HUD is GIVING away 10 homes!!!! (Semi-serious Poverty thread)

[JanMichael]

In a country of 294,108,743...But WAIT! Where do you think that these homes will be located? Hmmm...I wonder if someone knows? Well son of gun, someone does!

"But I am afraid that upon closer examination, Homewise is just about politics. Eight of the 10 houses are in battleground states in the 2004 Presidential election (OH, MN, PA, WA, MI, FL, and two in MO). The other two houses are in Georgia and Illinois, where there are high-profile Senate races. The photo opportunities in front of these newly spruced up houses with beaming low income lucky winners (who are also recently disabled vets in Columbus, OH, and Seattle, WA) are ready made for a President who is running for re-election.

The transparency is stunning. Maybe the people with whom President Bush wants to have his picture taken can see through the hype. HUD has just extended the deadline for applications, indicating that people are not clamoring to enter the lottery. Go to www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/nsc/homewise.cfm and see your tax dollars at work."

Wow. Who would figure that Poverty Pimping would beome a real Repuke tool?

Speaking of Poverty...I wonder how the new Poverty numbers will affect Housing Wages? Here is the 2003 National Low Income Housing Coalition housing wage page.

It's an ugly portrait of what's really happening to a huge number of Americans (And others in this great land...). I just wonder how the 2004 report will bear out. We know that housing prices have continued to increase, rents have remained somewhat stable though, but with wages decreasing the results ought to be horrible for BushCo, I think that they come out in September.

This is information that should be used to bludgen the Repukes right out of Congress AND the WH.

Wages DOWN, Rents UP.

I hope they don't manage to delay the report...Hmmm...I bet they'll try...

[On the Road]

1. They're "Special" Houses

and there are some strings attached.

"HUD is “donating” 10 FHA foreclosed houses to be given out by lottery. All of the houses need “substantial renovation.” Fannie and Freddie have each given $100,000 for improvements that will be done with in-kind labor supplied by the Home Builders.

To be eligible to enter, you must be a first-time buyer, be low income (80% of your area median income or less), participate in an approved home buyer education program, and, in two cities, be a veteran with a service-related disability incurred since 9/11.

$10,000 per house is not a lot for "substantial renovations. A lot of the people who would qualify may not be able to make all the repairs. But they are free houses.

[JanMichael]

2. Well of course.

That wasn't really my point though...And I think it's $20,000 anyway, which is still low balling on a renovation of just about any type. The programs i've worked with are almost all over $25,000 and that's just emergency repairs like roofing and electrical.

[Cleita]

3. FHA foreclosed houses?

I guess one family is out in the street, while another family gets a home out their misfortune if I read this right.

[JanMichael]

4. Yep. Because in the US were playing the pie higher, er, smaller game.

As in a zero-sum proposition when, to be honest, it's never been presented as a zero sum game.

I think I just confused myself in order to kick my own thread up...

[On the Road]

5. Yeah, That's Right

Although without this program, the houses would probably be bought by landlords and rented out at rates much higher than a mortgagage.

[Cleita]

6. Sigh.

If faced with the lesser of two evils, I think we have to go back to the drawing board.