Section 8, reduced home values, and you…..
Posted by: willcountywatcher on: February 9, 2007
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JOLIET — More than 300 people in Will County are waiting for federal housing vouchers to help pay their rent, that wait could get longer under a budget resolution before the U.S. Senate.The housing authority’s mixed-income subdivision proposed near Briggs and Rosalind streets is still being planned even though certain local politicians said last year that it was a dead issue, it is apparent that the politicians do not care if the east side and homes on the north end of Briggs St in Lockport loses value where some homes are upward of $200,000.
It conjures up images of crime-ridden apartment and housing complexes influenced by gangs and drugs. In other words, not something people want in their community.. , why not just close the Evergreen terrace and the Hill area, lets give vouchers so that the residents can move into Plainfield, Shorewood, or maybe right next to these politicians in Joliet and Will county, that is what should happen, that would be poetic justice huh.
I know I have worked hard to rehab many homes on the East side of Joliet and Lockport that were rented Sec 8 in the past, these homes were almost beyond repair, now for politicians and Section 8 housing to come in and force me and many others to take reduced sales prices for our homes should be criminal, if they do complete the project then look for falling home values.
Over the last few years many Chicagoans and surrounding area people have moved to the north end of Briggs St “Lockport area”, but Sec 8 Residents go where ever they are placed.
How long must these people remain on section 8, 10-20-30 years, when are they expected to be self sufficient.
No matter what anyone calls it, if section 8 pays for it, it is still section 8
93 Responses to "Section 8, reduced home values, and you….."
February 9, 2007 at 10:34 PM
I guess these Section 8 people think that we are the tax paying pay check for them, I just cant see giving dead beats money when they won’t even try to better them selves.
Sure people need help time to time but when is enough,enough.
I do hate to say it JJ but I agree with you.
February 10, 2007 at 5:26 AM
Section 8? Bring them on. As a landlord, you wouldn’t believe the hard time I have collecting from renters. People stiff you and won’t move out and then when you get orders to evict them, they trash the place. Pigs.
With Section 8, I’m guaranteed payment, and I’m sorry people, but this is my livelihood. And yes, I actually do live in the same neighborhood, and I get a better class of people with Section 8. I don’t know why that is, but it’s true.
August 2, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Thank you for your very accurate insight!!! Just because a family is on Section 8, that makes them trash?! I agree with anonymous, you can do worst with some renters. To group all families who are blessed enough to receive assistance is just… well wrong. I do agree with you that the gangs and other “undesirables” should be done away with, but we aren’t all like that.
If I was a landlord, I would work with families on Section 8 because of these following reasons:
1. Non payment of rent is grounds for being put off of the program as well as getting evicted.
2. You are to leave the property in the condition that you recieved it in.
3. Damage to the property ( other than wear and tear) is grounds for removal off of the program.
4. Anyone caught with drugs (family, friends, visitors) on the property is not only subjected to criminal charges, but removal from ANY government housing program.
This just lists a few of the rules that the families are to follow. If you suspect or know that a family is enganging in criminal activity, report them! They will face and suffer the consequences for their actions. And, if the leaseholder can’t do anything about whats going on in their household… they deserve to be removed from the program. I agree with a great deal of what you’re saying, but section 8 is a blessing and if they can’t appreciate the blessing bestowed upon them, SO BE IT!
January 6, 2010 at 7:03 PM
what area are you from…i have an apartmnet it is not considered legal which i been renting for years now its vacant a section eight person is interested on renting it my question is does the section eight people care wheather its illegal or not?
February 10, 2007 at 3:42 PM
Yea you you get a better class of people alright, you lower property values all around your section 8 homes, you try to make it better by saying you get your money…it is our tax dollars that pay you..just anouther damn leech…can we say slum lord and the system pays you to be one.
August 5, 2009 at 8:56 PM
First off all that is why the economy is the way it is. It will continue to fail if we have people with nasty thoughts. I have seen people loose six figure jobs and go apply for government assistance. Unfortunatley there are a lot of people who are bad that live on section 8, but there are some good ones that need it temporarily to get on their feet. Some who are in school and working and very respectful. Don’t ever pass judgemet because God can knock a person off of there high horse and I have seen it first hand. These people NEVER thought it would happen to them. I do agree that there are some lazy people that are taking advantage of the system, but there are also some good people who really need the help. By the way I pay taxes just like everyone else and I will never pass judgement on a person because the way the economy is….. anyone can soon be standing in the line at the soup kitchen. God forbids that another Black Tuesday will occur.
February 11, 2007 at 2:32 AM
I will agree that you get your money from the government, tell me this how much is your homes worth, The homes that I bought that were previously section 8 were almost to the point of being torn down.
Windows knocked out, toilets broke in half, wires ripped out of the walls, human fecal matter on the floors, and to top it off there was a dead dog in the basement of one.
You and many others can try to candy coat section 8 all you want, but the reality is we don’t want it and we are tired of funding it.
February 11, 2007 at 6:16 AM
That video was right on the point, guess thats the typical for section 8 and Anonymous February 09, 2007 is proud to be renting section 8….Haaaaaaa lol
February 11, 2007 at 7:45 AM
I live on the Joliet east side, the section 8 issue has been going on for years.It is correct, I will say 80% of section 8 recipients destroy the homes that they live in and in doing so they destroy the value of the homes around them, they also diminish the quality of life for the neighborhood.In the past I rented homes section 8, while the government paid me to repair the homes I found it senseless to keep repairing things in the home that shouldn’t have been broken in the first place; Example windows, front doors, and etc.The cost out weighed the profit.I agree with other comments that were placed here by the readers, I also agree that there are people that need help but when it costs me to do people favors and it starts putting me in the poor house it is time to end it, as I did.Take a look at the section 8 market run amuck
February 11, 2007 at 9:43 PM
Andy I went back and checked your figures it is amazing how much is spent to keep lazy people lazy, I also wonder how many of these sec 8 people are illegal aliens
March 7, 2007 at 10:47 PM
I’m very offerded by what I see on this website, you are degrading everyone that is on section 8. I’m a section 8 recipient, single mother, full-time worker, and full-time education major at a prestige university. I detex the fact that you people have simply categorized everyone that recieves section 8 as a disgace to society and to the rental world. I work hard to keep what I have and to maintain the udkeep of my apartment.
I am not be lazy and refuse to be labled as that because I get some type of government assistance. I
bet all of you so called upper class citizens are the negative rejects that society does not need yet unfortunately have to leave with, well in my eyes you are ignorant especially in this case. Their are bad seeds in every race and class of people but that doesn’t mean that race or class is bad.
Honestly you do not know mee are the majority of section 8 recipients as people, so please stop assuming you do. You know nothing about our lives you just think you do.
July 9, 2009 at 12:13 AM
lets see who you run to when you fall when your money has dried up and no friends or family to help you then I guess you will be praying for help and you might get it in the form of a section 8 then we will see !
March 8, 2007 at 2:49 AM
section 8 recipient
you have shown the world why you are on Sec 8, apparently it is the lack of education, or do you have a problem using spell check.
May 27, 2009 at 1:49 PM
I totally agree with your comment; I am a homeowner sandwiched in between these people – it is a living hell.
July 9, 2009 at 12:20 AM
these people have rights just like you or I do it might be ruff but blind hate is never the answer and that is what it sounds like to me scared hateful people is what you sound like ! GOD SAID LOVE THY WHAT ? I guess you took that as white and upper class very sad
March 8, 2007 at 3:48 AM
Fortunately it is people like you Willcountywatcher that makes me strive to be successful in all my endeavors. I work and pay my taxes as most section 8 tenants do so what are you complaining about, do you even own property probably not. If you were an intelligent businessman you would screen your tenants before allowing them to rent from you. My landlord does that with every soon-to-be tenant and a letter from their landlord describing them as past tenants.To Jolietjake2008 who bought the so called destroyed section 8 homes,If the property was abandoned why not assume drug addicts or homeless people destroyed the houses instead of the tenants. You all really need to find out how section 8 works before you speak on it. Your section 8 could and will be revoked if you damage property in any form. Jolietjake2008 you bought the houses so suck it up.Willcountywatcher how about you stop crying about something that will never change.For all I know you negative cry-baby you could have changed the spelling of my words. Oh this time I made a copy of whatI wrote so I challenge you to tamper with my reply you upper or middle class reject. You seem to be upset because you cannot recieve government assistant. O no need to respond back I have midterms coming up so what you have to say does not mean a thing. I have sent this website to so many people all they can do is laugh at your ignorance.
