Some Families Living in Philly Public Housing Earn Over $100K

[Jesus Malverde]

The Philadelphia Housing Authority has a 10 year waiting list with roughly 100,000 people on it, according to officials.

But while low income and homeless families wait, the NBC10 Investigators found some families were allowed to live in PHA properties while earning six figures.

Officials say 181 families living in PHA housing earn more than they’re allowed to. The Department of Housing and Urban Development refers to them as "over income."

“I believe that they’re serving an important purpose,” PHA president Kelvin Jeremiah said. “I believe that the fact that they’ve achieved some level of success while being in PHA, I want to be able to encourage that.”

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/investigations/Philadelphia-Housing-Authority-Over-Income-Families--353277881.html

[951-Riverside]

1. How in the hell is that possible?

They make families fill out a book of forms regarding their income and require them to immediately report any changes so how are these families able to openly do this?

Is there something that I'm missing here?

[uppityperson]

3. It explains in the article. It's a tiny fraction and is overall a good deal for everyone.

“I believe that they’re serving an important purpose,” PHA president Kelvin Jeremiah said. “I believe that the fact that they’ve achieved some level of success while being in PHA, I want to be able to encourage that.

Jeremiah said the 181 over income families make up a small percent of the 80,000 people living in PHA housing. He also said the over income families help the housing authority pay its bills.

“We want those families in public housing frankly because they pay more in rent,” he said.

[jberryhill]

6. Because their circumstances improved

That's the point. The question then becomes whether you want to evict people from their neighbors when things start turning out well. Some of the best opportunities come through social connections. So is it desirable to effectively "harvest" from the fabric of a neighborhood, the members who are channels of opportunity for others.

Maybe they know of a position opening up and can recommend a neighbor.

I don't know. It's not something I have any expertise in. One expert in low income housing law I have known was always going on about screwed up zoning and lack of mixed income areas.

[Person 2713]

11. +1

[uppityperson]

2. 0.23% and they help the housing authority pay its bills by paying more in rent. Sounds good deal

Jeremiah said the 181 over income families make up a small percent of the 80,000 people living in PHA housing. He also said the over income families help the housing authority pay its bills.

“We want those families in public housing frankly because they pay more in rent,” he said.

[951-Riverside]

4. Oh! So they're not getting assistance, they're paying the PHA to live there.

That changes everything.

[uppityperson]

5. Yup. While true, is rather misleading. Nt

[jberryhill]

7. Oh I thought you got that part

...but wanted them kicked out anyway.

The thing is, they are occupying PHA units, but they are pulling their weight.

[951-Riverside]

8. No, I didn't at first because of the way that the story is worded

At first glance I thought they were receiving assistance while making $100,000 not that they were paying the housing authority to live there.

I guess its good to know but did this really warrant an "investigation" by NBC?

[daleanime]

9. Cause you've got to have a scapegoat.....

to divert attention.

[Recursion]

10. Good. The Authority-owned housing model is being phased out anyways, isn't it?

And having some richer people in the remaining projects rather than angrily remembering them from the suburbs is exactly what the projects that do remain need.

[haele]

12. Public housing units also tend to have more bedrooms available than the average apartment or house.

Which often makes it less desirable for larger or less nuclear families to move out when they are in the position to be able to afford to move out. There is also the atmosphere of community in these places, which is too often missing in more middle class neighborhoods and apartments.
I would like to know what "over income" also means. To get into these places, the family is at poverty level, but there are levels of income and spending (do education and/or medical costs offset income?) above that to determine how much they will be subsidized. That would be a far more important metric in the public interest than how many families are "over income".

The other concern is that there are too many families that are priced out of housing. And way too many over-priced "investment" homes on short-term leases or sitting empty while families are struggling on the street.

Haele

[Chan790]

13. Good, actually.

It would be different if they were receiving assistance but they're actually subsidizing their neighbors and their presence helps improve the authority housing and the neighborhood. I've long believed that we need more public housing stretching up into the middle-income range, especially in our cities, and that housing needed to be mixed-income, racially-integrated and open to legal immigrant populations. Build until there are no wait-lists.

It would help to create well-mixed, safe neighborhoods and encourage improvement of schools serving those neighborhoods. It's a strong hedge against ghettoization and gentrification. It also makes it affordable and possible for middle-income people to remain or move into the city. The current system is creating a tier-effect where the only people who can live in the city are those so poor that they are in subsidized housing and those wealthy enough to afford exploding rents and sale prices; that benefits nobody.

It's time for a new model and this is a good half-step towards it.