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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Quite a regular
 
Joined:
2004/11/16 19:52 Last Login : 2008/9/28 23:53 From Moved to Dallas TX
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I'm honestly not sure who I'm voting for but it's definitely not Gov. Perry. Kinky is seen as a quasi-serious contender. He fought hard to get on the ballot as an independent and got the required signatures to get on it after he was challenged by both parties. I'm not so sure he's serious about it. If I thought that he were serious I would consider him more carefully. Frankly none of the candidates here (even dems) represent my liberal views.
Posted on: 2006/7/29 14:57
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Home away from home
 
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Quick but off topic question for Roaring: Will you be voting for Kinky Friedman? Is he perceived as a serious contender by the locals?
Posted on: 2006/7/29 14:52
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Wow - JPhurst - you won. You caught me. Congratulations. I cannot back up my statement about 15 kids and 15, equally absent, fathers, at Lafayette Gardens. But you know what, I said it in a manner of speaking, not literally, and everybody on this board except you understood it. You understood it, too, actually, but chose to make an asinine point, instead of addressing an obvious, and a huge, issue of a lack of family structure among the public housing recipients, which greatly contributes to the utter failure of such programs in the eyes of those who pay for them. Us.
Posted on: 2006/7/29 14:26
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Quote:
You asked a rhetorical question and expected an answer?
Posted on: 2006/7/29 13:28
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Quite a regular
Joined:
2004/11/16 19:52 Last Login : 2008/9/28 23:53 From Moved to Dallas TX
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I realise that this is an opinion board and I've stated mine. If you don't care for it, please stop reading my posts...no one forced you to read it. Also by the way, I've moved to TX less than a year ago from Jersey City where I lived for 12 years and owned a home on Bentley Avenue for the past 6 years. During my time in JC, I helped found the West Bergen/Lincon Park Neighbourhood Coalition (held office of VP for several years), was a board member of Monticello Community Development Corp (chaired the Promotions committee which held several successful fundraisers under my stead) and was on the Steering committee for Bergen Communities United (elected position not appointed). I am also a minority (gay, Jewish) and was partnered with another minority for the past 9 years (gay, Black). I know better than most about racism and surely know far better about homophobia and anti-Semitism. I am even now more of a minority (liberal gay Jew living in the heart of conservative Baptist Red State) so there is my "southern track record". I realise that your fairly new to the board but did you ever stop to wonder why somebody from TX is posting on this board? Just click on my name and you'll see my last posts with an option to see all my posts for the last 2 years since I joined JCList.
Posted on: 2006/7/29 6:15
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Newbie
 
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Roaring20s wrote:
"America used to be a country to producers...now we're just a nation of whiners. Look at the whines and cries over this topic alone." Unless you weren't sure, this is an opinion board..... and everyone is entitled. If you don't care for the banter, then cease responding to the thread. By the way, why don't you tell us all how you Texans supported the Bushies and Enron and allowed the racisim and poverty of Mexicans and Blacks to continue unchecked for decades. Where were you when they dragged that Black man behind the truck? How about the homophobia, sexism and all this other macho BS? And let's go ahead and draw new voting districts to make sure the Blacks, Hispanics and other minorities have no impact on the elections. So, stop being smug... your Southern track record ain't great.
Posted on: 2006/7/29 1:47
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Just can't stay away
 
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2006/3/22 3:51 Last Login : 2011/3/18 15:05 From John Wilkes Park
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I agree that school should be mandatory (it is in Scotland where I come from but only until you are 16). What is the point though, if the school is so poorly funded that you don't learn anything while you are there? It seems that we can find money for metal detectors but not books. How about also offering ways to get into college other than joining the armed forces. College entry for people who do volunteer work in their own communities perhaps? This is not whining or being political here, just trying to introduce some fresh ideas (to be shot down no doubt but who cares).
Posted on: 2006/7/29 0:49
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Not too shy to talk
 
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My sympathies to you seventoecat. Sounds like you have been through a terrible time. Where exactly is Hudson Gardens? Sadly, the dependence on state assistance is passed on from generation to generation. And there are probably laws dictating that all available entitlements be marketed to the lower income community ad nauseam. So where is the incentive for the recipients to raise the bar and get out of the system. S--t. I don't even know what the entitlements are and how one would go about getting a Section 8 apartment. How do you do it?