March 8, 2007 at 1:50 PM
section 8 recipient
Well I do screen my tenant(s) that is why I do not rent section 8 and will never again do so, as to me tampering with your comments; please spare your self the indignity of such drivel. I would have deleted you in the first place, but I think it is funny for you to profess to understand home ownership, 1st a letter from a past landlord is just that a letter, the past land lord can just be trying to get rid of the tenant that is problematic to them.
Now to your comment: The paperwork that I must maintain is a problem, the profit margin to renting section 8 is low, Sec 8 impacts price varying home to home in Will County neighborhoods this is statistically a significant impact to home ownership.
Property values are expected to depreciate further in the renting process when it comes to section 8; this causes a hardship to neighboring homes with 1 to 5 miles of a rented section 8 home(s). Level and trend are estimated on the basis of sales of identical homes or, more accurately, homes whose differences in prices due to differences in their attributes have been adjusted so as to make them comparable, thus a decrease in property values.
No home owner buys a home, lives in the home for 20 years and thinks it is ok to lose 14 to 20 percent of its value this being due to value of neighboring homes in the area.
You may be in the 10 percent that respects having a home to live in but put your self in a home owners position, ask your self; do I want to buy a home that is going to lose value. You say you are working and going to school, Great, but work all your life to pay off your home and then when you retire you find out the property that you own has not been keeping up with the current value due to Section 8 housing in your area, so then you may not be able to obtain another home in an area you may want to live.
True there are pros and cons to Section 8 housing, the cons seem to out weigh the pros, the person renting section 8 may indeed make money but the neighbors lose money.
Just wanted to add; I am glad that you sent this website to so many people so they may laugh at my ignorance as you say, the people that you pointed out may want to rent one of my homes some day, but they will not get it by method of Section 8. If you do not respond back that is ok, I know your picking up your public aid check, food stamps and going to the library to use the computer so that in the future you may come back and try to glorify Section 8 housing one more time to us home owners.
Joliet Jake
July 9, 2009 at 12:27 AM
so i guess you have to run to your next kkk meeting I will pray for you and hope that one day you could maybe take a chance to walk in some one else shoes !
March 12, 2007 at 3:07 AM
My mother and father own their own house and some property so I fully understand about property value and its depreciation. I was just annoyed that you criticized everyone on section 8. When I evacuated from New Orleans, Louisiana to out here in Illinois I was blessed to get help and a new lease on life by getting section 8. Like I said before I work and attend school to better my son’s life and myself. I do not pick up a public aid check; I own my computer and work very hard for everything I own. Its just unfortunate that you categorize everyone own section 8 and that is not fair. I’m not glorifying section 8 housing I’m just sticking up for people on section 8 who is actually getting their lives together and pay their taxes also. There is good and bad in everything and everyone just remember that. This is my first time reacting to someone’s blog I’ve read many of your articles and your opininons I agree with most of them actually this is the only one that actually struck a nerve.
April 13, 2007 at 9:43 AM
I for one am discouraged by the assertion by “willcountywatcher” that simply renting a home to a family receiving section 8 assistance automatically affects property values in the area within a 1-5 mile radius. I would actually like to see the his reference material on that. It’s not as if potential buyers can pull up a list of section 8 properties in their area. If you lease homes in a predominately low-income area where clusters of section 8 renters are likely, then you are more likely to have low quality tenants. This is because of the other landlords who essentially operate as slum lords. A decent family would not even consider renting in such an area. A couple of landlords who do properly screen their tenants can start a downward spiral and it could happen whether or not the tenants have section 8 or not. With my properties I have found section 8 renters to be much less likely to damage the unit as they have a vested interest in not losing their voucher. In addition, I always receive my rent on time and sometimes months in advance because the families only have to cover a portion on the total rent amount. You would be suprised as to how many people who receive section 8 and live in $250-$350k neighborhoods which is where I lease several units. How can I do this? The combination of low-interest financing and tax credits for leasing to subsidized housing make it possible; tenants also cover what section does not. For example, I have a unit values at 275k (purchased for 225k 3 years ago), I listed it for $1900, section 8 covers ~$1200, the family covers $700; in addition to the normal real-estate tax write-offs, I receive an additional tax credit. My return is actually better than with a regular tenant. The tenants are also more stable because of the difficulty of finding landlords who accept the voucher (thanks guys for making it easy for me). Careful tenant screening is the key, I don’t look at credit so much, I look at character and work history. If the people are able to communicate like someone who has attended college and have a good work history, they are probably ok. My advice to willcountywatcher would be to stop assigning blanket assumptions to people on the section 8 program and be accountable for the tenants he selects. I would also get out of the sub $225k property market (unless new development/area) and focus his efforts on nicer neighborhoods. Get these low interest rates while you can, I’m working on my 17th single family property; the nine I have rented to section 8 are by and large my easiest to manage.
~Corey
P.S. Sorry if I didn’t spell-check
April 13, 2007 at 6:34 PM
I can pull up a list from sec 8 that tells me where section 8 housing is in will county, sounds like you have a very good scam going at the tax payers expense.
April 14, 2007 at 11:00 AM
I live in St Pats and this area has a local company (no name due to the possibility of litigation) who buys the older homes out of estate. This company has several hundred units in Joliet that are section 8. Each and every one is the source of crime in the neighborhood. On Hunter street there are 4 units owned by this company on the 100 block. These have been rented by those who were effectively bannished from Chicago by Ritchie Daley, There are gang members, drug dealers, prostitutes and other various bad citizens in these units. This is verifiable by doing a FOIA request for calls to housing owned and rented by this company. The city of Joliet knows about the problem, the police know who are the problems and still nothing gets corrected. I have a freind who lives across from one of the homes, they have a web cam pointed at the home and record all the events that happen there. These people are terrified and will not leave their home at night. Anyone who would like to meet them and see the facts personally can contact me and I will introduce you to them. E-mail me at doanywordswork@yahoo.com .
April 14, 2007 at 11:04 AM
That amounts to block busting and I know a few politicians in crest hill that does that they buy homes in nice areas and then move in sec 8 people to lower the property values surrounding the home, this is classic, they then get the surrounding homes for reduced cost then they move the sec 8’s to another neighborhood and and start all over again.
[...] me and many others is now that barber is now on the Joliet city council will she push for the Section 8 voucher programs and also push for low income housing in other areas of Will county IL. I will say [...]
April 19, 2007 at 6:43 PM
Our neighborhood is currently filled with section eight homes and my property value has still increased… of course so have my home insurance rates with the number of break in that rose with the number of section eight homes.
April 19, 2007 at 6:58 PM
Sure your property will rise in value, why ? because the tax rate has risen and property values are based on that, but when a potential buyer does a search of the area you may at times receive a lesser amount at time of sale due to section 8 being around you homes area.
With all the extra costs that you are paying any profit goes quickly don’t it…
June 21, 2007 at 9:21 PM
Hello there. I am extremely interested in the section 8 housing that seems to be making an impression on my otherwise nice and peaceful neighborhood. We just moved into this subdivision a year ago, and in the past year we have noticed unfortunate change. Today, as I was outside playing with my kids, I see 13 (seriously) WIll County Sheriffs and undercover squads FLYING down my streets…come to find out they were headed to an area in my subdivision, an area that I found out today is zoned Section 8. zoned this less then a year ago. They had the entire neighborhhod blocked off…I have yet to find out what exactly happened….What devostating news. I am all for those who need help getting it, but I see the kind of people who have moved near me, and they do not sit well with me. I would like to know if anyone would share with me how to find out if there is more Section 8 in the area, any more purposed plans and by the way, who owns these section 8 homes, and who decides were they go? Thanks
July 3, 2007 at 8:56 AM
Not everyone that needs gov asst are deadbeats! I understand that a lot of the people getting help from the gov take advantage of it but there are people out there like myself that need help and I am not a deadbeat. I do not qualify for any help I am a single mother now of one child who is 6; I make 32k a year which isn’t much. I have been trying to better myself for years. Went to school and it has gotten me no where but having another big bill to pay. I have tried and tried to be successful in my jobs to move up and get that big pay but I am getting no where. I am stuck right now with this 32k yr job that barely pays my bills, my daycare expense is 1/2 of my paycheck weekly which makes it very hard for me an my son to live off the rest. What isn’t fair is the gov doesn’t help the people who really need it. I was told to have another baby and than I would qualify real nice! Isnt there something that can be done about this?
