformed” or “lacking.”

Stick with the facts, please. The facts are these: Finishing high school, getting trained for a job that provides an adequate income, staying away from involvement with criminal activity (and that includes being addicted)–these are admirable accomplishments that DESERVE commendation. These things SHOULD BE THE GOALS OF ALL AMERICANS!

Those who CHOOSE to NOT finish high school, thereby making it virtually impossible for them to be trained for a job that provides an adequate income, and who get involved with criminal activity–these are NOT admirable, and they are NOT accomplishments that dignify a human being.

The people who make these bad choices are still creations of God, but they do NOT deservie any commendation for making these very bad choices! They have CHOSEN to separate themselves from those who DO make good choices.

They deserve help to get out of the muck and mire that they are trapped in as a result of their own BAD CHOICES, and that’s what our city’s upscale housing development is attempting to provide–practical help, paid for by the taxpayers, and supported by those of us–including Peeps and Mr. Peeps, who live near them.

 

[Odilon]

In other words ‘regular people’ doesn’t include those who work at crappy jobs with a substandard income and can’t afford to pay their rent on time. Wonderful.

If some people work at crappy jobs maybe they should show some initiative and get a better one. Don’t you believe in any kind of personal responsibility? They need to get some skills and thus find an occupation that pays some decent money instead of wallowing in the same mudhole for a lifetime. Each individual holds the key to their own success in life.

 

[Odilon]

Stick with the facts, please. The facts are these: Finishing high school, getting trained for a job that provides an adequate income, staying away from involvement with criminal activity (and that includes being addicted)–these are admirable accomplishments that DESERVE commendation. These things SHOULD BE THE GOALS OF ALL AMERICANS!

Those who CHOOSE to NOT finish high school, thereby making it virtually impossible for them to be trained for a job that provides an adequate income, and who get involved with criminal activity–these are NOT admirable, and they are NOT accomplishments that dignify a human being.

The people who make these bad choices are still creations of God, but they do NOT deservie any commendation for making these very bad choices! They have CHOSEN to separate themselves from those who DO make good choices.

I agree with you here, well said.

They deserve help to get out of the muck and mire that they are trapped in as a result of their own BAD CHOICES, and that’s what our city’s upscale housing development is attempting to provide–practical help, paid for by the taxpayers, and supported by those of us–including Peeps and Mr. Peeps, who live near them.

And then you lost me. They deserve nothing of the kind, at least not by the taxpayers. They made their choices in life and rightly suffer the consequences. Now if some charity somewhere, (or private citizens such as yourself) wants to take it upon themselves to help people that is all well and good, but don’t make the taxpayer liable for the bad choices made by certain people.

 

[StudentMI]

If some people work at crappy jobs maybe they should show some initiative and get a better one. Don’t you believe in any kind of personal responsibility? They need to get some skills and thus find an occupation that pays some decent money instead of wallowing in the same mudhole for a lifetime. Each individual holds the key to their own success in life.

Meanwhile, in real life, poverty is multigenerational.

 

[Odilon]

Meanwhile, in real life, poverty is multigenerational.

It only takes one motivated individual to stop that cycle. Please stop making excuses for people who seem to have no desire to take the initiative. Unlimited opportunity exists right here in this nation - all it takes is making the decision to take advantage of it.

For example, right now over 100,000 people are need as drivers in the transportation industry. Trucking companies will take any applicant, train them and give them a job with pay starting out in the $45,000.00 range - and it only goes up from there.

 

[StudentMI]

Please stop making excuses for people who seem to have no desire to take the initiative.

Do you actually know any poor people? Or do you just prefer to stereotype them?

 

[Odilon]

Do you actually know any poor people? Or do you just prefer to stereotype them?

You seem to be the one who stereotypes them as helpless waif’s unable to take the initiative. I meet people on the lower rung of society all the time and I encourage them to better themselves. I tell them that they hold the keys to their own success and they can indeed make their and their families lives better. If you are young join the military, learn a trade and get your start there, and if that’s not your thing then there are other avenues to follow in the civilian world.

