Thread: Another report on crowding concerns

Another report on crowding concerns
Allison Brophy Champion
Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 4, 2008


What defines a single family? Can a family be too large for a single-family home? What if everyone is not related? Is it the government’s job to regulate it?

At one committee meeting or another, Culpeper Town Council has grappled with these loaded questions for the past year-and-a-half, ever since Councilman Steve Jenkins took office in July 2006 and began a multi-tiered crusade on illegal immigration.

The town’s latest analysis on overcrowded households – which some consider an issue tied to the new immigrant population – comes before the Ordinance Committee at its meeting Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Town Hall.

According to the report, region wide, it’s not that big of an issue anymore.

Getting “aggressiveâ€

Frankly, it's no ones business if people are related or not. We each have the freedom to live with whomever we want.

Defining who lives in the home is irrelevant. What IS relevant is how many bodies are too many in a 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom and 4 bedroom home.

Keep in mind that a 1 bedroom condo can also be a "single family" home, if it's owned by someone vs a rental apartment.

7 people in a 2 bedroom is overcrowded. 10 people in a 2 bedroom is dangerously overcrowded.

Homeowner's insurance will also not cover damages in case of fire in such a home.