August 2, 2007 at 8:00 AM
Are you people complete idiots? Do you know that your next door neihbor might be on section 8? New houses are being built, the owners are purchasing the properties, and then renting them out, to people with section 8, for the guaranteed income. This is not just happening in Joliet. If someone has section 8, they can move anywhere, as long as the landlord accepts the voucher. Also, most people that are on section 8 work. Problem being, they probaly have multiple children and only make 20-30k per year. That is not enough income to survive. Now, on the flip side of this, there are people that abuse the program, like people that refuse to work, why, because they live in a 200k house and only pay $50 a month for rent, the “American Dream” right?? Who would’nt want there rent to be $50??????? Think about that. Then you have the people that get paid “under the table” there paying $50 a month for rent, because technically they don’t pay taxes so they don’t work. I know several people that are in the construction business making thousands a month, but not reporting income, and there just getting over. And, no illegal aliens do not qualify for section 8. These are true blue blooded Americans that are using “your” tax $$$$$$
August 5, 2007 at 3:11 AM
i think section 8 is a great idea, cause some people r trying to better themselves and they do work but cant afford a good but low rate apartment, or house that fits the need of their family, so to the people that r talking nasty about section 8 cause one of your family members might b one of the not so fortunate out just as well as the ones that r asking for the section 8 program
September 17, 2007 at 9:12 AM
I am amazed that so many people assume that if you have section 8 you do not work and you have several children! I have 8 year old twins, work and I am trying to finish school. I am so sick of all of the ignorance towards section8 voucher holders. Yes, it is horriable when some people destroy the places they live in but, it does not mean everyone receiving section 8 will do the same. It does make other people look bad and give a stereotype to voucher holders. I am not lazy, nor do I allow my children or myself to destroy where we live.
October 1, 2007 at 6:54 PM
All I can is Wow!!! I was surfing the web to locate another home to move to because I can no longer take the condition of the house that I live in, I have tried to do everything in my power to help in the up keep of “my home” to no avail. We have pieces of the roof falling off. The water well has a bacteria count so high, its off the charts. instead of the landlord buying the stuff that Will County Health Dept. told him to buy, he poured bleach down the well, which exacerbated the problem. This is just the tip of the ice burg. I am a full time nursing student, a single mother of two, I work at St joes hospital as a CNA and I also work as a phlebotomist. I am a Section 8 recipient, I am outraged at the assumptions that are being made about the people receiving Sec. 8, Mon thru Thurs. i get up at 3am to get to work by 4, I get home just in time to get my son to school by 9, then i attend school from 10 to 1, and on weds I have to go back to work at 11pm and work til’ 7:30 am. If thats lazy, please let me know. You people are judging and making assumptions out of sheer prejudice and bigotry. Cory if you ever come back to this page I am in need of a three bedroom (zionsma@yahoo.com) For those of you that feel all Sec 8 recipients are lazy and no good, the way I look at it, with both of the jobs that I have, and the amt. of taxes taken out of my checks, you people are doing nothing for me and my children, I am doing it all myself. Sec. 8 recipient keep your head up girl, dig in those books and let nothing stand in your way. Dont let what people say affect you or determine you path, when you do others you dont do you!!! Always do YOU!!!!!!! Peace!
November 21, 2007 at 7:08 PM
I am from Chicago and hope to move to the Will County area sometime after June 2007 using the section 8 voucher.
I have many comments to the posts that I’ve read.
Although it is said that there are no more vouchers given out in the Chicago area, that is somewhat a lie. If you already receive a voucher and your cha apartment is being torn down or renovated, you have a choice to stay in the city or go elsewhere!! Or you can find an apartment, ask the landlord if he will accept section 8 and if he agrees, sec.8 will come & inspect the property for approval. I live in an area where a handyman special home is sold for 250k and studio and loft apts. go for $4,000+ a month and right next door is cha(chicago housing authority)(projects as we call them in Chgo.) The property value in the Chicago area has sky-rocketed, so where do you get off saying that your property value has decreased! Currently, I live in a 2 bedroom,(3rd bedroom enclosed porch) 650 sq. ft. apt. that is falling apart and the landlord, does not fix a darn thing. I do what I can, but financially and knowledge of replacing a ceiling, plumbing or electrical is not my thing.
So, in June when my youngest graduates H.S, I am looking to move to Will County to be closer to Family. And about the comment that people on sec.8 don’t work, that’s not everybody. My husband is disabled and draws a social security disability check. He also needs someone to take care of him, so I work seasonally at a Public School in Chicago and at Northwestern Law School and we make about 30k a yr. I have a friend who has set me up with a job in Joliet when we move out there, so I won’t have to travel back to the city to work. The only thing I don’t want is an apt. building with many many apts. but would prefer a house. So, if in mid to late June any sec.8 homeowners have a 2-4 bedroom house or apt avail. Please contact me @ sportzznutz@sbcglobal.net
I also know what it means to own a home and the responsibility to owning a home, as before my husband became disabled we owned one.
As far as the person stating something about fixing this and fixing that, when he prchased a sec.8 property. It shouldnt matter, who lived in the building, if you bought a handyman special, then you bought a handyman special and shut-up man and fix the problems!!!!!!
Future Section 8 Dweller
December 6, 2007 at 1:55 AM
I just want to start off by saying OMG (Oh My GOD) I cant believe so many people really believe only the poor can receive section 8. The income levels can go as high as 60k. The posters that made comments about section 8 receipents really believe that the receipents have not paid into Federal taxes as well? I find that Section 8 is no different then SSI. You pay into it or not and if you need it , its available wether you’ve worked in your life or not. Most people are not aware that if youve never worked a day in your life and you get SSI benefits WE ALL pay for that person to receive the SSI same as Section 8. Perhaps some low-income residents bring a lot of baggage and crime to areas when they receive government subsidies but where I live in Hollywood CA the rich ALWAYS have the police coming to there homes for domestic violence and drugs or worse. So does it make it better because their rich and others come from disadvantage areas? Section 8 only publish available housing in a particular area where a home owner have expressed interest in renting. There is NO General populated list to show rental agents, property owners etc. that a particular area is saturated with section 8 participants unless there has been a constant report of crime. All of the homeowners on this page are entitled to rent to whom ever they choose but there have been many cases where section 8 renters have been the key to saving many homes from Foreclosure do to the falling economy but I guess when there is a major type of benefit for the homeowner such as saving their homes, then section 8 turns out to be not so negative. Anyone that receives section continue to use it until you are on your feet and because we are all paying for it find the best place you can to live for you and your children. You cant satisfy everyone because you can be for sure WE ALL end up paying for someone elses somthing. For example the WAR..and no I didnt spell check either. I have no time I am to busy keeping the section 8 program running by background checking all the participants and doing field service on the property owners. What I have found in our months of surveys is most owners do not want to accept the program because there homes are not up to Section 8 housing standards and therefore will not pass inspection every year.
December 7, 2007 at 3:19 PM
OMG
Why should anyone that deals with homes have to fix up a house just for section 8 housing recipiants.
What makes them any better then anyone else.
June 27, 2009 at 4:36 PM
you want to no what makes them better then anyone else.the thing that makes them better then others i’m a owner an if they lose there jobs today i’ll still recieve my rent and what’s all of this you people shit who the hell are the you people all of us are human and i’m sure nobody wants to be known as you people.
December 25, 2007 at 8:45 PM
I am a realtor in CT and I cannot believe the ignorance and hatred expressed here. Property values are determined by market values of comparable recently sold homes, there is no mass list of Section 8 recipients, yes you can get a listing from your town’s housing authority of landlords that have had their home approved by Section * but this list is by no means inclusive, what I find is most homeowners that do not want to rent to a person with a Section 8 voucher is because their home would not pass inspection and they do not want to do the work so they get a person who does not have a section 8 voucher to do the work and then negiotate the rent anyway! Does that make any sense?! Also, You have to go through a criminal background check as well as credit check for no evictions to get a section 8 voucher. Anyone can apply so long as you meet the income guidelines and the background checks and in CT where it is I believe the 3rd most expensive place to live in the United States, it is needed to help supplement hardworking people’s rent. I know people working 2-3 jobs and receiving Section 8 voucher. Unfortunately everyone doesn’t have the familial financial support of gifts for downpayments for homes and everyone didn’t grow up with parents as lawyers and doctors. I find it hard to believe that a homeowner would voluntarily tell people that part of his rental income comes from a Section 8 voucher, to me it seems some judgments are being made on the person renting the home and whether or not they belong there. Having had the experience of growing up in the projects of Brooklyn, to a diverse college in upstate NY to a suburb of NJ to various neighborhoods of CT ALL economic backgrounds have issues where police have been called. To me the only way you can always tell if a home is being rented whether or not by a person with Section 8 is the upkeep in line with the other properties in the area, but whose fault is that? Surely not the tenant. A person who would destroy a home rented with a section 8 voucher risks their keeping the voucher as well as their security deposit( which is not paid by Section 8 by the way). Unless it is contracted in the lease agreement, the outside upkeep of a home, such as landscaping, etc. garbage dipsosal, etc. is the responsibilty of the homeowner? Y
January 5, 2008 at 6:48 AM
I am appauled at what I have read in this blog. As a homeowner myself, it is up to the landlord/owner to take care of their property. I was once on Section 8, because we met the income guideline to be eligible for the assistance. I utilize and was grateful of the help I received, but as our salary increased, we no longer needed the service. We now own a piece of America, but yet have not forgotten that we were once a rrecipients of the program. People holding such vouchers are not bad/criminals etc. They are working class, tax paying individuals with a need for the service and qualify for such.
