Section 8 Housing popping up all over the place(thinking about walking away) (Phoenix: fingerprints, crime)

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

Not everyone has that option...

Others spend thousands on security systems, armed patrols or live in gated communities.

I visited Italy and all the grand old homes in the villages had elaborate wrought iron work on ground floor windows... same with the old town section of Salzburg when I lived there... never felt like a prison... maybe it was because of the beautiful overflowing floral displays amongst the bars...

I think that bars, and alarms and guards and all that will become the norm in the better areas of Phoenix in the coming years. The vast disparity in income in our area between the haves and have-nots is going to lead to even more crime and social unrest than we already have. Section 8 and rentals in general just hasten that day by introducing criminal elements into our nice neighborhoods.

[MrsYoungMommy]

This is what happens when you give some people something they don't have to work for. I am so sick of hearing the excuses and sob stories. My husband and I don't have much, he grew up in the projects and I lived in several bad neighborhoods as a child. We would NEVER take a handout, I would rather work for what we have. My kids will never see government housing.

My grandmother lived in the projects. If I were to show you a close-up picture, you might think they were entry level brick townhomes. If I were to pan out, you could see how they have been TRASHED in the last 25 years or so. NO ONE takes care of them because NO ONE has anything invested in them, and if they get so bad that the government tears them down, they will get section 8 vouchers to move into nice places and ruin the neighborhoods or a new housing project built for them to destroy.

But landlords take the vouchers because they are guaranteed payment from the government and it's better than a vacancy. When we buy a house I am going to hope we never go through what some of you are. I am sorry, is all I can say.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by MrsYoungMommy

But landlords take the vouchers because they are guaranteed payment from the government and it's better than a vacancy. When we buy a house I am going to hope we never go through what some of you are. I am sorry, is all I can say.

About the only way to accomplish this is to live in a community with rental restrictions or in one where the cost of housing is so expensive a Section 8 Voucher cannot possibly cover the fair market rent...

[EnicAZ]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I think that bars, and alarms and guards and all that will become the norm in the better areas of Phoenix in the coming years. The vast disparity in income in our area between the haves and have-nots is going to lead to even more crime and social unrest than we already have. Section 8 and rentals in general just hasten that day by introducing criminal elements into our nice neighborhoods.

Your thoughts are very accurate Ponderosa. I am already seeing this happen throughout the Southwest Valley, things are getting really rough.

[roundball]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

About the only way to accomplish this is to live in a community with rental restrictions or in one where the cost of housing is so expensive a Section 8 Voucher cannot possibly cover the fair market rent...

City Of Phoenix
Standards Effective June 1st, 2009
# of bedrooms
0-$624
1-$727
2- $877
3-$1277
4-$1495
5-$1720
6-$1945

These are the what you can get for housing and utilities combined.

When you figure that sec. 8 recipients are also on medicaid, food stamps, and child care.....it seems like a lot their life isn't so bad. They would be able to use their paycheck for all the fun stuff that we never get to do because all our money goes to housing, utilities, food, medical cost and child care

Not that everyone is trying to play the system

[Ritchie_az]

Originally Posted by EnicAZ

Your thoughts are very accurate Ponderosa. I am already seeing this happen throughout the Southwest Valley, things are getting really rough.

Where exactly? I'd like to drive by and see for myself and report it back on CD, maybe with pictures. Can you please tell me where in the southwest valley you are seeing bars go up on the windows?

And if you don't reply (like you are known for), I will assume it's because there is no truth to your post (another thing you are known for).

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by roundball

City Of Phoenix
Standards Effective June 1st, 2009
# of bedrooms
0-$624
1-$727
2- $877
3-$1277
4-$1495
5-$1720
6-$1945

These are the what you can get for housing and utilities combined.

When you figure that sec. 8 recipients are also on medicaid, food stamps, and child care.....it seems like a lot their life isn't so bad. They would be able to use their paycheck for all the fun stuff that we never get to do because all our money goes to housing, utilities, food, medical cost and child care

Not that everyone is trying to play the system

Receiving/Qualifying for a HUD subsidized housing is a gateway to many other forms of assistance.

A study recently said a family of four receiving all available programs in a large metro area would need the equivalent of 50K in wages...

[julie dw]

Juram, in the whole realm of things and in this day and age, $12K under water isn't much. I'd say, that if you have the money, sell your house the old fashioned way, and rent somewhere else. My 2 cents.....

[Howard Roark]

You have an excellant point there Jimj. It is better to be very mobile in housing, i.e. rent instead of buy.

My opinion is that things will get worse before they get better in the housing situation in Phoenix. Prices coming down in houses are a good thing. They will force more people who owe more than their house is worth to leave those neighborhoods.

I am going to be in the market for a house in the $350,000 range at the bottom of this real estate depression. And by the way, house prices will continue going down the next few years in Phoenix, due to chronic Euro-style unemployment rates. I figure a house up for sale for $450,000 now will be worth $350,000 when I'm willing to buy. You know when it's a bottom when you no longer hear of deadbeats living in houses without paying for their mortgages. But this is still going on. I certainly don't want to go into a neighborhood where multiple families live under one roof either. I want no ghetto in where I buy.

But I can wait. I have years to wait patiently. I think it could take five more years before the liars and other phonies are rooted out of neighborhoods where they don't economically deserve to be in the first place. I like the billboards (think it's Dave Ramsey) "Act your wage." $30,000 incomes cannot be paying $200,000 loans, but for the most part that is what Phoenix seems to have.

My own motto is: When you buy a house you are placing bets on the potential goodness of your neighbors. I'm many years from making a safe bet.

Originally Posted by jimj

If you've got to install burglar bars on your house then my question is who's in jail now, you or the crooks?
Think about it, looking through bars all the time just to see outside?

The minute I feel that I've got to install bars on my windows then it's time to leave, lose money or not! Nope, not me EVER!

[need_some_sun]

I had a short sale myself, and it was in the redemption period of a foreclosure. The mortgage on credit reports as settled for less than the balance on a short sale. I had a first and 2nd mortgage. My credit score went down maybe 50 points.

My situation was I bought my home in MN for 390k, sold it at market value for 245k. I just could not afford the payments when I lost my job and my husband had knee surgery. Everyone has to look at their own sitiation. Factors to consider, can you afford your mortgage? How long do you pla on being in the home? What is the value of the home right now vs. what you owe? I would always recommend a short sale vs. a foreclosure as the credit ramifications are far less. Just my personal opinion from my personal situation. My question to the poster-can the property be rented for what the monthly payments are?