Frontline episode on public housing

[UglyCasanova]

Frontline on affordable housing: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/poverty-politics-and-profit/


I'm torn on this. On one hand we need affordable housing projects available for those at the bottom rung of the income ladder (bottom few rungs really). The well healed have one they do thanks in part to the rest of us, and a NIMBY attitude toward anyone in a lower bracket than themselves is deepening the divide and increasing class warfare.

At the same time I can't ignore the fact that with affordable housing almost always comes an increase in crime, decrease in property values, and a deterioration of the area in general. I completely understand why they don't want section 8 projects built around them, and it's not unreasonable and probably a sentiment we all would share if we were in their shoes.

Not sure what the answer is if there even is one other than do the same ol same ol and try to take a holistic approach towards combating poverty in general. Free birth control and access to abortions, free pre-k, more access to childcare, free access to community colleges, incentivize work and make it something a single mom with kids can reasonably do, go after deadbeat dads, quit locking people up over drug possession, get those people help for their addictions, grant felons all rights once leaving jail since time was served. I can come up with more I'm sure. I think doing these things would be more beneficial to society than screwing with the housing market.

 

[jmagg]

If we could quell the influx and distribution of powders.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Huh?

 

[fskimospy]

The answer is to relax zoning regulations and build a shitload more housing. Affordable housing generally means that people who win the housing lottery win big and everyone else in the same income bracket gets screwed.

Build lots more housing. That stresses the infrastructure? Tax people to build it up. Affordable housing and rent control are solutions that sound good but actually screw people long term.

 

[UglyCasanova]

I agree. A lot of places prevent going vertical but that's what the need necessitates.

 

[Jhhnn]

I agree. A lot of places prevent going vertical but that's what the need necessitates.

Probably not-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruitt–Igoe

Imagine where we'd be if we'd spent our money on housing, infrastructure, education, public health & so forth instead of on Shit we just blow up or bury in the desert until it's obsolete.

 

[theeedude]

I live next to affordable housing, and it's pretty nice. Those apartments would sell for $800000 as private condos in the area.
I got relatives on section 8 and their apartments are nice.

 

[hal2kilo]

Huh?

Vague reference to drugs I assume.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

*warning I did not read the link*
Anytime public housing comes up I wonder if Robert Reichs old idea would work. He wanted to leave a percentage of total units open to people who don't qualify, charge them rent but below market value. He thought that some people paying would force their grounds be kept in better shape, keep drug dealers s out and generally provide a good example of a successful person to kids who may not know any.
Interesting idea

 

[Jaskalas]

I think the crime and poverty issues surrounding public housing would help be addressed by basic income.

In addition, I agree with fskimospy to build much more of it. I reason that the more of these there are, the more they'll appeal to average folks. America only has so many hardened and impoverished criminals. They probably represent an unrealistic share of current public housing residents and should not be used for a linear extrapolation to figure out the safety of additional public housing.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Nothing that a Mega City One arcology or two wouldn't fix!