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Forum Post: People are Homeless and Government is Crushing Empty Housing

Posted 11 years ago on Jan. 30, 2013, 6:42 a.m. EST by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

This is why I cant freakin stand most politicians or bureaucratic groups. Theres over 16k homeless people in Tampa. And theres a lot of run down housing, mainly in the Sulfer Springs area and East Tampa.

Hmmm....What to do? Lets crush the houses with bulldozers, and pretend the market is going to magically fix the homeless problem.

This is insanity. And people are talking about a housing recovery? What a load of shit. What, more senseless suburban sprawl is what we are after? Senseless planning that simply goes forever?

There arent ANY people who would like those houses? Ya, they are run down and in bad neighborhoods. But we are in an economic freefall that is ONLY being supported by Fed injections, with another 85 BILLION set to drop this Friday. (In case you missed my other post, thats 28 milllion per county in the good ol USA).

Assuming each house being crushed needs 40k put into it, thats 700 HOMES this month that could be renovated in Hillsborough County. 700 folks.

Eh, better just give that money to the banks and delay the inevitable crash a bit longer.

And like George Carlin said "Where are all the good decent people stepping up to replace these clowns" (in government).

36 Comments

36 Comments


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[-] 1 points by cJessgo (729) from Port Jervis, PA 11 years ago

Sorry if you have not noticed.It is not about sheltering the homeless.Feeding the hungry,or taking care of the sick.It is about Profits.Nothing more,nothing less.

[-] -2 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

The thing is with this, its not even making profits. Its all government contracts. Selling things for 1,000 dollars would be a profit. The tax payers are paying to destroy homes.

This is about government incompetence.

[-] 1 points by cJessgo (729) from Port Jervis, PA 11 years ago

The goverment takes it.'s orders from the corporations.If they bulldozed every house that was forclosed upon.Rebuilt that house.And sold/gave it to the people Instead of paying off wall st It would have provided jobs.Sheltered people.And would have cost less than what was given to the banks.It is about Corporate greed nothing more nothing less.

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 11 years ago

Yeah, amazingly that is their housing recovery. But, it's also how they get rid of crime as well.

[-] 1 points by peacehurricane (293) 11 years ago

Right here though they need not be replaced because that indicates working in this nightmare and it will not happen. I am with you the responses are so suck ass one more this that the other and then we are just more screwed. War is called on the "fed" and so WE start new and fresh in the free land of all possibility. If you know how to do something about transfer of funds then it will be however it is to go my prayers are with that drop not happening as planned Amen I am WE 4 ALL ONE...Power to We People Now

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[-] -2 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

$5,500 per home to destroy them.

[-] -2 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

50 houses just up and gone. Im sure they are run down, and probably have crummy plumbing. But so what? Im sure there are 50 able bodied people who would love the opportunity to own something, to work on it, to at least try to attempt to create a home.

[-] -2 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Yep, I've been seeing that happen here for years. Entire neighborhoods of formerly beautiful (but now run-down) well-built houses gone. Now empty overgrown lots with an occasional house still standing here and there. But developers would rather buy up cheap farmland 50 miles out to continue suburban sprawl.

We need more Habitat for Humanity's. Sweat equity goes a long way.

[-] 1 points by Narley (272) 11 years ago

Only slightly related. Whether we like it or not, white flight is probably one of the biggest factors in building new housing divisions,

[-] -1 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Maybe a couple decades ago. Not so much any more, at least here in St. Louis. In fact, people are starting to move back IN to the city.

It has much more to do with profits than color nowadays. Zoning issues, construction costs. It's a lot quicker and cheaper to build a new frame house on unincorporated farmland than it is to renovate a 120 year-old brick Victorian in an urban area. And much more profitable.

[-] 1 points by Narley (272) 11 years ago

Sounds like Austin, TX hasn’t yet caught up with St. Louis yet on people moving back into the city.

Austin was one of the few places not hurt much by the housing crash. Suburbs pop up faster than I can count them near Austin. However since the area is growing so fast few areas are stagnate. Hard to find a place to live for all the newcomers. When I bought my house, fifteen years ago, we had cow pastures around us. Now we have to drive thirty minutes to get out of town.

[-] -2 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Yeah, we're surrounded by suburbs on all sides except the east (the Mississippi River). It's a long story but St. Louis itself cannot grow any bigger although the outlying areas, like St. Charles and St Peters, etc. have essentially unlimited growth potential, at least as far as available land is concerned. St. Louis got screwed by the 19th century elitists located here at the time, but like I say it's a fairly long story.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Wonder how those newly barren areas fit in with fracking plans??? Hhmmmmm

[-] -1 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Indeed.

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Sorry - I could not help but to speculate.

