Avon Lake Church To Provide Low Income Housing In Lakewood?

[Rick Uldricks]

Rick,

If that blue Monte' Carlo came down your street bumpin' "Penny Lane" or "Let it Be" would you still call LPD on it every time it rolled by?

***washing hands***

you betcha.

[Dee Krupp]

[dl meckes]

Dee-

There are three buttons that you should be able to see: Quote, Edit and X.

The "X" button is the delete button.

[Dee Krupp]

Dee-

There are three buttons that you should be able to see: Quote, Edit and X.

The "X" button is the delete button.

Thanks...but I only see the Quote & Edit buttons.

[Frank Murtaugh]

First of all, how DARE anyone criticize someone for baggy pants or types of clothing? Or their legal behaviors? That is simply none of your affair. Period.

Secondly, as has been said, there are serious laws regarding discrimination that will get you in very serious trouble if you in some way, discriminate against someone, particularly if they want to rent from you.

Then you are indeed the problem;

Not some child on the street with baggy pants.

You.

Some may view wearing baggy below the crotch beltless pants, at times without the uniform of the day boxer underwear, as just a tad vulgar and rather uncivil behavior.

When the thought police are not around, some may even DARE to criticize such behavior. Perhaps a father might DARE to have elemental dress standards for his sons. Perhaps an employer or God forbid, a school, might DARE to set and even enforce elemental dress standards. Perhaps even Bill Cosby might take heat for DARING to point out the crudeness of the saggy pants fad.

Perhaps an employer or a church might DARE to take exception to certain "attire" worn during services.

Perhaps other citizens view the fad as a "in your face" endorsement of the worst of the hip hop "culture". Maybe there are a few people who "DARE" to be horribly judgmental and so politically incorrect as to DARE hope for at least some elemental modesty and decency.

Last I checked property rights are protected by the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions. Landlords still have the right to be very, very discriminate during the rental process. Obviously, refusal to rent to a prospective tenant solely because of race is wrong and illegal. Judging by recent statistics, this illegal activity is not a problem in Lakewood.

[Gary Rice]

As I am known by my words, so are all of you, by yours.

Thanks Ivor. Remember, you represent a big part of Lakewood's future. Many of us have walked these old roads before.

Just remember that your friends and neighbors aren't the enemies here. I think that this is just an old battle with ideas and philosophical points of view that many people thought were long gone.

Turns out, they weren't, I guess...

Now, it's your turn to sift out the Truth.

That should not be too hard to do.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Bill

Funny, how do we go about a citywide housing project?

It seems to me that much of the good ideas that came out of various programs has fallen by the wayside.

How do we get back on track?

I thought I would have seen you tonight.


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[Dustin James]

You don't know who these people are. Give me a break. These could be people who lost their jobs due to outsourcing and just need a new start. They could be the salt of the earth. They could have gone bankrupt due to medical expenses for a sick child. (By the way the number 1 reason for bankruptcies is medical expenses.) Many of us have needed help from time to time. Some of us are luckier than others and can ask a parent or friend if we need help. For some that friend is a church.

Very nice sentiments and all hold an emotional heart string. But also a premise created on the positive side of 'what if'? All people could and should be the salt of the earth. I truly used to believe that. But you are fantasizing in public. Why wait for Avon to send them in? Put up billboards in all the surrounding areas asking for "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" Yep, right from Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty. The nobility of it is unquestioned. The reality of it is another thing entirely- unless you're as big as New York, and even they are having trouble keeping up.

You mention the number one reason for bankruptcy is medical expenses. Where? If you simply Google the category, you will find a trend that says the number one reason is to eliminate the legal obligation to pay many of their debts. http://www.bankruptcyhome.com/top10reasons.htm

- Medical is number four of the top ten.

Can we judge people by the quality of their character and not their pocketbook? This is a church that is doing this - and I would assume that these are parishioners, so I doubt that you have people drinking or using drugs or doing other anti-social behavior.

How exactly do you judge character? If it is not behavior and abiding by some social parameters of a civilized environment, then what is it? Sorry, rhetorical question. The assumption here is that they are all church going parishioners in some 1930's movie, starring Spencer Tracy. Nice thought. Too nice.

The church is helping with job search according to the resident. They are helping the people to be self sufficient. Isn't this better than giving people tents to live under the bridge downtown?

So let me understand this. Another town brings this "opportunity" to Lakewood. You worry that if you don't embrace it, the alternative is to give these people tents to live under bridges downtown? I agree --that is an outrageous position.

Avon should pay for the tents.

Be careful what you embrace. For every warm hearted premise you lay out above, there is an opposite. What if they are none of the above--after you have had a chance to assess their human "character" (has nothing to do with the hysterical race phobias posted here from either end). HOW do you get rid of them? Simple question. Do you have a contingency plan to take it back? Because believe me, if you get undesirables in, just try to get them out if it goes bad. What do neighbors and other law abiding citizens do?