When I got discharged from the military, I took a nasty dirty job that entailed cleaning out sewage facilities and large oil storage tanks. I then started driving a box truck and then worked my way up to semi trucks, where I am now making a salary in the $100,000.00 range. Look, if I can do it others can too. No more excuses for these people - the time for action is now.

 

[StudentMI]

Look, if I can do it others can too. No more excuses for these people - the time for action is now.

God, save me from your followers.

The old if I can do it so can others excuse is wearing thin. Not to mention the principle of subsidiarity and decades of Catholic social teaching disagrees with you. The principle of subsidiarity is not just let the locals do it. It’s more than that.

 

[Jeanne_S]

When all these Dem politicians who want to enforce their socialist ideas ,actually embrace them personally re their homes,neighborhoods etc,then maybe they would have a leg to stand on.It’s always “what’s good for thee,is not for me” with these guys.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Is this about building housing projects? Chicago tried this in a big way. I remember Mayor Richy Daley saying, “Let’s face it. Housing projects do not work.”. Chicago tore them down.

Cabrini Green was unique. The other projects were in the mostly poor neighborhoods on the city’s south side. Cabrini was adjacent to the affluent River North area, known for art galleries and restaurants. It was in near proximity to the famous Gold Coast. It’s placement near wealthy neighborhoods did nothing to reduce crime. Cabrini Green was probably the worst.

 

[twf]

That frankly sounds pretty terrible.
There are gangs, but I don’t think anything close to that extent…and only in certain areas, not just anywhere where there are “poor” people…

 

[Peeps]

And then you lost me. They deserve nothing of the kind, at least not by the taxpayers. They made their choices in life and rightly suffer the consequences. Now if some charity somewhere, (or private citizens such as yourself) wants to take it upon themselves to help people that is all well and good, but don’t make the taxpayer liable for the bad choices made by certain people.

I certainly agree with you that ideally, charity should be done by individuals and groups (e.g., churches), not government.

However, when it comes to building a housing development like this one–not in the “tough section of town,” but in the “good section of town,”, this is not just a good thing for those who will live in that housing development, but a good thing for the city as a whole.

A number of families will have an honestly good chance of bettering themselves and becoming productive members of society rather than becoming gang recruits–or gang victims. This outcome will benefit the entire city–students doing well in school and going on to college or trade school or military instead of dropping out and becoming criminals or parasites, and families succeeding in rising out of poverty and supporting themselves and possibly helping others.

I’m willing to pay taxes for something that truly produces results. What I don’t want to do is pay taxes for social programs that seem to leave people mired down in poverty and despair instead of helping them to escape poverty and make a good life for themselves (and others).

 

[Peeps]

Is this about building housing projects? Chicago tried this in a big way. I remember Mayor Richy Daley saying, “Let’s face it. Housing projects do not work.”. Chicago tore them down.

Cabrini Green was unique. The other projects were in the mostly poor neighborhoods on the city’s south side. Cabrini was adjacent to the affluent River North area, known for art galleries and restaurants. It was in near proximity to the famous Gold Coast. It’s placement near wealthy neighborhoods did nothing to reduce crime. Cabrini Green was probably the worst.

My city in Northern Illinois is not in Chicago, and it is a much smaller city where people can actually make a decent life for themselves even if they aren’t brilliant or rich.

And I totally agree with you about Cabrini Green–it was notorious and many people were destroyed by that hell on earth.

 

[Peeps]

That frankly sounds pretty terrible.

It certainly is. God have mercy.

 

[MtnDwellar]

My city in Northern Illinois is not in Chicago, and it is a much smaller city where people can actually make a decent life for themselves even if they aren’t brilliant or rich.

I am familiar with Chicago and the suburbs. I have not observed the distinction you have identified regarding the rich and brilliant.

The reason I pointed out Cabrini Green was to show that placing a project in a better area does not improve the lives of the residents.

 

[Shasta-Rose]

Yes, that’s my complaint. We live in a nice house in a good neighborhood, but my husband and I worked for many years so that we could have this when we retired. Nobody seems to want to work for decades to have something desirable. They want it immediately.

 

[Raxus]

People should not be forced by the government to accept things and situations that they do not want to accept.

“Poor” is not equal to “criminal”. I should know, having grown up desperately poor. Statements like yours make me think Confession-worthy thoughts.