I would never put all bad apples in one bunch, but we do know that one can spoil the entire bunch. That does not call for sterotype of a certain group of people. By the way, can someone please provide me with the link to where I can list my property. My property is in Bellwood, IL and I would welcome a Section 8 holder with OPEN ARMS.
January 19, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Ms. Pat
Under the Sec. 8 homeownership concept, federal rental subsidy recipients can apply to use their assistance payments to cover the monthly mortgage and interest costs of homeownership but that is ownership and not sec 8 squatters.
The assistance covers the gap between the mortgage costs and the approved payment level of the recipient (generally 30% of monthly income, but there are variations to this). The assistance automatically terminates after 15 years for borrowers with long-term financing (20-plus years) and after 10 years for those with shorter-term financing.
So far the Sec. 8-assisted borrowers have been below par in remuneration in the last year(s).The interest rate bumps up the monthly payment of which 32% is covered by Sec. 8.
Please don’t get me wrong but when good money after bad is being wasted I have a problem with it. Now with the influx of illegals getting more funding for sec 8 housing I find that deplorable.
May 13, 2008 at 1:14 PM
coment; ive been on 8 for 6 years am disbled with M,S, and things are getting worse, am now in a wheel , and a walker at tomes its very ubpredictable what the next day will be like,i ust go with the flow.
June 11, 2008 at 4:51 AM
I’ve fixed up three properties on my block, spending tens of thousands of dollars and thousands of hours. The neighborhood was improving, with young couples moving in, but Section 8s are absolutely destroying it. There was a drive-by shooting nearby last year, and now there are a couple of punks who intimidate neighbors by walking down the middle of the street, swearing loudly, and walking with a big pit bull.
I HATE SECTION 8! I’m afraid that all of my hard work for the last 12 years is going down the drain!!!
I HATE SECTION 8!
June 11, 2008 at 10:16 PM
Tom
that is a possibility and as long as we allow the free riders of section 8 to grow we home owners suffer.
June 19, 2008 at 3:00 PM
It seems as if you are a bit misinformed. There are many reasons why citizens are placed on Section 8. You should get your facts straight before you pass judgment. Who knows, you may need section 8 one day.
August 5, 2009 at 9:17 PM
I must agree. I know a couple that owned $500,000 house that had to “downgrade”. Never know what God has in store.
June 19, 2008 at 3:09 PM
I would like to state that, many landlords tend to believe that section 8 tenants are lazy, drug addicts etc. You are dead wrong. However, tenants need to screen landlords as well. Slum lords are the base of property damages. Slum lords rent to any and everybody, then they try to blame the property damage on section 8 tenants as a whole. Take some responsibility for your actions. I will inform section 8 about this site and many others.
June 19, 2008 at 3:11 PM
Tom, I have a solution to your problem. Go kill yourself and take your friends with you.
June 19, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Darlene
Now honey that’s strong words to say, it seems to me that if someone tries to protect what they own you would have them rent it to a sec 8 loser anyway.
Darline you said: Take some responsibility for your actions. I will inform section 8 about this site and many others.
Please feel free to notify them about this blog, Oh that’s right it’s a blog and it is based on peoples opinions.
I am glad Darline that your opinion matters more then everyone else’s.
June 20, 2008 at 8:22 AM
Damn JJ
Guess you are still an ass hole but we love ya, your blog looks different, nice look to it.
Sec 8 is just that Sec 8, think back to military days a sec 8 was for crazy people that wanted out of the army…just kidding.
I know someone will have something to say, but opinions are like ass holes eveyone has one.
JJ have a good day and keep up the freedom of speech.
June 20, 2008 at 8:27 AM
Though crime-ridden high-rise projects are public housing policy’s most abiding symbol, the majority of today’s subsidized tenants don’t live in them. Instead, 1.7 million households now get government vouchers that help pay their rent in the private market, at a cost of over $13 billion a year—a third of HUD’s total budget. Liberals embrace these vouchers because they believe poor families can never afford decent market-rate housing; conservatives like the vouchers’ ostensible free-market mechanism, which harnesses the private sector to serve a public goal. In Joliet, the only question is how much to increase spending on the program. But out in the blue-collar and middle-class neighborhoods where voucher holders increasingly live, longtime residents hate the program. It undermines and destabilizes their communities by importing social problems into their midst, they say—vociferously enough to get the attention of local legislators.
June 20, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Not the Larry P.
Daley loves them; this is how he has rid himself of the GD mobster, Latin Kings etc. Identify the problem and give them a voucher and a bus ticket to Joliet, Aurora, Rockford or Peoria. Then you go on the 10 PM announce violent crime in Chicago has dropped!
By the way if you look at the crime rates for the cities mentioned you will notice an increase in violent crime as Chicago’s dropped.
June 22, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Phillip Cleary,
I have looked at the statistics and you hit it on the head with that one…
June 29, 2008 at 11:39 AM
i live on a street,where there are 2 section 8 homes and you can tell which ones!!!
if you do not own a home you feel you do not need to make it look nice!
the greedy slum lords who wreck nice communities with section 8 should be in jail!!!
September 17, 2009 at 4:04 AM
How can you tell? By the color or their skin or the house itself. You have a pretty good eye!!!Lead by example
July 3, 2008 at 8:28 AM
I agree that some sec 8 people are jerks and they know how to run the system but, I’m on sec 8 and all I want is a nice place for my children and a good education for them. We are not ALL leeches some of us actually have pride. They have a dead beat dad and I have medical problems so should my kids suffer because of that? I have always improved on the place we have had and I don’t appreciate being classsified with the asshole because I need help. There is nothing worse then being classified as a low life, We are all indivduals. Just because their is one bad apple doesn’t we are all bad. Sorry your confused and had bad experiences.
July 3, 2008 at 8:33 AM
I agree that some sec 8 people are jerks and they know how to run the system but, I’m on sec 8 and all I want is a nice place for my children and a good education for them. We are not ALL leeches some of us actually have pride. They have a dead beat dad and I have medical problems so should my kids suffer because of that? I have always improved on the place we have had and I don’t appreciate being classsified with the asshole because I need help. There is nothing worse then being classified as a low life, We are all indivduals. Just because their is one bad apple doesn’t mean we are all bad. Sorry your confused and had bad experiences.
July 10, 2008 at 2:37 PM
To those of you that want to list your properties, and for those of you looking for decent housing, ********* is the place for you. this is a site for landlords and tenants trying to sift out the rift-raft. Now, for all of us on section 8 doing the right things, do not let the nay-sayers weight you down (stick and stones will break your bones, but WORDS!! will not harm you) We law abiding 8′ers should not have to defend or explain ourselves to those of you not having properties on section 8. Who cares what these people (who have obviously been burned by someone on section 8, you should have done a complete BGC) think, they are not providing us with a service. We are going thru enough trying to juggle raising a family,work, and school so, to those of you, keep your heads up, there is “light” at the end of the tunnel!!!!
Your just another seller try to sell us on Sec 8….No sale.
From JolietJake2008 No links allowed advertise your site on your own buck.
July 11, 2008 at 8:20 AM
Actually while we might not provide a “Service”, we do pay for it every week! The subsidies that you enjoy come out of our taxes. While you might not think we have anything to say about it I have to believe that without our money your program would not exist! So we actually do have something relevant to say!
What concerns me the most is that my property values suffer from the 70% of unit owners and 10% of recipients that use this service. This should concern you also as time goes on less and less people will be willing to subsidize this program if it is abused. For those of you on the program that are decent people and need this break this would be tragic!
July 12, 2008 at 8:26 AM
I hope America burns in hell. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about vouchers and depreciating home values. We could all just eat dirt. How about that. Willcounterwatcher whatever the hell your name is…you make me sick to my stomach.
July 12, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Can’t take it anymore
July 12, 2008 @ 8:26 am
Glad I could do something for you that was free of any cost to tax payers, your welcome.
Maybe if we work together we wouldn’t have to eat dirt to make you happy we can educated you enough to be self sufficient and you would need no help from the tax man/sec 8.
As to America burning, Section 8 does that enough by burning up tax dollars, I bet you have a Master’s Degree and are still on section 8 in IL? I could not quite figure out why the state is so far in debt, now I know. This is none of my business, but who paid for your education?
