Sep 22 - Some fancy neighborhoods open gates to Section 8

Here's an odd side effect of South Florida's foreclosure crisis: Some immense homes with pools and three-car garages in gated communities are being rented out to unlikely tenants — poor people paying with Section 8 aid.

Among the properties are homes with up to 4,500 square feet of space in private communities with guardhouses and regal names such as "Monarch Lakes" and "Bellagio at Vizcaya."

Here's an odd side effect of South Florida's foreclosure crisis: Some immense homes with pools and three-car garages in gated communities are being rented out to unlikely tenants — poor people paying with Section 8 aid.

Among the properties are homes with up to 4,500 square feet of space in private communities with guardhouses and regal names such as "Monarch Lakes" and "Bellagio at Vizcaya."

Some see irony in that sprawling homes, once pushed to dizzying values by the machinations of unscrupulous Wall Street financiers, now are occupied by the very poor.

"Poetic justice," said Dorothy Ellington, president of the Delray Beach Housing Authority.

One recent online ad for Section 8 properties pitched a large home in Greenacres in central Palm Beach County for $2,000 a month rent: "Excellent 5 bed 3 bath with pool in a gated community."

The house, on Wishing Star Lane, had been foreclosed on by the homeowners'[..]ociation for unpaid fees and purchased at auction this summer.

Abandoned, it had fallen into disrepair and is being renovated by the new owners to include amenities such as central air and a dishwasher, but not high-end items such as granite countertops and sunken tubs.

"We cannot afford to do all that," said Vibha Thacker, who is marketing the property for the owner. "But we are making it nice. We are not making it luxury."

Homes cannot be rented with government vouchers unless they are inspected and determined to be safe and in good repair by local housing authorities, which rely on standards set by HUD.

Landlords then advertise that the property is "Section 8 approved." Many listings are found on the Internet at Section 8 Housing Search | Section 8 Houses For Rent | Section 8 Housing List | GoSection8.com or at housing authority web sites.

In Miramar's gated Windsor Palms neighborhood, homeowner Melbourne Maxwell receives $2,521 a month rent split almost evenly between taxpayer and tenant for his five-bedroom home, which narrowly escaped foreclosure. Maxwell relies on the steady government rental income to hold onto the house.

"It is huge," Maxwell said. The second-floor bedroom is so big, "You could play football up there."

Generally, the larger the family and the more bedrooms in a house, the larger the payment voucher. Federal rules require the homes have at least one bedroom for every two people in the household. (Living rooms and even garages with windows can qualify as bedrooms in some cases.)

section 8=crime

[pic]


Hate those animals. If you're on section 8 you shouldn't be living in the 'burbs, PERIOD. Okay, maybe 2 or 3 families MAX. Get these broke !!heads the !! up outta here.

Because.................. These "people"............... More often than not.................. Are criminals and scumbags who drag the value of the community down dramatically.............. It's opening the way for the next "white flight"............. These poor bastards are making the place turn to !!..........

Because.................. These "people"............... More often than not.................. Are criminals and scumbags who drag the value of the community down dramatically.............. It's opening the way for the next "white flight"............. These poor bastards are making the place turn to !!..........

property value is about to plummet. smh

if you haven't worked hard enough in life to make it to a point where you can afford homes like that then you shouldn't get to live in one, period. Why should somebody have to pay $600/month for some crappy place and live broke to afford it when people like this get free rides into nice houses