Thanks for the discussion PW.
There are many ways to pay for this or other homeless programs, this is a crises. For starter's the police civil forfeiture program, Island Churches, Resorts, Businesses, Parks, markets, and beach fees for Tourists could all do something(donations can come in all shapes and sizes) to help the Homeless in Paradise. By restructuring the section 8 housing program to help those homeless families obtain better living "options" should be a priority as that may also prove to be rewarding.
Homeless should have to qualify through a paper process to receive "up" to $500 dollar vouchers. This way Homeless may have the incentive to come out of hiding and be helped properly, Police and other agencies could be helped by this too.
The added income possibilities for area homeowners may encourage some who said no to section 8 housing to say yes to "Housing America". 4 or 5 Homeless in a house could provide up to $2,000-$2,500 in rent a month rather than the $1,000-$1,500 section 8 currently provides in this area. Jmo.
This article may not be about Puna or Hawaii. It does however shed light on the section 8 housing program and what the program may have been intended or created to help with.
http://projects.aljazeera.com/2016/02/se...-mobility/
Section 8 housing may be causing or promoting a slum environment here in the Puna district, it may have been created to help remove slum in some districts like Puna's dangerous district.
How many of Puna's thousands of qualified section 8 families have had the program help them move to better-class neighborhoods on Oahu or Maui over the years?
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quote:
Originally posted by HereOnThePrimalEdge
leilanidude-
Sorry, I wasn't as specific as I should have been.
The numbers I listed were not meant to be the amounts Section 8 provides to rent a house, they were a rough approximation for what a comparably sized house would rent around the island.
If a 3 bedroom house is $1000 in Puna, that same house would be about $1500 in Hilo, and $2000 in Kona. Roughly. Section 8 provides the same amount to a qualified participant wherever they rent on Big Island, so it's not that easy to move from a house in Puna to a house in Kona, unless the Section 8 renter wants to downsize substantially.
“What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perceptions. What we perceive depends on what we look for. What we look for depends on what we think. What we think depends on what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we believe. What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality." -David Bohm
I understood what you meant - just that its more like the opposite. Those Section 8 amounts are based on an average that includes Oahu - therefore, the renter gets more house than normal in Puna and the rents in Puna are higher than they should be to non-section 8 people due to the incentive for the landlord to take the vouchers and receive higher than market value, in Puna.
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rents in Puna are higher than they should be to non-section 8 people
That's true.
I knew a young couple, both worked, and they were having a hard time finding a 1 bedroom that fit their budget, around $600/mo at the time. I was also helping out a friend on the mainland rent his $1200/mo, 3 bedroom house at the time, and when I told the young couple that about 3/4's of the people who called to inquire about the $1200 house wanted to use Section 8*, they were stunned. They had to work full time and pay taxes to get a tiny house, while better properties went to a mother with a single child, for free?
* My friend was not a part of the Section 8 program, and when I told Section 8 callers we couldn't rent to them, many told me to get off my a-- and fill out that application. One said that although the house was for her and her 3 children, her boyfriend and his 2 kids would also be living there. I mentioned that the landlord didn't want that many people in the house, Section 8 or not, and she threatened to sue me for discrimination. Good times.
“What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perceptions. What we perceive depends on what we look for. What we look for depends on what we think. What we think depends on what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we believe. What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality." -David Bohm
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
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she threatened to sue me for discrimination
"Gee, what happened to all the affordable rental housing?"
HOTPE, good morning to you.
I may have felt the same way as the woman because my family of 7 is the same size as that woman you had on the phone, threatening you. Sounds like the woman threatening to sue you for discrimination may have been frustrated rather than having a good time conversing with you.
Some should be concerned that Three out of every four who called HOTPE to inquire about a $1,200 house wanted to use "section 8". Puna is not one of those desired districts for schools, safety, or job opportunities. The Section 8 Housing program funds were to be for moving families who qualified for the program to receive the opportunity to move out of slum areas and into areas that offered these equal opportunities. The rest of Puna residents have had to compete with these higher rental rates in part because this section 8 housing program's management's best interests was not the folks qualifying for the program or the working folks in districts like Puna.
This section 8 management may have been failing our local families for decades. To the point that many are now squatting in unsanitary conditions or homeless while they wait on a waiting list that will only trap them and their keiki in one of the most dangerous, drug-ridden districts in the state.
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To the point that many are now squatting in unsanitary conditions or homeless while they wait on a waiting list that will only trap them and their keiki in one of the most dangerous, drug-ridden districts in the state.
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The waiting list here is not due to lack of housing - it is from too many people who want in the program compared to the amount of money budgeted for those vouchers. That money only provides xxxx number of monthly rents.
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squatting in unsanitary conditions or homeless while they wait on a waiting list
Funny (not) how Section 8 resembles DHHL.
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It seems to me these programs should be for exceptional cases, where people have hit bottom or been struck by unexpected hardships, and need help getting back on track. If so many people apply that the programs run out of money, there is something much more fundamental wrong with our economy.
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Don't know why DHHL just doesn't make another illegal subdivision, divide into lots and everybody on the list that can qualify for building under habitat for humanity guidelines gets a lot free and clear and be done with it. Once the dust settles, remaining lots may be purchased by siblings of the original lot owners, or used for open space wildlife habitat or community gardens.
Community begins with Aloha
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quote:
Originally posted by Tink
Don't know why DHHL just doesn't make another illegal subdivision, divide into lots and everybody on the list that can qualify for building under habitat for humanity guidelines gets a lot free and clear and be done with it. Once the dust settles, remaining lots may be purchased by siblings of the original lot owners, or used for open space wildlife habitat or community gardens.
Community begins with Aloha
Aloha ahiahi, Tink. Completely agree. Mahalo. DHHL is a complete and utter failure so far (I recall Lingle was on the verge of getting that done, but she had other problems...politics.).
Trust all is well with you and your ohana.
JMO.
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