Housing costs.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

I got sent to that seminar too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3RF3nbreBE

The ice cream story seminar?

I served TDY time twice at Dyess AFB and Abilene's not all that pretty.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by catswiththum

Also, what are the criteria for becoming approved as a homesteader?

You mentioned working and playing by the rules.

Say family A has a 25,000.00 income. Their credit score/income is too low to qualify for a mortgage and they are unable to save for a down payment. Does a gov. agency investigate? Does the gov. determine available work is there for family A and should be taken? Would the gov. require family A to move to another city/State? Does anyone in family A have marketable skills? Would the gov. require/provide training?

Do we want the gov. involved in the mortgage business again (more than they already are)?

What about family B who has the same income but has managed to keep a good credit score and save some money? Do they qualify?

Rather than this, I think an updated version of the WPA to fix the crumbling roads and bridges across the country would be a better alternative.

An updated version of the WPA would have to be a part of the 'job' part of this program. Government as employer of last resort will be necessary to fulfill the 'right to a job' promise.

Spots in the program would be scarce and prized for a long time, though ultimately I'd envision this becoming fairly generally available. Initially, sorting would be competitive, and family B would get in first. Ultimately, if you want a slot, you should get it, absent demonstrated very bad behavior. The idea is we're transforming society, and the program is for everyone, not sorted into 'more needy and 'less needy.'

All off the top of my head, totally subject to revision.....

[barbara]

Thinking out of the box........

A while back I was working with a group that had some innovative ideas about housing.

For example..... There are skeletal remains of shopping centers that have long since lost their anchors and smaller businesses.

What not convert that structure into senior housing?

Along with housing units, they can have a medical clinic, pharmacy, and grocery store within the same structure.

Takes care of housing, socialization, and transportation to doctor and grocery.

Many good ideas out there.

Finding the money to make it happen is another issue.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by barbara

Thinking out of the box........

A while back I was working with a group that had some innovative ideas about housing.

For example..... There are skeletal remains of shopping centers that have long since lost their anchors and smaller businesses.

What not convert that structure into senior housing?

Along with housing units, they can have a medical clinic, pharmacy, and grocery store within the same structure.

Takes care of housing, socialization, and transportation to doctor and grocery.

Many good ideas out there.

Finding the money to make it happen is another issue.

Sure. Put apartments around the outside walls, cut windows and outside doors for them. Lots of space in the center for services and activities. The thing could be a town.

[barbara]

An example:

http://www.npr.org/2015/01/18/378162...under-one-roof

[nailer]

The Caves of Steel

[donquixote99]

What works:

Here are some views of 'Overlook,' an 'emergency' housing project built for war workers in Dayton during WWII. These were small cheap units, there was no thought that they would continue in use after the war:



This gif shows several views of the overlook complex today:



It survives as affordable housing owned by the tenants in a 'mutual housing' scheme. the interesting part is that it survives so well; today it is a community that despite the inherent low quality of the housing stock, is well-maintained and well-loved by it's residents. The sense of community there is tremendous; it's a shining example of a neighborhood that works.

It's worth looking into why.

A link to their website: http://www.overlookmutualhomes.com/