Lately, from several quarters, there has been a chorus for more affordable housing in Allentown. Generally speaking, they believe that developers should have to set aside a certain percentage of new units for low income. In reality, there is currently affordable housing available right along side of the NIZ, essentially being the remainder of center city Allentown.
The reason I know that this low income district exists, is because it attracts so many low income people.... Low income people do not move to high rent districts. When I ran as an independent candidate for mayor in 2005, I stated that Allentown was inadvertently creating a poverty magnet. As a landlord, I heard of several agencies that were sporting the chronically unemployed, coming from out of town, to move in money. Ironically, now 15 years later, no less than Alan Jennings recently told me that there were too many low income in Allentown.
My analysis of housing in 2005 was politically incorrect, and I endured several untrue accusations for it. Likewise, my analysis now will be unpopular, but I know Allentown, and its housing situation.
photo of Eleanor Roosevelt visiting Hanover Acres
Before we build, or insist other build, more affordable housing,why not first insist the current rental housing in the city is legal and in compliance with building codes?
ReplyDeleteThe way to achieve this is with systematic rental inspections. Allentown has that legislation on the books, it was passed by the voters in 1999. Why not just enforce that?
Perhaps that solution just isn't grand enough for the desired virtue signaling.
From each one's ability to produce to each one according to each person's needs.
ReplyDeleteAnd that means FREE HOUSING ... just like free health care, free college ... all underwritten by wonderful Open Borders Policy, of course.
Because, after all, it IS the post-Obama's Democrat Party way.
So, when does the rebuilding of Allentown in order to conform to the standards set forth by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's fabulous Green New Deal begin?
Yep, FREE is great. Several years ago I started a FREE food program in my back yard. I stocked 2 bird feeders with top shelf food. The FREE food program quickly became wildly successful.
ReplyDeleteI was feeding 100's of birds' 6 squirrels, and several chipmunk families.
I even made friends with the folks at Albrights Hardware. When I hit about $60 a week, I started to rethink my FREE food program. I had become a chump.
They may have to work a little harder but there's plenty of food for critters in our lush valley. When the funds ran out, they went back to working for their food. You just can't refute logic or nature.
I agree with Scott Armstrong - why re-invent the wheel. Inspect all rental units to insure they are legal and up to code. It is true, however, there should be some incentive for the new Center City builders to include a percentage of lower rental units.
ReplyDeleteIt might be wiser to start condemning older, blighted multi units that have no historical value and replace them with new low inxomi single family units. I really doubt, professional millinials want to have disfunctional people next door. Trust me, it's a wake up call.
ReplyDelete