When Fairway Oaks was developed eight years ago, it was praised by HUD Secretary Mel Martinez as "an excellent example of the public sector and private sectors working together to develop decent and affordable housing," said Martinez. "'Sweat equity' programs, like Habitat for Humanity, help more and more low-income families open the door to homeownership." Sweat equity. Right.
Now Habitat for Humanity, the "darling of liberal social activists," is being sued for sloppiness and a reckless disregard for the consequences of building on top of uncompressed garbage. 85 residents, dissatisfied at the quality of their free lodgings paid for by the likes of Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt, have hired attorney April Charney to sue someone, presumably Habitat for Humanity.
Charney seems psyched. She says that people should have been told that they were living on a garbage dump. She may have a point there, but if these people were buying their homes instead of occupying free ones, it's a safe bet some would have asked.
In 2002, Gary Garczinski, president-elect of the National Association of Home Builders, stated, "Building 101 homes in 17 days is next to impossible, but the Northeast Florida Builders Association rose to the occasion and completed the task."
Apparently it isn't impossible to build the homes that quickly, but it is impossible to build the homes that quickly properly.
He went on, "This is a perfect example of what homebuilders can do in cooperation with their local government with the help of Habitat for Humanity. We would like to see other cities take on this challenge and meet with the same success that was experienced here in Jacksonville." The President of the National Association of Home Builders didn't notice the shoddy construction on a garbage dump? No wonder Ms. Charney seemed so psyched.
The Times Online reports NOW that one man pulled up his floorboards to find 5 feet of garbage buried underneath, the children living in the complex have skin conditions, and no one who lives in the free complex can seem to hold down a job, although that problem seems to pre-date the complex itself.
If they weren't being built shoddily, which surely they were, then SURPRISE - people who live in free homes often don't take care of them properly! Someone should tell these residents- You get what you pay for.
No comments:
Post a Comment