Posted on: 2006/7/29 0:37
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Quite a regular
Joined:
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It's not even a start. You need to incentivise education. We have free schools (shitty but free nonetheless). Any kid who wants an education will make sure s/he's there every day and doing his/her homework. Just my humble opinion but school should be mandatory for both kids and adults up thru 4 years of college. Screw working these minimum wage paying jobs. They're just keeping people poor. Even if you lived in Podunk Iowa you can't really support yourself on $6.00/hour. I also think that if you're not pulling a minumum B average, you should 1) go on probation for 1 year; 2) after the first year and no improvement, receive 1 warning to pull your grades or your kids' grades up or else lose your entitlements and finally 3) after 2 years and no improvements, lose your home, your foodstamps, etc. If within a 5 year period, you turn your attitude around you get another shot to make it...but only 1 shot. You fail the second time, you're outta the game. America used to be a country to producers...now we're just a nation of whiners. Look at the whines and cries over this topic alone. I for one would not mind one iota paying thru the nose for 30 years or whatever it took to erase this gimme gimme mindset if it meant that at the end of 30 years, illiteracy, crime, substance abuse and poverty were erased. I don't know about the rest of you but I think it's a small price to pay. Yes, there are flaws with my opinion I admit but at least I've done something productive instead of bitching about why do they get this and I don't.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 22:59
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Just can't stay away
Joined:
2006/3/22 3:51 Last Login : 2011/3/18 15:05 From John Wilkes Park
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Access to a decent free education and proper funding of family planning clinics would be a start.........
Posted on: 2006/7/28 22:37
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Newbie
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I'm with injcsince81. I could sit here for hours talking about my rotten childhood and all the chances I didn't have but I don't!!!! I was a very Liberal person before moving near Hudson Gardens. When I moved here 6 years ago, it was a nice quiet neighborhood. Then as they started demolishing the other housing projects, all the low life criminals. drug dealers and violent people were placed in Hudson Gardens. Just enough low lifes to make everyone's life miserable. The nice little neighborhood is becoming a Ghetto. After seeing dogs, children, women being beat down in the street, along with vandalism, fighting dogs & loud menacing gangs hanging out at night.... I have lost my desire to pay for able bodied people who sit back and suck off the overly stupid government and ME!!!!! A single women who paid for night school for years, working fulltime since I was 17 and now I want to enjoy the fruits I have earned. My home value is in danger of falling. And dont recommend contacting the city agencies.... they are a big part of the problem!!!!
I worked my butt off and scrimped and saved for years to buy my little Victorian House. When a large Section 8 family moved in next door, I was fine with that at first. Over time, they trashed the apartment, the exterior of the building and hung out on the porch abusing passersby and partying. When I have to get up at 5:30 each moring, I dont think it's unreasonable to be able to sleep at 1:00 AM. The neighbors did everything they could to try to destroy my front and back landscaped areas, tortured me with racist comments everytime I went in my backyard and were all in all just destructive for the sake of being destructive. I called the cops many times for tresspass and harrassment. That's exhausting for me. But the low lives have no reason even to get up in the morning. I almost sold my house!!!! Finally they moved but Hudson Gardens it still going down quicky. There's nothing wrong in being poor...... but to act in a violent and criminal manner to someone who only smiled and said hello everyday is beyond my comprehension. As for the the poor kids... yes, they are the only innocent people here. And with all the available contraception and information today, why have so many kids? As a person with no children (because I knew I couldnt give them the life they deserved) why do I pay for deadbeat people who have only contempt for successful people and feel they have a right to a free ride through life. So, STOP HAVING KIDS!!! STOP ABUSING THE FAMILY YOU HAVE!!! Get out there and hustle like the rest of us slobs. Get off my taxes!!!!
Posted on: 2006/7/28 22:33
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Just can't stay away
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Let's trade them with Mexico. 2-for-1
Posted on: 2006/7/28 21:58
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Quite a regular
Joined:
2004/11/16 19:52 Last Login : 2008/9/28 23:53 From Moved to Dallas TX
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These threads never stay on topic for very long. This is an ongoing debate not only on this board but in America as a whole. Problems are recognised but everyone is so busy arguing with each other over what is and what is not a fact that absolutely no one takes it upon themselves to find solutions, let alone working with other people that they disagree with to find solutions. There is a great deal of truth that some people on public assistance are lazy and make terrible choices about their own lives (having kids when they can't afford them, substance abuse, you name it...the list is long) but we all, including myself, have made some bad choices in our lives. That is what being human is. I would for once love to see this group or any other group of people who are passionate about their stance come up with some real workable solutions to these legacy problems. Welfare is a trap and everyone knows it. Getting off it is far harder than "don't have kids' or "get a job". I'm not in favour of hand out programmes but at this point in our country's history, they are needed whether we want to admit it or not. If this group of people with all their convictions would just put aside for a few hours all this commentary and ask what can you and I do to end this madness, we'd all be better off. We'd be even better off still if you and I actually did these things instead of just yapping about how to fix them.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 21:55
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Lostgirl: Good for you. For real. No sarcasm intended. It took me a decade longer than you to get my act together financially (or close enough) and finally buy a place, so rock on.