Because for all the wonderful heartfelt emotion around doing GOOD, what happens when THEY do bad? WHAT is the contingency when you open your city with loving arms and you get shat upon? I'm not kidding.

I'll remember Lakewood as the City of Homes... not the City of Housing.

Be careful friends (of all colors, creeds, religions, etc), you have choices.

.

[Lynn Farris]

I took my son to the dentist today and after I finished reading my book, I opened the April 2007 copy of Good Housekeeping. Imagine my surpise to see an article on Housing Discrimination and Fair Housing Laws!!!. Unfortunately I couldn't pull the article up to post here.

Most Housing Discrimination is subtle now. Landlords are too bright to post signs that they only want white people or heterosexuals, or Christians. Instead they find other ways - such as let the tenants pick those with whom they are most compatible. But make no mistake it still exists and I would venture to guess that Lakewood is no exception.

I agree it is interesting that an Avon Church wants to establish homes for their parishoners in Lakewood instead of closer to home. Maybe they are discriminating too and have a NIMBY attitude. I don't know any of these people. They may be salt of the earth or criminals. But doesn't everyone deserve to have a place to live and to have a second chance? Many are critizing these people without having actually met them or learned anything about them other than the church was assisting them. I would have to think of all the millions of people that need help, there has to be some reason the church picked these people to assist. They must of selected them for some positive reason. I pray that I am right and these people prove to be an asset to Lakewood.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I agree it is interesting that an Avon Church wants to establish homes for their parishoners in Lakewood instead of closer to home. Maybe they are discriminating too and have a NIMBY attitude. I don't know any of these people. They may be salt of the earth or criminals. But doesn't everyone deserve to have a place to live and to have a second chance? Many are critizing these people without having actually met them or learned anything about them other than the church was assisting them. I would have to think of all the millions of people that need help, there has to be some reason the church picked these people to assist. They must of selected them for some positive reason. I pray that I am right and these people prove to be an asset to Lakewood.

Lynn

First I hope you are right. But I am really not that worried about this family. That is the least of my worries. I don't care if they are career criminals.

I worry about the next 250 families.


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[Dee Martinez]

I guess Im still a little unclear about the origin of this thread.
Do we know for a fact that "an Avon Lake church is paying rent for families to live in Lakewood?"
Not generically "affordable safe housing"
Specifically Lakewood?
I belong to a church too and I have a hard time envisioning any church saying, "well pay your rent if you live in (name a community)"

Are you sure the church isnt trying to find affordable rent and that Lakewood is the closest, most affordable community? Facts are facts, and there really isnt a lot to rent for cheap n Avon Lake. The townhouses on Chester visible from I-90 start in the high-$700s (although ironically, they DO take Sec 8
Or is it also possible that a MEMBER of the church owns rental property in Lakewood and may be offering the church a break on rent?

This whole premise seems a little funny. I cant imagine sitting in my pew on a Sunday morning, opening my bulletin, and seeing "Help Move a Family to Lakewood". To the churchgoers here, do you see what Im saying?

[Jim DeVito]

[Bill Call]

I guess Im still a little unclear about the origin of this thread.
Do we know for a fact that "an Avon Lake church is paying rent for families to live in Lakewood?"

The information came from a friend who was approached by the landlord.
The landlord thought he would like to know that his new neighbors would be taking advantage of a program started by a church in Avon Lake.

The landlord lives in Avon Lake. His neighbor is affiliated with a church that is seeking to provide relocation assistance and temporary financial help to families in need. The general idea is to relocate families, pay their rent for a short period of time (six months or so) and then remove the financial assistance.

[Bill Call]

Bill

Funny, how do we go about a citywide housing project?

One street at a time.

[Donald Farris]

Hi,
I wanted to share several of my views on this church from Avon Lake working to fill our empty rental units.

First, I'd like to thank them. We have a number of empty rental units in or City and filling these units with people that are associated with a church is a good thing. If I was a landlord renting one of these units, I'd want to get to know the church (perhaps there is already a relationship between some of the landlords and the church).

Second, I think Lakewood should be happy to accept people that want to improve their lives. That my friend is our history. I honestly believe all those people that moved from Lakewood to Avon Lake have a correct notion and an incorrect one. The correct notion is that Lakewood is a great place to get a family started. They know this because they did it. Of course, they want these people working to build their lives to start here in Lakewood. It a great place to start building your lives. The incorrect notion they have is that in order for themselves to be labeled "successful" they had to move out of Lakewood. That just is not true, but they didn't know till it was too late. Now they are stuck out there with all that traffic and the poor city services and no place to walk. To them I say, "Come on back! Lakewood is better than ever". I'm sure they will be told this from all the new renters they are helping build their lives.

I have to admit, the way this thread has turned has kept me from reading all the posts. We must always try to look to the best in any opportunity presented to us. Please, keep an open mind.

There is greatness among us.

Find it.

Be it.