Bring “normal” back to neighborhood

Reprinted from August 29th, 2009 Press Citizen Guest Editorial  

 

Mark McCallum

Guest Opinion

 

I attended the neighborhood meeting at Fair Meadows Park and was impressed with the residents passion to take back their neighborhood. These are reasonable community members that simply want to put back " normal" into their lives. To suggest otherwise is simply unfair.

 

It is time for the Iowa City Council to support a reasonable , age-based curfew and juvenile behavior ordinance.

 

For more than a decade, the Iowa City Council has embraced a policy of directing the lions’ share of their Community Development Block Grants to housing programs or assistance at the expense of economic development projects that forcus on job creation.

 

For Fiscal Year 2010 , private and nonprofit landlords will receive more than $450,000. in funding for projects that are focused on public housing programs compared to $35,000. awarded to a local business for job creation. Over the years, the council has made similar allocations and has spent millions to support low income or public housing programs.

 

This is in addition to Section 8 vouchers, which have about a 6 million dollar budget locally, and the 80 public housing units the city owns. This does not include money being allocated to the new Shelter House facility.

 

The affordability of land and housing on the southeast side along with block grant money led to much of this " community investment" that has helped to create the " ghetto" Councilor Connie Champion recently referred to at at council work session.

 

Well, the taxpayers are looking for a progress report and are not aware of many sucess stories. It is obvious to many of us that the local public housing infrastructure is not  sustainable as it currently exisits.

 

To make the southeast side whole again, the council should consider the following measures:

 

* Follow the Scattered Housing Task Force Recommendations. In addition, direct the Local Housing Authority to place a moratorium on new Section 8 vouchers issued on the southeast side. Exceptions can be made for low-income seniors or the disabled.

 

* Make the local Housing Authority report to the Iowa City Police Department in addition to Housing Inspection Services.

 

*Follow the Dubuque Public Housing Model. Dubuque employs a police corporal to work in the Housing Department as a full time investigator. This officer investigates all allegations of fraud or unauthorized occupants. He visits families in assisted units and responds to all complaints about disturbances or illegal activites. Persons found in violation of the regulations have their assistance terminated.

 

*Enforce state residency requirements on all Section 8 participants. We want participants that are willing to make a commitment to Iowa City. Failure to establish residency should result in termination of benefits.

 

*Reallocate CBDG funding with an empahsis on job creation or low-income housing for seniors and / or persons with disabilities.

 

*Mandate that all Section 8 landlords participate in a "Crime Free Housing Project". This has already been done in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Dubuque and Davenport. The program coaches landlords on identifying quality tenants, writing rental agreements, handling evictions, police services and property security and fire safety. Have the police department offer free national background checks to all  Section 8 landlords.

 

*Sell the properties owned by Local Housing Authority on the southeast side. Use money to pay for a police substation.

 

*Ratchet up Housing Authority policy’s eligibility requirements. Local housing agencies are allowed by HUD to set local policies for administration of their housing programs. Our Housing Authority should adopt stricter requirements.

 

Let’s help bring " normal " back to this neighborhood. Let’s support our neighbors on the southeast side.