Maybe there were certain learnings from your own childhood that you could teach to some of the lost girls around JC. How to develop self-esteem and determination to succeed in spite of challenges, without relying on monetary hand-outs. The Boys and Girls Club could use your help, as could some of the other local kids groups. It's something I keep meaning to do and the insanity of this whole thread is really pushing me to finally get off my ass and do it. Please don't take this as sarcastic, because I am serious. We bang back and forth with all of these really strong attitudes and opinions but the fact remains that there are thousands of young kids in this city who have no idea what they are up against and cannnot possibly be held responsible for who is paying for their house, their medical care, their education. They are just young kids with a whole future ahead of them and they sure as hell could use some guidance.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 21:34
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Home away from home
Joined:
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Ok, so I assume your answer is. "Zero." Thanks.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 21:25
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Home away from home
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Quote:
This thread's scope has evolved beyond Lafayette Gardens if you haven't noticed.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 21:17
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Home away from home
Joined:
2005/6/8 3:24 Last Login : 2022/11/28 0:04 From New Urbanist Area
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OK, fine. So how many residents of Lafayette Gardens are single mothers of 15 childen, each of a different, equally absent, father?
Posted on: 2006/7/28 21:11
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Home away from home
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JSQUARE
Thanks...... CK
Posted on: 2006/7/28 20:37
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Newbie
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I think sarcasm does not translate well in message boards. I was being sarcastic about the au pair. Also, the jet ski. I'll refrain from sarcasm in future posts.
I think the apartment complex sounds great. It's a good "new face of public housing." I hope more are built. I checked and I'm eligible for a low or moderate income range apartment at Dixon Mills! And I have a masters degree. Please don't call me lazy. I will not mug you, CANKICKER, I promise... not sarcasm. I'm sad to read that you didn't have heat when you grew up. Terrible! It strengthened you, I understand, but how can you wish that situation upon someone else? Quote: Don't forget they have to pay for dental visits for the kid and supplemental health insurance (because medicare sucks-- if you can get it), and possibly a car to get to work in the 'burbs. Don't forget costs for baby clothes, baby formula, cell phone bills, food costs etc. Also, you get withholdings on payroll taxes. I doubt they can hire an au pair. Also, you need to be able to put at least 10 percent of your income into savings in case you lose your job.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 20:28
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Quite a regular
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I agree with everything injcsince81 says.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 20:24
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Correct. My resettlement agency was International Rescue Committee, a non-profit organization that helps refugees. The only thing I had to repay to them was my airfare here, which I did as soon as I could. They covered 2 months rent and gave me some petty cash at the beginning. That was the extent of it. I would have no problem with public housing recipients if they were: 1) not involved in any criminal activity 2) studying hard (or forcing their kids to study hard) to become independent of the government aid in the future Of course I have no problem with public assistance to sick/disabled people who need such help to survive. But that class does not include single mothers of 15 children, each of a different, equally absent, father.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 19:33
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Home away from home
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INJC did not say that he "made it without any help." He merely stated that his pride - which is an attribute to be sure - made him feel badly about receiving the help. As a result, he cut himself off from the help as soon as he was able to. But nevertheless, he received and benefited from the kindness of others, whether he liked it or not.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 19:09
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Quite a regular
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Word to everyone that made it w/out any help. My parents are immigrants, I didn't even learn English until elementary school, I didn't even go to college. But I own my own place at the age of 25. Yes its next to the projects, but its mine. And I keep it nice and clean because everyday I am reminded of how hard I work to pay it off.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 18:56
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Just can't stay away
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2005/12/12 18:47 Last Login : 2007/9/14 20:38 From Journal Square / Marion
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Don't forget they have to pay for dental visits for the kid and supplemental health insurance (because medicare sucks-- if you can get it), and possibly a car to get to work in the 'burbs. Don't forget costs for baby clothes, baby formula, cell phone bills, food costs etc. Also, you get withholdings on payroll taxes. I doubt they can hire an au pair. Also, you need to be able to put at least 10 percent of your income into savings in case you lose your job.
