Thursday, June 11, 2015

New Housing Policy Needed...


There has been a concerted effort to allow more large Real Estate developers gain major access to inner city markets in Philadelphia. While big dollar developers, largely from New York and some other areas have been given a special entry to gain and maintain property in Philadelphia, the City and City Council has seen fit to continue to make it more difficult for the small landlord and even the moderate-sized property owners to own and maintain property ownership. The City & City Council has helped the big property owners at the detriment to the smaller property owners.

Higher taxes, more regulation, outright harassment, problems and difficulties with License and Inspection and difficulties with tenant rights over landlord rights, *[Please see note at the end of this article], these pressures have made it difficult for the smaller property owners and smaller income property owners to keep afloat in a changing economy. I have personally heard friends who have been owners of investment properties for years in Philadelphia say they were getting out of the property ownership business because the City-Hall inspired red-tape and ``the process'' has forced them out of the Philadelphia market and made property ownership difficult at best.

Something MUST be done. There is a real need to streamline City, State and Federal housing policy, include more incentives for People indigenous to Philadelphia, include more Black males, Black women, Latin Men and Latina women in the process leading to real ownership of investment properties and store fronts. Other groups needing assistance in this positive process include: the hard-core unemployed, Black Youths and Latin Youths,  Poor or income-challenged People, the home-challenged {or Homeless}, and the disabled--as well as other People who may have been traditionally left out of the home ownership, store front property ownership and investment dwelling ownership process in Philadelphia--all these groups of People really need help from the political process and the politicians who profess to be helpful. Often, unfortunately, such politicians end up helping the very system that is leaving the groups mentions here way out of the process. This MUST change also.

There needs to be a complete overhaul of How People are buy property, more accessibility to property ownership at a reasonable or nominal cost, a full analysis of the gentrification process & How to slow or stop gentrification so more People native to Philadelphia can own & maintain property, pay proper taxes and make a fair profit to at least maintain ownership and be able to afford repairs on their houses and properties.

The entire government apparatus, concerned private sector, and concerned and engaged non-profit advocacy structure with interests in this issue--all these entities need to be involved in solving this riddle that has so badly impacted on the poor, the Home challenged, the homeless, and the general indigenous Philadelphia public. Things MUST be turned around for them.

This is why I'm supporting Nelson Diaz for Mayor of Philadelphia and also why I'm sending this letter to Nelson Diaz's office and asking for a positive policy response.  I will also send it to Mr. Jim Kenney, who I also feel holds some promise for the City of Philadelphia in regards to fairness and equality in housing and will not represent the same ole business as usual. People and especially the young, are tired of the same ole business as usual. These candidates, Diaz and Kenney,  hold some promise & hope for those who feel they are left out and have been left out of the City's economy..  These Brother & Sisters--the poor, the weak, the frail, the Homeless, the Home-Challenged [Including those who have suffered a foreclosure such as myself, or those who are behind on their rent or are without any housing at all}  -- These Sisters & Brothers  deserve to be more than just a political football and a political issue that gets put on the shelf after November Third's election of this year -- 2015.....   Everybody SHOULD & MUST have at least middle income status. So many People living below the poverty line is totally unacceptable. It is with Great Hope that I write this statement. We really need--as advocates for the income-challenged and the left out and our Black & Latin Youth, -- we really need to make sure that property ownership is highly possible for the new generation of young People, the home-challenged and the disabled.


Editor's Note: As you call me I will make updates to this article. It is NOT perfect,  needs your input.

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