Comments on: Rental Housing: Its Day Returns http://citiwire.net/post/1393/ Leaving behind the 20th century pattern of cheap energy, endless automobility, burgeoning suburbs, threatened inner cities. To a challenge-packed 21st century: energy prices headed north, perilous carbon emissions, deepening have-have not divisions. But a time of exciting promise, too. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:47:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Barbara Sinnett http://citiwire.net/post/1393/comment-page-1/#comment-881 Barbara Sinnett Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:22:21 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1393#comment-881 The upside to the current analysis will unfold slowly like spring flowers; the benefits of renting will over-shadow the "stigma" attached to renting. Soon enough the freedom factor will arise out of the embedded brainwash of the entire consumerism driven fill-your-house-with-stuff mentality. Now that ATM machines rooted to home equity have been cut off, we realize that our "crop mix" required too much of our time, money and natural resources. I am looking forward to the return of communities as the nations priorities shift and the hibernation of the human species ends. The upside to the current analysis will unfold slowly like spring flowers; the benefits of renting will over-shadow the “stigma” attached to renting. Soon enough the freedom factor will arise out of the embedded brainwash of the entire consumerism driven fill-your-house-with-stuff mentality. Now that ATM machines rooted to home equity have been cut off, we realize that our “crop mix” required too much of our time, money and natural resources. I am looking forward to the return of communities as the nations priorities shift and the hibernation of the human species ends.

]]> By: Neal Peirce http://citiwire.net/post/1393/comment-page-1/#comment-880 Neal Peirce Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:00:30 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1393#comment-880 Lynn Nordby-- While I have certainly benefitted from being a homeowner I can see that something’s got to change for the millions who aren’t. Is there anything on the horizon? Our tax policies have so much impact on so many things it seems like an area ripe for some tweaking to advance this issue. Your reference to Mark Hinshaw ‘s comment about apartments being relegated “to the least desirable parts of the community” was interesting too. I recall my father, a city manager, commenting on that nearly 40 years ago, questioning why, if it was undesirable to put single family homes adjacent to “incompatible” land uses what made it desirable to put even more people next to them? Unfortunately attitudes haven’t changed much though. Lynn Nordby–
While I have certainly benefitted from being a homeowner I can see that something’s got to change for the millions who aren’t. Is there anything on the horizon? Our tax policies have so much impact on so many things it seems like an area ripe for some tweaking to advance this issue.

Your reference to Mark Hinshaw ‘s comment about apartments being relegated “to the least desirable parts of the community” was interesting too. I recall my father, a city manager, commenting on that nearly 40 years ago, questioning why, if it was undesirable to put single family homes adjacent to “incompatible” land uses what made it desirable to put even more people next to them? Unfortunately attitudes haven’t changed much though.

]]> By: HomeOneDay http://citiwire.net/post/1393/comment-page-1/#comment-871 HomeOneDay Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:02:43 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1393#comment-871 In this District, we have the greatest discrepancy between those who poor (living at 30% of the AMI or below) and pratically everyone else. You know why this is the case? It is a direct result because we also have the lowest homeownership rate in the entire country. We are hovering somewhere around 45% while the rest of the country, even in this present crisis mode, is at 66%. Now, it doesn't take an economist to see that there is a direct correlation. Minorities in the US, specifically African Americans, have about 1/10 the wealth of White Americans. Now, supporters of renters will flock and say the subprime fiasco is a result of this push to put low-income families into homeownership. Well, that might have been the justification but the reality was that White, Middle Class Americans were the ones who were the majority borrowers of these loan products. Homeownership for low-income families is the only way many of them will ever be able to get out of poverty. In this District, we have the greatest discrepancy between those who poor (living at 30% of the AMI or below) and pratically everyone else. You know why this is the case? It is a direct result because we also have the lowest homeownership rate in the entire country. We are hovering somewhere around 45% while the rest of the country, even in this present crisis mode, is at 66%. Now, it doesn’t take an economist to see that there is a direct correlation. Minorities in the US, specifically African Americans, have about 1/10 the wealth of White Americans. Now, supporters of renters will flock and say the subprime fiasco is a result of this push to put low-income families into homeownership. Well, that might have been the justification but the reality was that White, Middle Class Americans were the ones who were the majority borrowers of these loan products.
Homeownership for low-income families is the only way many of them will ever be able to get out of poverty.

]]> By: Neal Peirce http://citiwire.net/post/1393/comment-page-1/#comment-867 Neal Peirce Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:03:01 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1393#comment-867 Comment from L. Vivas of Portland, Oregon: Thank you for exposing the growing problems with renting in this country, providing relevant statistics, and the having the courage to call the mortgage tax breaks a 'sacred cow'. I hope that a whole lot of people, including politicians of both parties, read your column today. Bravo. L. Vivas Portland, Oregon Comment from L. Vivas of Portland, Oregon:
Thank you for exposing the growing problems with renting in this country, providing relevant statistics, and the having the courage to call the mortgage tax breaks a ’sacred cow’. I hope that a whole lot of people, including politicians of both parties, read your column
today.
Bravo.
L. Vivas
Portland, Oregon

]]> By: Neal Peirce http://citiwire.net/post/1393/comment-page-1/#comment-865 Neal Peirce Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:24:55 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1393#comment-865 From Steve Levy: I think in CCalifornia there may be a market for upscale urban rentals for the surge in retiring baby boomers who want to live in a walkable community setting and, unlike my wife and I, do not feel comfortable now in buying an expensive condo. From Steve Levy:
I think in CCalifornia there may be a market for upscale urban rentals for the surge in retiring baby boomers who want to live in a walkable community setting and, unlike my wife and I, do not feel comfortable now in buying an expensive condo.

]]> By: Erik Harper http://citiwire.net/post/1393/comment-page-1/#comment-864 Erik Harper Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:33:14 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1393#comment-864 Thank you for writing on this topic! Seems like not a lot of attention is paid to this issue. I myself am currently a renter and until I see things drastically change to even out the field, I'm likely to stay one for quite some time. I find it too risky to own right now and for good reason. I think this article is quite timely and I'm interested in seeing how this will all turn out. Are we going to finally as a nation wake up and realize that this whole money-making scheme off your home was all a bunch of vapor in the long run? Thank you for writing on this topic! Seems like not a lot of attention is paid to this issue. I myself am currently a renter and until I see things drastically change to even out the field, I’m likely to stay one for quite some time. I find it too risky to own right now and for good reason. I think this article is quite timely and I’m interested in seeing how this will all turn out. Are we going to finally as a nation wake up and realize that this whole money-making scheme off your home was all a bunch of vapor in the long run?

]]> By: Jody DeWolf http://citiwire.net/post/1393/comment-page-1/#comment-860 Jody DeWolf Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:50:19 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1393#comment-860 I've tried renting to low income folks at a very low rent. Disaster. They damage walls, steps, etc. and don't tell me so as to live rent free . Furthermore, the laws generally support them. There are certainly exceptions, and there are fair judges, but it costs money to evict. I’ve tried renting to low income folks at a very low rent. Disaster. They damage walls, steps, etc. and don’t tell me so as to live rent free . Furthermore, the laws generally support them.
There are certainly exceptions, and there are fair judges, but it costs money to evict.

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