There is “something wrong” with so many posters being OK with the fact that the Sec 8 is having the taxpayers (essentially all of us) help pay your bills so they can be comfortable. There is nothing wrong with a person having to struggle and go without some things to get by…or was you given everything you ever wanted as a kid and think someone owes you something now, try working harder it gives you the will to keep reaching for a higher dream, Most sec 8ers say: I am not cheating the system I am living within all guidelines.
It is apparent that public housing projects are failures here and elsewhere. The government’s solution has been to try to spread public housing throughout the community by offering Section 8 vouchers. This has allowed the problems of the projects to spread to previously stable residential neighborhoods and to hurt property values of existing homes. But you would have us think this is ok..? This should be the norm? No property owner should complain? S-O-R-R-Y…my property, my right to bitch about it, not your property you have no right to bitch , so deal with it !!
July 12, 2008 at 4:01 PM
You don’t know me and let’s keep it that way… I choose to associate myself with a higher caliber of a person than you. So any intelligent type of dialog is out the window. You are exactly the type that loves driving through slum neighborhoods to solicit crack whores. Have any good blow jobs lately because you sure as hell need one. You reek of misery. You ought to consider joining KKK with all of that hatred. You ignorant piece of Sh#! Oh and watch what you say because you don’t know who your fucking with!
July 13, 2008 at 2:02 PM
Can’t take it anymore
July 12, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
Cool I am glad I do not know who I am fucking with, and as to driving through crack whore slum neighborhoods I think you should have a little consideration for the feelings of crack whores and refrain from calling them as such they have feelings to you know.
I love how in your statement you choose to protect the freebies of section 8 then to get your ass out and work for a living and pay your own way. I love the fact that you compare me with the Klu Klux Klan due to the fact that I personally will never rent any of my properties now or in the future to section 8 recipients, personally I do not see the correlation to I and the KKK but its your opinion and to me it does not matter, well yes it does matter to a point, I would like to know how in the hell I am considered a
racist when I choose not to rent section 8, or add to the tax waste of American tax dollars.
I would like to also thank you for worrying about my manhood as to if I am satisfied or not, not many people would worry about such things, I know my readers are glad you are the way you are…NOT…. it is apparent that you must be a caring person of strong moral fiber, a person that lives on public aid, works and get all the freebies you can while living on the back of hard working tax payers….You are a ideal American candidate for the Democrats…..You don’t care who pays the bills as long as you get what you want, is that right or enlighten me and the readers.
It is people like you that has made up my mind that I will run for office and do everything humanly possible to get Section 8 greatly reduced so that people like you and the other leeches of the world have to fend for them selves, try the American dream you might like it…..Or again maybe you won’t.
Ps.. You don’t need to abbreviate words or worry about cursing, the great thing about this blog is I run it and freedom of speech applies here to all.
June 24, 2009 at 11:53 AM
This is so funny to me. Yes I have section 8, I get a public aid check they pay my car note, and even provide me with gas so I love it. Hey and I wish that all my benefits were coming right out of your pocket. I am moving back to IL and I plan to do the same thing. By the way I have a job probably, have a better car than you and my house is fully furnished so I really don’t want for nothing. Oh yeah, I am not a single mother I am happily married and I am sure doing much better than you. LOL so for the people that are being talked to like you are not worthy these people are jealous and mad because they can’t do nothing about it. I love being me and having such a wonderful life on you.
September 17, 2009 at 3:59 AM
I hope that you are just joking. Section 8 is and should be temporary. I don’t want to judge you but if you have children what are you teaching and instilling in them. You should be one that wants to do for yourself if you are able. And then help others that may need to see someone in need of help, help themselves to get off. I speak from experience in dealing with this so don’t think I don’t know what I am talking about. I wish you the best of luck and hope that you find it in your heart to stand p for yourself and when God bless you with plenty help those in need. It is better to give than receive. God Bless
September 17, 2009 at 3:54 AM
Wow…You guys still wear hoods, but the internet is better because 50 of you don’t have to go out and find 1 boy to lynch…You can type away and no one can see you. Oh I’m Just Kidding…This matter is not black and white as you are implying. Crack whores? What an excellent choice of words. It is sad that we have people who run a muck of the system and I agree that the system needs to be changed, but going back and forth is not the answer. Start a program to get these Crack whores, drug dealers, Section 8 leeches, (or whatever you wanna call them) off the streets. We can’t just drive by and do nothing. We all wait for the government to bail us out, but why can’t we take pride on our own and clean up these neighborhoods. Were all family, I know you are cringing at that idea but were all in this together. Lets help each other and do what is right by God. You have a blessed day.
September 1, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Watcher please just let me know what your real name is, so that when you do run for office I will make it my personal mission to let all sec 8 recipients know of your feelings and plans. Our vote counts too, you know. And Mr Cleary just so you, as I said before I work in a clinical lab and an area hospital, my taxes do not just pay for the people on section 8, what about the people receiving food stamps or medical cards do OUR takes not pay for these services too? How can you just decide to pick on one group of people. Who do you think runs the senior housing? These elderly people are all on Sec 8. mr. cleary you are correct in saying that it would be a tragedy for those of us that use this service in the correct manner to have it dismantled because of the( as my four yr old would say) “stupidheads” that are abusing the system. Now what concerns me is the hatred that this site spreads or bigotry toward us, how can you honestly justify printing curse word and not a website geared toward helping honest people find a decent place to live. mr watcher your views can be correlated with those of the kkk, because you have a one sided view of all people on sec. 8. I dont think that the person meant to say you are racist, just that your views are a bit extreme towards us. this is a quote from you, ” a person that lives on public aid, works and get all the freebies you can while living on the back of hard working tax payers….my question to you is, if this person works is he or she not to a taxpayer?
September 1, 2008 at 4:53 PM
I hate to say it but education is the way out of section 8, or is sec 8 like a drug and you don’t have to pay your fair share to live in this world..free is for me what section 8 people say.
September 12, 2008 at 3:52 PM
You are choosing the wrong battle…Bill O’Reilly wannabe! The real problem that needs to be addressed is that the cost of living exceeds incomes. What you should be bitching about or fighting for is to raise wages to correlate with the cost of living…then there would be no need for Section 8. But being the prick that you are…you probably want to protect corporate America because they benefit off the poor mans back. Moron.
September 13, 2008 at 12:15 AM
Damn you have a lot of nerve calling me a Bill O’Reilly wannabe when you seemingly champion the cause of Section 8 housing, where is the intellectual prowess that you seemingly lack when it comes to getting people to see your point of view. ( I thought maybe I would dumb it down so you may understand me.)
What is the benefit to tax payers?————————————————None.
Does Section 8 generate taxes——No section 8 generates a big sucking sound.
Maybe 20% of section 8 recipients really need the help, while the other 80%
just Rip-off the system.
Maybe you can come up with one thing that benefit’s the people paying the cost so these lazy leaches can live on our buck while many Americans struggle to pay their bills..You in a sense say I have no clue well Sir or Madam I suggest you be the one to get a clue. Section 8 is the domino effect and with that, when things starts to fall there is nothing left standing when the dust clears.
September 23, 2008 at 8:48 AM
Millions spend half of income on housing
By ADRIAN SAINZ and ALAN ZIBEL, AP Business Writers Tue Sep 23, 7:04 AM ET
MIAMI – Al Ray is so strapped for cash, the only time he eats out is on Wednesday or Sunday, when the local McDonald’s sells hamburgers for 49 cents.
Ray lost his engineering job last November, and has been working as high school tutor, scratching out about $1,000 a month — if he’s lucky. He struggled to make his $1,400 monthly mortgage payment and $330 monthly homeowners’ association fee until May, when he stopped paying.
Ray, 44, is looking for work and renting out a room in his two-bedroom condo in Davie, Fla., for $500, but his monthly income doesn’t match his expenses and he’s facing foreclosure.
“I barely have money to survive,” he said.
Ray is one of more than 7.5 million people — almost 15 percent of American homeowners with a mortgage — who are spending half of their income or more on housing costs, according to 2007 data released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. That is up from nearly 7.1 million the year before.
Traditionally, the government and most lenders consider a homeowner spending 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs to be financially burdened. But that definition now covers almost 38 percent of American homeowners with a mortgage — 19 million of them.
Though home prices have fallen this year, in the most expensive markets where home prices tripled during the boom, many working families still cannot afford to buy a home.
“We had a bubble,” said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C. “This is a case where we absolutely want the market to adjust.”
The data underscore the serious affordability problems in this country and highlight how the slightest financial problem — from a lost job to higher gas prices or insurance premiums — can put a family behind on their mortgages and into the realm of foreclosure.
When home prices fell in the early 1990s, borrowers had more equity in their homes, and were able to escape foreclosure. But now, an estimated 10 million homeowners owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth, according to Moody’s economy.com.
