Habitat area turning hostile, family says

The Indianapolis Star ^ | December 27, 2003 | Timothy Evans

[Miss Marple]

We hear so much about the wonderfulness of Habitat for Humanity. I thought it would be instructive to look at some of the problems.

[baltodog]

I know of a person who took advantage of the good faith that Habitat has for people. I won't go into details, but the fact of the matter is that she didn't deserve the house.
I believe that Habitat's intentions are very noble. More power to them.
I just don't understand what more this guy expected Habitat to for him or his community.

[KantianBurke]

I think the act of building a home for the needy is a noble thing for Habitat to do. That said, there's a reason why some people don't have a home of their own....THEY HAVE ZERO SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND ECONOMIC SENSE!!

Take a look at one quote from the article:

"Habitat didn't help make it what they said it would be," she said.

These folks have no clue that THEY are the ones who have to handle the trials of owning a home. If they had worked hard to get a home the old fashioned way in the first place that wouldn't be the case. Of course if they were to work that hard they would never have gone to Habitat in the first place.

[Sabatier]

The subject of this story is "an independent video and film producer" with nine kids. As Seinfeld would say, "not that there's anything wrong with that" - but maybe this family just tends to have unrealistic expectations?

[Miss Marple]

My opinion is that there are two things going on here.

1. Low income white liberals thought they could get a cheap house and have a utopian neighborhood.

2. Habitat did not monitor the community, and some of the children of home owners are causing problems.

[gg188]

The program is a mess everywhere. Another example of misguided liberalism.

Here

Here

and here

[mtbopfuyn]

Hmm, it was a bad neighborhood to begin with so why expect much change? It takes the whole community to make those sort of changes. I've never heard of Habitat for Humanity changing neighborhoods, just building homes. Guy Camara's career of being "an independent video and film producer" raises any eyebrow too. He sounds a bit lazy not getting a real stable job and then a cheap house to boot.

[gg188]

The subject of this story is "an independent video and film producer" with nine kids.

On the street or in the ghetto, "independent contractor", or variations thereof, is code for drug dealer.

[DoctorHydrocal]

You can take people out of the ghetto, but you can't always take the ghetto out of people.

[Senormechanico]

Most of the residents are their own worst enemies.
Stick a bunch of ungrateful low lifes together, and you have a low quality neighborhood. Duh!

SM

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Projects = free housing.
Free housing = projects.

[Publius6961]

Seven years after Habitat officials launched the only sizable Indiana subdivision made up exclusively of Habitat homes, Barrington Gardens is an experiment some residents say is struggling.

Isn't insanity defined as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?
In the late 60s two identical high-rise buildings were built in San Francisco, on opposite ends of town. One was sold in the normal market and the other was exclusively "affordable" housing. Twenty years later one was dynamited into oblivion, and the other now contains million dollar homes. Anyone care to guess which was which?

[CobaltBlue]

Truly bizarre. Buying a house at cost. What's not to like?

Are the owners all completely irrational, or did the writer just pick out the loons?

[Miss Marple]

That is an interesting and instructive story. If you can find an article on line which explains this, I would encourage you to post it.

[deport]

A 47 home subdivision..... It would be interesting to see what it looks like today in terms of outside appearances....... such as lawns, landscaping, cleanness, home maintenance, etc. People as a group have to take responsibility for their neighborhoods and assist in keeping things from running down which inturn helps keep crime out.

I've helped drive a nail or two etc on a couple of these homes in the past but they were interspersed in established neighborhoods.

[baltodog]

"Last New Year's Eve, six people police identified as rival drug dealers exchanged more than 50 shots on a street within yards of Dean White's home."

This is more than children causing problems.
The fact of the matter is that there is certain stigma attached to being lower class -- white, black, liberal, or conservative.
The only way to get out of that situation is by hard work, and nothing else. Habitat let him walk away without worrying about the 2nd mortgage. What is he going to complain about at his new place. This man has no sense of finacial responsibilty.

[Publius6961]

Guy Camara said that didn't happen: "Habitat basically walked away after the houses were built."

Funny thing that. Both homes I have bought in my lifetime, the previous owners both walked away. As I expected them to. They did not help me one iota after the sale. The home, the benefits and the responsibilities were mine alone. And I sold one for far more than I paid for it.

What did I do wrong? Am I living in a different universe? What?

[Miss Marple]

The Star is always interested in finding whiners. I must say, however, that the disgruntled seem to have had high expectations, although I also feel Habitat fell down on their support.

[pabianice]

Yet another Liberal success story. LOL!

[Miss Marple]

I think the problem is that Habitat spends a lot of time with prospective owners before and during construction. After the owners move in, they are left to their own devices, as are all of us who purchase homes on the open market.

I think all the attention before moving in conditions these folks to assume they will have their hands held in perpetuity.