Cheap housing, but only for citizens

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longi ... 4953.story

Cheap housing, but only for citizens

BY BART JONES
Newsday Staff Writer

June 6, 2006

In an effort to encourage affordable housing, East Hampton Town is discussing a new program to streamline the process for creating low-rent accessory apartments - but only legal residents need apply.

The program, which the town board is expected to discuss publicly for the first time today, would allow homeowners to sidestep the normally laborious process of applying for a building permit to construct accessory units through the planning board and other town entities. Instead, it would be handled directly through the building inspector's office as an administrative matter, town officials said.

The idea behind the pilot program is to create at least 100 apartments townwide with monthly rents between $900 and $1,100 and stem the loss of middle-class residents leaving because of high rents, said Councilwoman Debra Foster, who is spearheading the effort.

But Foster said that if the proposal meets the approval of the town board, only people who are in the country legally would be eligible to apply as either landlords or tenants.

"My first priority, and I'm not going to back away from this, would be our year-round people that live and work here and are legally here," she said. "If you're here illegally, you're not first on my list right now."

Undocumented workers live in communities across Long Island and are not eligible for government programs. A county official who asked not to be identified said that, to his eye, the East Hampton proposal would be legal.

Some Latino activists said they were alarmed by language in a town memorandum on the proposed program stating that "homeowners and tenants must provide ID with photo such as driver's license and passport as to status of citizenship (green card and/or visa)."

Amado Ortiz, a local architect, said he was generally supportive of the program to create low-cost units, but said the language about legal residency might stoke anti-immigrant sentiment.

He said he met Sunday with town officials he would not name and they agreed to remove the language from the memorandum, which left him satisfied.

For her part, however, Foster said yesterday she will remove some of the language, but would stick to her guns on the key provision that only legal residents would be eligible.

She said undocumented immigrants living there could take advantage of other programs.

900-1100 is cheap for Long island, usually 2-3 bedroom apts in a complex run 13-1500 a month depending on where it is. And that does not include electric but sometimes heat and hot water.

have no problem with this. i think is a wonderful idea. they must take care of certain things and make sure of others so no abuses take place, but i love this program.

wondering, will a legal person w/o a license be able to get an apartment? will they do a real check of any info? and what happens when illegals get a real social and use the name and number on the card? but outside of things such as these, like it. and what if the main person is a citizen and the rest are illegals?

i do think this is part of the solution. many companies have to let go peopel due to insurance cost. this is turn gives us conditions where illegals may get the job. perhaps tancredo and others can help develop some program win which companies will get cheap or free and easy to understand insurance if they follow certain rules.

"will get cheap or free and easy to understand insurance " there is no such thing for working Americans.

then perhaps your boy tancredo can make that happen. and if you can get it yourself or your job can give it to you, then perhaps you willg et that job. and if you get that job, then some hb-1 worker or illegal will not be as likely to get it.

you keep saying that americans will do those jobs if they pay enough. i agree with you. in many ways doing things like these will do more than soem fence will do. any chance attrition has of working must include this.

Get yourself a spell check it sure would help us make sense of some of this troll jibber jabber.

i admit not to be the best typist or writer, but the point still holds.

what will you do with those that can't prove they are citizens? many poor people don't have cars or a license. and that is the only form of id they would gotten anyway.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheInquisitor

i admit not to be the best typist or writer, but the point still holds.

what will you do with those that can't prove they are citizens? many poor people don't have cars or a license. and that is the only form of id they would gotten anyway.

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not if we can't make heads or tails of it, hehaw

so that is your reply? can you look pass that and say that tancredo should or shouldn't do that? that insurance reform should or shouldn't take place.

perhaps it was a waste of time to come here after all. no real issues.

This isn't Ameircans for Insurance Reform.

Now I understand, you are lost. Would you like me to help you google insurance reform?

Dixie

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dixie

This isn't Ameircans for Insurance Reform.

Now I understand, you are lost. Would you like me to help you google insurance reform?

Dixie

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or you could help him find the google map link :wink: (to Mexico)

TheInquisitor,

You write nothing but nonsense. How boring! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'll take the bait on this "poor citizen" issue.

My husband and I have been married for 13 years, and have two kids. Until now we have not owned a car (we simply could not afford to). We were given one by a friend who knew someone, it was an 86 Subaru and there would be little for a trade in. We were grateful and have cherished it since.

So this issue of no ID does not stand. My husband did have his license and I had state ID, we also had birth certificates to prove we were born here and are citizens, and could even prove our parents were born here also.

There would be no reason citizenship could not be proven, even from the poorest of legal immigrants, they have some sort of documentation to verify their legal status.

The only ones who cannot verify would be illegals. I thought about the homeless and even they can get ID through a shelter, with programs that help them get ID's and restart their lives, but then again I do not think many homeless could afford those rents.

Hey, if you're here to be a part of things, don't flip flop around with this attitude towards people, either you are part of the solution, or you are part of the problem.

Well said AmericanElizabeth!!!

I agree most Legal citizens should be able to produce documentation proving citizenship! The only problem is that the illegals will probably buy their fake documentation showing their legal, just like they buy fake documentation for other things.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longi ... 4140.story

Housing plan excludes illegals
Affordable-housing proposal would not allow undocumented immigrants; experts say program is legal

BY BART JONES
Newsday Staff Writer

June 7, 2006

A proposed affordable-housing program in East Hampton Town that would exclude undocumented immigrants got a major boost yesterday when a majority of town board members endorsed the concept - including the provision limiting the program to people in the country legally.

The program, which the board discussed yesterday at an afternoon work session, calls for issuing permits to 100 homeowners to create accessory apartments in their homes that would rent for $900 to $1,100 a month. It is aimed at creating lower-rent apartments in a high-rent town.

"I have enough trouble providing homes for the residents of East Hampton and those immigrants that are here that came here properly," said Town Supervisor William McGintee, who supports the proposal. "We're a country of laws. ... We'd be in a sorry state if we chose to cherry-pick what laws to enforce."

Experts said that they believe the proposed program is legal.

One East End Latino advocate said the town was turning its back on undocumented workers who play a crucial role in the local economy. "I think they want them to sleep in tents," said Benny Torres, head of the Southampton Town Democratic party. "Whatever happened to 'bring us your tired and your poor?'"

East Hampton Town Board members Pat Mansir and Pete Hammerle said at yesterday's work session that they support the proposed program, which board member Deb Foster is spearheading. Only one board member, Brad Loewen, said he had not made up his mind about the legal residency provision.

After protests from some Latinos, Foster yesterday removed language from a draft proposal referring to requirements for landlords and tenants to show identification documents, including driver's licenses, green cards, passports or visas. But she said the requirement itself - that landlords or renters would have to be in the country legally - would stand.

Mansir said the town, first settled in the early 17th century, is faced with "kids who are 11th and 12th and 13th generation and there's no room for them. ... We have people who are part of the fire service and part of the police service and they're trying to find a roof over their head."

McGintee and Hammerle said employers should assume responsibility for finding housing for undocumented immigrants.