More than 4 million homeowners were at least one month behind on their loans at the end of June, and almost 500,000 had started the foreclosure process, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Cascading foreclosures over the past two years created a domino effect in the lending industry, undermining investor confidence and forcing the Bush administration last weekend to announce the greatest rescue package and market intervention since the Great Depression.
And yet, the deal will not help Dolly Hanna, 51, and her husband, who bought five homes in the San Francisco area over the past 20 years, and were enjoying life during the housing boom by renting them out.
But her husband’s overtime at his mechanic’s job was cut, and the Hannas now find themselves overextended at a loss of $15,000 per month and trying two sell two of the homes.
With four children, Hanna had been a stay-at-home mom, but Monday she started a job in real estate. They are seeking a renter for two upstairs bedrooms in their primary residence for $1,200.
Getting a loan during the boom was easy, Hanna knows. Too easy.
“All you had to was massage the information enough to fit it into their round hole, and they gave us a mortgage,” Hanna said.
In San Francisco, more than one out of five homeowners with a mortgage spends half or more of their income on housing.
That’s also true in 13 more of the largest 100 metro areas analyzed by the Associated Press. Other places include California metro areas of Stockton, Los Angeles, Riverside, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, San Francisco, and San Diego. Also in the top 10 are the Fort Myers, Sarasota and Orlando metro areas in Florida, and New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island.
But the most cost-burdened homeowners in the country live the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach metro area: 58 percent of homeowners spending 30 percent of their income on housing costs, and 29 percent spending half of their income or more on housing.
Though prices here are dropping, the high cost of land, construction, insurance and property taxes makes living in South Florida too expensive for some.
“Certainly, we hear about people leaving South Florida and going into Atlanta where they can get into a house for less money,” Suzanne Weiss, associate director for real estate with Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida.
To help with the affordable housing stock, Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida joined forces with a construction company to build homes for low- to moderate-income residents that include energy-efficient appliances and hurricane-resistant windows.
Other cities and states are also taking action.
In Illinois, a network of 15 nonprofit housing groups gives free advice to struggling homeowners seeking to avoid foreclosure amid rising mortgage payments.
In New England, an affordable housing program funded by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston awards grants and low-interest loans to communities to encourage affordable-housing initiatives for very low- to moderate-income households.
And in Las Vegas, the Nevada Fair Housing Center is helping Rita Harvey renegotiate her mortgage from $2,700 to around $1,800 per month.
Harvey, 64, lives on about $3,300 a month in social security and disability payments for herself and her four disabled grandchildren. She nearly lost her home this summer after her adjustable rate mortgage payment jumped.
“I did not understand that in two years, this would adjust out of control,” she said. “Nobody deserves what I’ve had to go through.”
___
This can happen to you or anyone! We’ll see your ass on Section 8 soon…
September 23, 2008 at 8:57 AM
“Bloggers think of themselves as rebels against mainstream society but that rebellion is mostly confined to cyberspace, which makes blogging as melancholic and illusionary as Don Quixote tilting at windmills,” he says.
In Blogosphere: The New Political Arena, the first book to examine weblogs, Keren asks: Is the blogosphere a new political arena in which serious concerns about real suffering of real people in a real world are communicated and acted upon or is it merely a gathering place for the powerless citizens of the early 21st century?
(snip!)
“Weblogs promise liberation and a freedom of expression not found in any other medium,” says Keren. “But, bloggers do not take advantage of this liberation. Bloggers have compared their writing and ideas to the great conquests in history, yet despite their excessive use of words, they conquer nothing. In the blogosphere, the death of an aging cat is on the same emotional level as an earthquake in Pakistan.”
(snip!)
Comparing bloggers to terrorists, Keren writes: “While the methods advocated by the two groups are obviously very different, they both represent a similar trend in the present world, one of diversion of respected but disenchanted citizens from the norms of civil society to a fantasy world in which the excessive use of words – or bombs – would make everybody listen.”
“Bloggers are very lonely people”
September 24, 2008 at 5:49 PM
“Not” BetterThanYou
Have you ever heard the term ‘living beyond your means” well I never needed a $250,000 to a $500,000 dollar home nor do I have to keep up with the Jones’s…I do not feel sorry for them that spends way more then they earn and also I laugh at them that blame lenders. What are you saying these people can not read a contract yet you seemingly make excuses for them that refuse to work to earn their keep. “we have turned out crowds of American-educated people wanting freebees in a land unable to support there laziness, are we doing more harm than good? Hell yea..!!
So you say “Bloggers are very lonely people” that maybe right..not in my case but I can not speak for everyone in this world nor would I attempt to.
Correct me if I am wrong do you insinuate that a blogger has no right to say anything?..should we keep our mouths shut and only people with your same views speak? Should we bloggers have a defeatist attitude and accept governmental failures as status quo yet we keep paying the cost of their inadequacies in political office? Would you have my readers believe this? Well do you?
The only way nothing is accomplish is when nothing is said, many Americans do not fight for them selves or they are in direct fear of them that govern us. The government would have us hiding our flags and apologizing for being an American, and the whole while keeping our mouth shut. This hunkered down fear of offending someone is eroding America and personally I don‘t care who I offend, I work, I pay my taxes and Earn my keep why can‘t they. Lets make more excuses.
You see these truths are “self evident” for all who wish to find them. They are right there to be found yet people prefer to be not told in your world, but in my world to be told is the ultimate victory because it gives us the ability to do something. Knowledge is power…..if bloggers speak the truth, Americans would be outraged and I think that may scare people like you or do we already scare you? The attempt has and is being made to impose a one world ideal on the United States people which we having no need for it.
Are you eager to salvage the dwindling freebees of Section 8 from the wreckage of the tax payers rule all the while blaming us for failing to adhere to some hidden freebee law none of us hard working taxpayers know about. Government has shrunk, yet seems to me you want the government to have grown and want more government. The mission, let us be clear, is an ideological one. It does not emerge out of an attempt to help people with real problems, but entitlements should not be raised to people that abuse the system or use it illegally they should be made to work.
If government is necessary, bad government is inevitable, and abusers of the system are exceptionally good at showing just how bad it can be.
September 17, 2009 at 3:38 AM
Tax payers also paid for the Tuskegee Experiments. If you are going to put blame on someone, call your local congressman and voice your opinion. Stop complaining about these sec 8 recipients. There is so much that can be done to help. Start a training program for youth, I am not sure your profession but it seems that you may have some extra time on your hands. Teach an etiquette class, or How to be responsible and not milk the system classes. I am not trying to be sarcastic but working together to fix the problem is what needs to happen. When you are fixing up your rehabs contact the local court and see if they have individuals that are in need of completing community service. While using these people to help you complete your job, show them the ins and out of maintaining a place. Some of these folks may have never had this opportunity to see that side of life. I am sure that you can start some kind of landlord outreach that does this.This would be a community effort. We don’t cherish communities anymore because we spend so much time complaining about whats wrong and leaving it at that. What are our children and future generations suppose to look forward to. When we grow up with certain luxuries we tend to feel that everyone has and thinks the same as us, yet that is not the case. With that said try and focus your anger into a more positive avenue. Think of the service that you would be doing to help your fellow American. God Bless!!
October 23, 2008 at 3:26 PM
Yes I see people are upset about section8 but you can’t say all people on section 8 are sitting on there butts getting a free ride. That is an untrue statement. I know alot of single mothers out there that are trying to provide and do whats right for themselves and there children. Section 8 is something that helps them get on there feet. Then they gradually get off of section 8. So you shouldn’t judge and think everyone is sitting on there butts b/c that is not true. Most people on section 8 do have jobs and go to college so but it is just not enough now a days. Everyone is not well off in life. So think before you judge what if this was you….
October 23, 2008 at 3:32 PM
The section 8 landlord chooses who they want to move in there unit. So don’t hate all section 8 tenants and section 8 b/c you are moving in people you haven’t checked out. Some people abuse the system and it’s people out there that really need help and are dying to be in that persons place. Those are the ones you want b/c they are the ones that will cherish that unit like they own it… But hey Idk maybe that is just were I am from.