[-] -2 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Well, apparently fracking is a big part of the overall future plan. There's an agency called The National Intelligence Council that publishes a report every election year that's delivered to the Pres sometime between election and inauguration that forecasts future trends and issues. I've got a pdf saved but haven't read thru it yet. Gonna use it in an upcoming thread probably. Long story short. Increased fracking is definitely part of their long-term plans.

No surprise there, eh?

[-] 1 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

No not surprised - unfortunately - it fits the current agenda - profits at all costs.

[-] -1 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

What's interesting is, since it's a forecast, it's not written in stone, of course. I think it mentions increased fracking "barring push-back from the general public" or some such language. In other words, more fracking is in the plans, but they also foresee the possibility of increased pressure against it from the general public. So pressure we must, starting now, which I know you've already been doing.

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Absolutely - and pushing for others to take notice as well - as I know you have been doing as well.

[-] -1 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

I'm trying in my own small ways. I'm hoping to make it to a Habitat for Humanity orientation on Feb. 9th to see what it's all about as well. Already checked out their local website. I'm thinking about getting involved if possible.

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

So Cool - maybe you could help them expand their view.

[-] -1 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Oh, I'll be talking, that's for sure. Spreading the word.

My nephew was riding home on the bus about a week ago and told me he was telling some of the other riders about Obama and the NDAA. Although he didn't use the term NDAA, he was giving them the gist of "indefinite detention" which apparently they hadn't heard about. Hell, if my hardheaded nephew is starting to get the message, that's a great sign. I thought that was pretty cool.

It's also surprising how much of the general public is still unaware of these things. We sure do have some work to do.

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

OH - NoBOUT aDOUBTit. Fucking public is ( seems to be ) so damn clueless - but then your nephew ( out of touch ? ) seems to have an epiphany - in Public. Damn - the conversation has gotten wings.

[-] -1 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Yeah, my nephew seems to have changed quite a bit over the last few years. He used to be about as clueless as they come in regards to world events. One of those that just didn't care. One of the masses. I've been spreading the word to him and he's been passing it on sometimes. That's how it's gonna work.

BTW - I'm talking about my nephew, not his son. You know, 'Cadillac Man?' Just wanted to clarify.

[-] 2 points by DKAtoday (33802) from Coon Rapids, MN 11 years ago

Making inroads - and a real difference.

[-] -1 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Imagine how many hard working men and women would like an opportunity to get a house for free and fix it up? Incredible....

[-] -2 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Oh yeah, I guarantee there are plenty of them. If I were homeless I would work my ass off for a house. Most the ones torn down here were Victorian-era and early 20th century. Well-built, brick, each one unique. Not like the cookie-cutter bullshit they staple together out in the 'burbs.

[-] -2 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Cookie cutter bullshit- exactly.

[-] -3 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

I hate those houses. I've walked into brand new ones and saw ill-fitting doors and windows, been to some that are maybe five years old with cracks beginning to show in the foundations, etc. Nowhere does the term "they don't make 'em like they used to" apply better than in new housing.

[-] -2 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

The best are the subfloors with cheap particle board that swell up and destroy the flooring if they get wet. Well, that and the 200k+ pricetags.

[-] -2 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Yeah, and you gotta love that glued-on vinyl baseboard trim. How classy!

[-] -2 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

I saw some guys who mixed their grout so thin that they were simply dumping the buckets on the tile and then using a super sized squeegy to get the excess of the tiles....Id love to have to sweep that tile for the rest of my life, what a mess!!

[-] -2 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

Unreal. But let's keep tearing down the really well-built ones. Makes no fucking sense. Well, excluding the 'obscene profits' part of the picture. And our disposable culture.

The Victorian I'm living in was built in 1889 and although I've let it get a bit run-down myself lately (lack of cash) it'll still outlive the shit they build nowadays. It's nothing fancy but they sure can take some abuse.

[-] -2 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Fuck Bob Buckhorn. Check this out. $5,500 per demolition.

The worst part is they put this spin about developers coming in when they are destroyed, and the residents dont realize its a lie.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/1/30/tampa_to_tear_down_5.html

[-] -2 points by gnomunny (6819) from St Louis, MO 11 years ago

What a crock. I wish there was a photo of what the houses look like. I'm curious. And the same old line of b.s. about abandoned houses being magnets for drugs, crime and prostitution. Here's a novel idea: You want to stop criminals from using abandoned houses? Renovate the fucking houses!

Makes you wonder if Buckhorn has a connection to the contractors that will build the new ones. It's often the case.

[-] -2 points by OTP (-203) from Tampa, FL 11 years ago

Trust me, there isnt anyone going into Sulpher Springs to build brand new homes there. I work there quite often, pretty depressed. Theres already plenty of open land if that was the case.