AGENDA 6-04-2013

There was nothing wrong with him trying to reduce the # of vouchers it was all in the way he was doing it,and evidentally,HUD didn't like the way he was doing it either,so they're going to take a closer look.

Then there are many on this site that cannot read Ms. Moon has told that many many times on this site along with others that have knowledge of how they got here.

Vivian,

Vivian,

You continue to share misinformation about the Cities intentions on reducing the number of S8 vouchers in Middletown.  The City WILL NOT throw anyone out the currently has a S8 voucher.  The City is going to reduce the vouchers by attrition.  In others words, As the voucher is turned, it will not be reissued until it hits the specific goal the City intends to reach.
Pacman, I do not believe that I have misinformed anyone about the Section 8 Program.
Several years when HUD replied to the city’s 96 page report they stated then that they would not reduce the number of vouchers because in their view the need was too great in the Middletown area.
Section 8 tenants that are on the waiting list are being denied available housing by Mr Adkins. This is a serious charge in the eyes of HUD

HUD is just as much at fault as the City of Middletown Employees and Elected Officials for the large disproportionate number vouchers in Middletown by okaying the number of vouchers currently in use. 
I do not agree with this statement

Mr. Adkins, Ms. Gilleland, and current elected council had no hand in the current up of vouchers in Middletown. 
I agree with this statement

However, your friends at CONSOC and some current city employees did have a hand in this rapid increase in vouchers. 
I’m not friends with the people at CONSCO however I did have a discussion with a council member at the time of the change and voiced my concerns about the way the inspections were going to be completed by a firm outside of Middletown and I believe I have been proven correct in my concerns.
and yes some of the current city employees were involved in the increase

Vivian, No One is being Hurt by the reduction of S8 Vouchers in Middletown.  The worse that could happen is that the voucher program is shuffled off to Butler County.  And the people who have vouchers in Middletown will continue to have vouchers in Middletown. 
I guess we will need to wait and see what happens down at City Hall.
I still believe that HUD will not reduce the number of voucher here in Middletown.

Pacman

Better yet, let's get our congressman John Boehner to call attention to this issue of cities having issues reducing Section 8 housing.

Proscessor-Vivian, I don't know much about the history of section 8 in Middletown, but I do know that the huge number of vouchers in Middletown is very detrimental to the city and to the residents.  Our cost has gone way up and the quality of life in Middletown has gone way down.  I feel for the people who may not be getting the vouchers, but they need to go somewhere else and/or figure out a way to provide for themselves.  The huge numbers of section 8 is a huge drag on the city directly and indirectly.  The cost of police and schools are much higher than they would be without the section 8.  Increased crime is a huge cost to victims.  Major companies won't invest because the demographics (ie too many poor people) won't support their businesses and this reduces the amenities in Middletown which reduces the city's ability to attract new residents which reduces our property values which then continues the cycle.

Processor
I agree with everything that you have stated above.
This was a ROYAL SCREW UP, a TOTAL FAILURE of City Hall from the City Council Members, City Managers, and Department Heads.
And just think, our tax dollars were used to pay their salaries while they destroyed our city.
With that said you must also remember that the landlords and the tenants have rights. 

Processor, while I agree with everything you said it's not as easy as let HUD sue us.  As Vivian stated before as a recipient of HUD monies, the City submits a plan to HUD as to what they will do with that money.  If you don't follow the plan, they simply cut off your money.  It's used for more than just Section 8 Housing and could do more harm than good to lose eligibility.  Vouchers need to be reduced but not at the cost of all HUD programs.

Processor,

How do you come up with the idea that removing money from the local economy would be good for the city? What possesses you to decide that the poor should leave and "figure something out" to support themselves? Are you an employer? A moving company? Should we just give all the Sec. 8 families a one-way bus ticket? Your lack of compassion and understanding isn't really a surprise but I do wonder where you come up with this kind of logic.

Having said that, I agree that the city should never have accepted all those vouchers. However, what is done is done. The city needs to work with HUD to reduce the number of vouchers through attrition. A lawsuit would only drain more money from the city fighting a battle they are destined to lose. Middletown isn't getting out of the current death spiral until they can bring living wage jobs to the city. Until that happens, poverty and crime will continue and once those Sec. 8 vouchers are finally reduced, you won't have that excuse to use for why Middletown is in decline.

Processor,

The fact that the money the federal government gave to Middletown was spent poorly wasn't the fault of the Feds but the city. Poor plans and even poorer execution doomed the downtown mall and Lake Middletown. The fault here wasn't the money spent but how it was spent. No amount of money would have prevented the slide of prosperity in Middletown that wasn't associated with bring jobs to the city. Armco was the one-trick pony in town and when their employment started to decline and they moved their corporate headquarters out of town, the city started to decline as well.

I do hate to break this to you but we are all dependent. It's a complete fallacy to think that you are self sufficient when you don't grow your own food, produce your own electricity and supply your own water. The good people of Middletown do not support removing all Section 8 housing but there is no question that Section 8 is out of balance with the rest of the county, the state and the nation as a whole. There won't be a significant increase in the welfare of Middletown until living wage jobs are brought to town in large numbers.

Tony,