October 24, 2008 at 10:55 PM
I just had to ad to this. I bought a 2 family in a pretty nice neighborhood I have totally renovated it. In the time that I have spent in this neighborhood. I don’t discriminate against anyone for being on section 8 or by their race. I have made a lot of friend with these people. You have to if you really want to know what they are about. Well there is one family that I spent a lot of time talking to I had a few beers with and got to know them. I went out to dinner with them as well. As time went on they started to feel more comfortable telling me things. One trick they like to pull when they don’t have money to pay their small portion of the rent is to find a problem that didn’t exist or even create it. Now the landlord doesn’t get paid from section 8 until it’s fixed. These people have been on section 8 for years. None of them work they sleep all day and they are out all night on the steets partying and disturbing any of the few normal people that are sleeping. I thought these people were just down on their luck and obviously uneducated and just were having a hard time getting a job. No they are milking the system in everyway. They are on welfare for generations when their kids start getting to the age where welfare cuts them off they have their kids classified as retarded so that they can still collect. The very kids that I have gone out of my way to try to teach them a trade and doing nice things for them were trying to break into my house and shot out the windows of my garage. I gave them my word that I’d give all the work that I needed to have done to them. The mother and kids were to shovel my walk and driveway. I found out they weren’t shoveling at all and telling me it snowed when it didn’t. The mothers brother who I spent a lot of time with and went out of my way teaching him the trades and kept him working even when I didn’t need him while his wife was in prison and he could only work nights because he had to take care of the kids. I bought gifts for his kids and flowers for his wife when she got out of prison and I paid for them to go out to dinner. Now once the wife is out things stated to change. I couldn’t get this guy to work anymore. I owed him 60.00 I paid him 10.00 an hour he was only worth 8.00 an hour. I told him he had to work a minimum of 12 hours on weekends when I came up and 30 during the week when I was there for the week. He came and he insisted that I go to the atm and get him his money and threatend to kill me. They are all a bunch of unpredictable animals here. I have met a few that maybe they were a better caliber of people but how do you know. You don’t until it’s too late. I know there are good people out there on section 8 and I feel bad for them. I myself would never believe another landlord that tells me that someone is a good tennent because right away I’m thinking they just want to wash their hands. I want to see that they are working. I am having a hard time finding good tennents because nobody wants to live around these people. Who wants to come home from work and then have to listen to these animals fighting with one another because that’s all they do. Or have them wake you up in the middle of the night while they are hanging around in front of your house or in your driveway. I feel they do bring down the value of your property. They can appraise it as high as they want. No one will buy it for that price in effect forcing the seller to lower the price. Now this happens to two more houses creating a median price which is what appraisers base their appraisals on. Now houses in a certain radius of that will have now a lower appraisal value when they get appraised. This just keeps spreading like a virus. Now the taxes are not adjusted because of the appraisals it takes years before that happens. Soon people cant pay their taxes and the houses are forclosed or abandoned because of their inability to pay their taxes and/or afford the repairs from renting to these people. I could say so much more about what I’ve learned about their lifestyle but why go on. I feel bad for the good peope on section 8 they’re getting bad rap. It’s the governments fault. There should be a time limit that these people can be receiving this assistance and I think they should have to have a job. I don’t think they should be allowed to double dip welfare and section 8. They just make that their career. I have seen them destroy areas and I’ve seen these areas rejuvinate after these people have been squeezed out by landlords that all learned hard lessons. I’m sorry for all of you good people on section 8 I really am You are trapped in the middle of all this. Here’s another thing you rent to someone on section 8 that maybe you have a good feeling about. Now, some piece of crap comes to you and you turn them down because they have section 8 it’s considered discrimination so how do you even give one good person a chance when someone else is going to ruin it for them. Now the good people on section 8 are sent to apartments where all the bad people are because nobody dares take a chance accept for the landlords that havent been burned yet or didn’t look into things first. I hope you good people are fortunate to find them. As for you lowlife bastards out there. Eat Shit and burp in the wind. And I hope the wind is blowing in your direction. You are the cocroaches of society you destroy all that is good.
February 18, 2009 at 10:44 AM
For all of you closed minded, judgmental, arrogant people who’ve been born with silver spoons in your mouth. I am giving you an opportunity to educate yourselves and to gain some insight into the system that creates these people you so avidly hate.
For starters you should read:
Nickel and Dimed; On (not) getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
So…before you say something else belligerent about people you don’t understand. Put yourself in their shoes and see what type of a person you would become under oppressive conditions. I can guarantee you would be the biggest of cockroaches in due time.
It’s the system you should despise for creating these economic conditions for the lower class. If you were an unskilled worker with a child or without… Minimum wage is around 7 dollars an hour. How can you afford rent at say 800 dollars a month? These people are working and working hard. After years of degrading work, chronic deprivation, malnourishment, lack of healthcare and feeling like a worthless person overall; what would you become? Your paid barely anything which means your work is of little value. Your needs are unmet. After lifetimes of extreme stress…mark my words…you would eventually break down spriritually, psychologically, mentally and physically. And yet you still look down at these people who have already been beaten to the ground. Do you think these people are gonna care anymore about whether you approve of them or not? About your home values? When no one has ever given a damn about their well being. Fuck it! I may as well sell drugs to get by. Jail can’t be worse than this. Or I might as well drink myself into oblivion because reality is too painful to bare. Or dope me up on psychiatric medication so I don’t feel anything anymore so I can continue in my misery and clean your toilets. And I can hear you now preaching that they should go to college and that is their problem…not yours! Well it is everyones problem. Because our society is affected by it. There will eventually be more crime as people grow more and more hopeless. And then there is the class war. Which will happen. I don’t care what you say…college is not accessible to everyone financially. Not everyone has the mind or the self esteem for college. And when you are suffering to survive, thinking about your future or about thriving feels impossible.
May 27, 2009 at 7:19 PM
Excuses-Excuses that’s what I hear most of, but lets get to the facts.
Sure people need help, I can see that, but them that make a career out of charity is them that deplete the system for them that need the help now. so what should we lose, lose the excuses for not doing your part? Pick your self up and stop being a cry baby, If a hectic Non-work schedule or active social life have been your reasons for not doing your part then who is to blame? There’s a charity for every cause. … I have heard all of these excuses at some point, at what point should a person have to get off their dead ass and work….
July 9, 2009 at 12:55 AM
Iguess you dont hear so well people do work are on section 8and if they only get a 7$ hour job what should they do ? but every one cant go to collage dumbass then who would we have to do all the small stuff that makes your life easier? the cashier and the store the guy at the gas station these people serve you every day and might just be on section 8 i bet your the ass hole who treats every one like shit never tip the waitress cuz you dont care she might be a single mom who lives off that and with out section 8 would be on the street ! blind hate and living on a high horse one day you will fall then you will be begging for food stamp every one is only one step from away from broke !!!!!!!
August 2, 2009 at 11:04 PM
Amanda
I work with section 8 people everyday and I know a couple dozen families that have been on section 8 for 3 generations and none of the lazy bums ever have worked a day in their pathetic lives.
Like I have said in the past, some people need section 8 and others abuse the system what are, do you use the system to help you obtain better for your self or do you lay around just pumping out babies so that you get more public aid and be the burden on the tax payers back.
Neighborhoods are on the brink of ruin because builders and owners are listing homes with the housing authority as Section 8. Most of these homes are in established or new neighborhoods.
The Housing Authority will rent to some former welfare Kings and Queens and we the taxpayer will pay the higher portion of her rent. More than likely she or he will have a minimum wage job with 6 kids and no husband or faking a disability. Even in this bad economy, the tax payers are flipping the bill for irresponsible parasites to live in a nice home and get their fellow taxpayers pay the bills.
Section 8 can brings property values down in the neighborhood. Your property values go down while you are paying rent for this queen and her illegitimate children. WE are also paying for shacked up boyfriends and girlfriends. You have the right to know what property is a section 8 in your neighborhood. If you want to sell your house and get a good price, do not place yourself in a position where the buyer declines because you have a Section 8 property in your neighborhood. Not only has the property value declined but also the quality of living due to the gun violence and crime that is associated with Section 8. Too many depressed folk are abusing the section 8 service and bring their social baggage…
August 5, 2009 at 10:11 PM
I’m just curious…… If you lost your job, properties, or whatever else you have (God forbid) what would you do?What if you couldn’t find a decent job? Would you live on the street? What if you did not have any family to go to? Would you live in a shelter? This is not a question to offend you, but I just want to know what would you do. You never know what the future may hold. You may loose your job, your life, who knows. Some people do not live above their means but when they loose their jobs and deplete whatever savings they have what are they supposed to do? The economy is failing and it is sad.
As for the Violence, I live in Plainfield, IL in a $600,000 house. I pay $15,000 property taxes a year. I pay $900 dollars a year just to stay in my subdivision. My next door neighbors (who are not on section 
smoke weed and are very disrespectful. I live close to The Stebic guy who probably killed his wife. What about the police officer in Bolingbrook that probably killed both wives? What about the guy in Oswego that killed his wife and kids? Honey, crime does not chose people by social class, color, ethnicity, etc. No man is free from sin. Never know who I might be living next door to a pedafile, porno king, etc. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors? Some of the neighbor’s kids spray painted our subdivision sign. They are not on section 8 they are just some bad A$$ kids.
