Agreed - public housing should become a footnote in history. On the way there, they need to hold residents accountable by garnishing the collecive benefits to repair any damages (and leave the damages and non-working facilities in place until funds are collected to effect repairs). If that happens, the residents that have some values (I'll assume some actually think of it as a temporary state until they can better their lot) will exert pressure over those that ruin it for everyone and it will accellerate the impetus for self-sufficiency.
The city fathers consider welfare as a “growth” industry. They actually are soliciting welfare recipients from as far away as Madison and Milwaukee.
Every other year, the Beloit Public Housing Authority (or whatever they call themselves currently), “refreshes” its properties. They go into the apartments and completely renovate them and paint them. In many instances the interiors have been trashed by the former occupants. Old furniture is removed and sent to the dump; new furniture is brought in. All of this is at taxpayer expense.
The most sweeping example of this largess happened in the 1700 block of 6th Street. There are several low income units on the East side of the street. The city came in and completely rehabbed these apartments’ interiors AND added an enclosed garage for residents’ cars! Each rehab cost the taxpayers $100,000 for each building. How's that for “winning the future”?