Cities must eventually deal with problem of immigrant housing

Officials in one Southern town reported finding 12 cots in the basement of a 1,300-square-foot house where immigrant workers slept.

Some cities report immigrant workers go together to rent houses or apartments, then sleep in shifts to save expenses.

Hartselle resident David Woods keeps pressuring his city to do something about similar situations.

As yet, he's unsuccessful. Jeff Johnson of the development department brought up the possibility of a lawsuit against the city if it addresses the problem of redefining what constitutes a family.

Mr. Woods took his request to the Planning Commission this week for a change in the definition of a single-family residence.

This may be the time for Hartselle and other municipalities to take the risk of being sued. Having 20 million illegal immigrants overrun American society is a major problem.

It's more of a problem to allow them to adversely change our standard of living and our culture.

Mr. Johnson makes protecting property values almost too difficult to attempt. "The definition of family is just one of hundreds of issues that needs to be addressed in our ordinance," he said.

As Larry the Cable Guy might say, well, "Get 'er done."

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