Also -- for example their are unexpected costs, a 200 dollar parking ticket or summoneses for working people can be ruinous, because if you can't pay you then go to jail and lose your job etc., or if you do pay to stay out of jail you are then late on rent. Also their are 2 bedrooms, and you are proposing the married couple cram themselves and their baby into one bedroom while the aupair gets one for herself? Also, Au Pairs seem to be the province of upper-middle class types from Westchester, I have never heard of an Au Pair being placed with an urban working class family, unfortunatly. I think that's what drags working class people into family is having a family, you can survive and do very well here if you are without kids, but as soon as you start a family in this city you can find yourself quickly in debt and poverty. That is why these subsidized housing developments are important, because even a deposit of 100 dollars a month in a savings account can be the ticket to a better life. Quote:
Posted on: 2006/7/28 18:50
Edited by Pisces1979 on 2006/7/28 19:05:47
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Right on INJC !!!!!!
When my family moved to the US we lived in whats called a cold water flat in the heights, the only heat was provided by the side of the stove. We didn't ask for public assistance or depend on the system, both my parents who had absolutley no knowledge of the language were able to get good jobs, put food on the table,clothes on our backs, an education and a roof over our heads . Therefore there is noway in Hell I can have any sympathy for any entitlement program that provides nothing but a lifeline of dependency . Does anyone have the numbers as to how many people that are afforded these luxorys go on to a better existence, become tax payers, and give back to the community ?? Anyone ????? Come on ?????? Its all Bullshit !!!!!! CK
Posted on: 2006/7/28 18:44
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Quite a regular
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injc: It's true that those of us who were born in the USA don't understand what it's like to be an immigrant. But you also admit that you were given assistance when you arrived that helped you achieve success. Why do you assume that low-income residents of the development in question are lazy or unwilling to work? Why not assume that they are as worthy of help as you were once? I think welfare reform has gone a long way towards discouraging long-term welfare dependency, and I'm optimistically hoping that this kind of small, mixed income development will succeed in avoiding the trap many "projects" of the past fell into. I think it's significant that it also includes moderate-income spaces, which are very important in this kind of rapidly gentrifying community. The Times recently did a piece on the vanishing urban middle class, (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/23/weekinreview/23scott.html)
and how this dmages cities.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 18:33
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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CK, you and I, both immigrants to this country, are of the same mind on this. I started here from ZERO, literally. From nothing. No money, no language, nothing. A friendly family took me in, a resettlement agency paid my rent, and I HATED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!! I hated not being able to pull my own weight. I could NOT SLEEP until I found my first job here. I WOULD NOT STOP until I put myself through school. That is the reason for my contempt for the freeloaders, the "underprivileged", for those who take my tax money to live in public housing and not do anything to change their plight. Not only that, their kids are likely to mug me. I did not mug anybody when I was poor and lived with cockroaches. This is not France, where the Arab youths face discrimination. Here, if you study hard, no matter who you are, you'll be successful. You liberal Americans who have been born here, you just DON't UNDERSTAND. Period. You are clueless.
Posted on: 2006/7/28 18:07
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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It's amazing how all the bleeding hearts on this Blog are ready to come to the rescue of those percieved to be less fortunate and therefore afforded the breaks and reliefs by state and fed housing grants .
I think you all need to know that the comments expressed opposite of yours are in no way an attack on the working poor nor are they intended to slander any group . The question here really should be,when are all these entitlement programs going to cease hense promoting a "work for it" mentallity rather than a safety net approach thats ultimatley Picked up by the working tax player like most of us ?? What has History been able to provide in terms of public/subsidized housing ??? why do you think places like Currieswoods and the duncan ave bldgs have been demolished ?? because they were successful or breeded success storys ??? Come on lets get real for once .... CK
Posted on: 2006/7/28 15:46
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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Just can't stay away
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Quote:
"At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge," said the gentleman, taking up a pen, "it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir." "Are there no prisons?" asked Scrooge. "Plenty of prisons," said the gentleman, laying down the pen again. "And the Union workhouses?" demanded Scrooge. "Are they still in operation?" "They are. Still," returned the gentleman, "I wish I could say they were not." "The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?" said Scrooge. "Both very busy, sir." "Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course," said Scrooge. "I'm very glad to hear it." "Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude," returned the gentleman, "a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?" "Nothing!" replied Scrooge. "You wish to be anonymous?" "I wish to be left alone," said Scrooge. "Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas, and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there." "Many can't go there; and many would rather die." "If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. ... It's enough for a man to understand his own business, and not to interfere with other people's. Mine occupies me constantly. Good afternoon, gentlemen!"
Posted on: 2006/7/28 15:06
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Re: New face of public housing - 72 homes in the Lafayette section of Jersey City
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And if you don't want to pay taxes, why don't you 'relocate to an offshore principality.'*
*i.e. "Go to hell."
Posted on: 2006/7/28 14:07
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