I never pass judgement. I am engaged and I have 3 children. God blessed me and fiance with our careers and with this house and I will never play GOD and judge anyone, because he blessed me and my family. I know that God does not like ugliness and just as he can give it, he can take it.
What would you do? I agree that there are some unfit people on the system who abuse it, but what about the good ones that work, go to school, and are tax paying citizens just like everyone else? Some people do need it to get on their feet. I know everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but it just seems like stereotyping to me.
August 5, 2009 at 11:00 PM
section 8, now known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, a federal program started on a pilot basis back years ago as a way to end the concentrations of poverty in depressed areas.
Section 8 is merely a housing welfare program under which recipients pay 30 percent of their income and yes, that can be zero, toward an apartment or house. The federal government picks up the rest of the tab who helps you when you have trouble paying your bills, Section 8 subsidy levels are set for each city and county in the country, with the amount determining where the recipient can live. And get this, that even includes really well to do areas where HUD hands out close to $1,800 a month to select welfare recipients. That’s more rent than 95 percent of what American renters pay.
Police departments are usually stingy with their information, housing departments are even more so. Getting addresses of Section 8 holders is difficult, because the departments want to protect the residents’ privacy. however from conversations from local police, sec 8 helps the city track where the former residents of public housing have moved over time.
Here is Section 8 rules
August 11, 2009 at 2:28 PM
My mom and dad have a section8 family living on the second floor of there house she told my mom right infront of me that since she was born in america and the government is giving it she is gonna take it she used to work in a super market getting lots of overtime and when it got around to the time of year when she had to recertafy for section8 she would go to working part time so section8 would keep paying her rent she has 4 kids her oldest doughter told me the dad gives her money every month for the kids but the mom told the government she can’t find the dad she is proud of her free money I could tell u all kinds of shit she did to my parents house with her bad ass kids and yes she gets food stamps to don’t get me started on that lol but she has a 3bed room apartment with a hugh living room and a balcany and section8 pays 1300 and month and she has to pay the rest of the rent witch is 200 and she pays it late every month I’m only 24 years old and I pay 500 a month for a studeo with a bathroom and kitchen area witch I pay on time everymonth where I live most of the people that are on government programs take advantige of them there the ones that are wearing the nice clothes with big hd tvs in there living rooms sending there kids to school with 100$ sneakers on and this is shit I see everyday around where I live. I live on the border of the bronx and westchester county in ny
August 11, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Bam- Bam to me it sounds like u are a little jealous. lol, Why so much hate over something u can’t control? Damn leave people alone get a life and 500 dollars ain’t nothing to pay for rent, I wish my rent was only 500.00, please, that let’s me and everyone else know u are jealous. You wish that u were her and it is your fault u live where u live. My son only wears Jordans and that is my fucking business and it is funny how people like you sit and judge when all the fuck you have to do is mind your own damn business. This is so funny to me. You can’t do shit about it, just sit here and talk on the computer. lmao at you and the rest….Get over it and kiss they’re ass. Now what, I bet your punk ass wouldn’t dare say shit to their faces. I will tell you like it is. I pay taxes and I have a good job and everything else I could ever want so if you want section 8 apply for it and stop hating.
August 11, 2009 at 8:06 PM
First Bam Bam You should be proud of your self you sound like a real stand up person, second, I deal with section 8 people every day and it disgusts me at what I see and when I have to rehab many of the apartments.
I end up repairing things that should never have gotten broken like a bathtub, how in the hell does someone break a bathtub? Or how does a section 8 person afford to drive a 2009 caddy yet get rental assistance and food stamps and etc..When the government steps in and subsidizes stuff, said stuff gets EXPENSIVE Oh and lets not forget the economy down fall from all of this.
August 12, 2009 at 7:48 AM
Like I said both of you are stupid angry because you can’t do anything about it. This is funny because you have nothing else better to do with your bitter asses. I ain’t your fucking business what a person does or drives. But of course you want to control everything and that is a problem you should seek help. lol, Both of you listen up I have a solution for you……..Don’t rent to Section 8 keep your property empty and that will save you a lot of trouble. They broke the tub shut the hell up and fix it and move the hell on. That is ridiculous, I am not going to sit here quietly and just let a dumbass like you two sit and down talk someone you don’t know…But of course we know what type of people we are dealing with on here. Funny how you can tell who is talking just by the dumbass comments that are being made. lmao at you and bam bam
From JolietJake2008 about Person called:none of your buisness
My IP address is: 66.173.33.115
September 17, 2009 at 3:18 AM
Wow, you must attend tea parties and claim you love your country…..This is sad you judge a group of people from this. I feel bad that you have had this happen, but to say that it disgusts you to deal with them…It disgusts me that more young men are killed on the streets of Chicago than in the war overseas. Get mad and up set at what is happening downtown. Yes there are people in this world that have no regard for anything, including our own government. The Sec. 8 system is broken like many other things in this country. But don’t hide your true hate for a race of people behind your tea party ideology.
September 17, 2009 at 3:06 AM
I wonder how many of all you that post go to church, read the Bible, pray to God and then judge your fellow man. If you really believe in God than you would show love to ALL. If you lead your life and walk like Jesus, you would turn your check when you are wronged
. Life is hard for us all, but God put us here to help one another. That is why those that have should give and those that don’t should give what they can. God does not judge us on how much we make or where we stay. Section 8 is everywhere, yes there are some that abuse the system, but that is everywhere as well. We pay higher for goods due to those who steal from stores. This is wrong but we are not the ultimate judge. This issue is not Black or White, nor wrong or right. What ever faith you may be it is your duty to help those that are without, and don’t be like the rich man Jesus spoke about, be like the Good Samaritan. We are blessed so that we may bless others….. God Bless you all. Hate is of the Devil!!!!
September 17, 2009 at 3:10 AM
I wonder how many of all you that post go to church, read the Bible, pray to God and then judge your fellow man. If you really believe in God than you would show love to ALL. If you lead your life and walk like Jesus, you would turn your check when you are wronged
. Life is hard for us all, but God put us here to help one another. That is why those that have should give and those that don’t should give what they can. God does not judge us on how much we make or where we stay. Section 8 is everywhere, yes there are some that abuse the system, but that is everywhere as well. We pay higher for goods due to those who steal from stores. This is wrong but we are not the ultimate judge. This issue is not Black or White, nor wrong or right. What ever faith you may be it is your duty to help those that are without, and don’t be like the rich man Jesus spoke about, be like the Good Samaritan. We are blessed so that we may bless others….. God Bless you all. Hate is of the Devil!!!!
September 17, 2009 at 6:07 AM
People like you really amaze me, you challenge my faith because of my choice not to rent to Section 8, you challenge my loyalty to my country because I think that people should have to work for a living or is it that by me standing up for my rights do I deny you free health care and or housing?
The arrogance of lazy people to actually think that I need to break my back to pay for all of these social programs, people in this country are angry. Tea Parties, The Birthers, and blogs, this is a deep and visceral anger that is beyond reason. You can show the Pro’s to social programs all you want but facts are facts “People are tired of being the check book for these programs”.
Your logic is dually flawed… The Section 8 Mobility and Neighborhood Health should be viewed but it isn’t, my point here: the rules do not encourage section 8 recipients to work hard and the program’s side effects tend to alienate even traditional working class people.
Few people today try to defend traditional public housing developments as you do. But few understand the underlying nature of the flaws and why those flaws are just as relevant to new forms of subsidized construction/housing, Quite simply, there is little to no reason to be optimistic about there being high-level long-term section 8 housing because people that work are getting tired of footing the bill and the party is coming to a end.
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If U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson is not reading every bill and only one congressman has read the entire health care bill, that fact is very scary. When a bill impacts one-sixth of the economy and affects all of us, it should be read and scrutinized. They should not shut people out by refusing to have town hall meetings.
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“FinderFox”
February 9, 2007 at 9:43 PM
If they move where will we dump our garbage…lol
You are right…Glad to see you are back out and telling it like it is..
My vote is with you,I will send this to my friends that live in lockport.
July 9, 2009 at 12:08 AM
To say put them out with the trash is a disrespectful you are judging people that you dont know and that is that right? why dont you step off you high horse and try to have a walk in some one else shoes. and yes there are some bad with the good but that is said for every one not just people on section 8 ! I lived in evergreen for a few years and I worked and got on my feet. giving your fellow man a hand in there time of need is never wrong and belive that people work hard to get on there feet in that situation and it is done very day even though you might not bother to look they do ! And how do you feel about the old people who live there unable to work or the disable that live there what she we do with them I guess they are all trash to you ! why cuz they are mostly black ! It makes me sad for you .