Affordable Housing

[pasayten]

Jonnylucy » Sun Nov 21, 2021 3:18 pm

I didn`t intend to drag Methow housing trust into the conversation. I should have said a new yet to be determined entity that would oversee the organization. I will edit the post to reflect this.

[pasayten]

alfrandell » Sun Nov 21, 2021 2:54 pm

i had high hopes for the housing trust, perhaps because of the name of the outfit.
when i checked, they are definitely NOT trying to fill in the burned homes, and the new homes that are needed.They take a few a few upper middle class couples per year, and help them to own a home.

not a bad trick, but the housing trust is not involved in the social safety net.
Rackem [get a round into the chamber?] states that there is no need for a social safety net. It is sink or swim.

So, we have one outfit that helps the wealthy, but it is used as the reason why there is no housing program here. It is used to asuage guilt. Nothing wrong with that! before you quote me, and list the very many helpful social programs that exist here. Dont bother. If there was an outfit that built homes for newly arrived workers, there would not be rooms going for 1000 per month, and a trailer slot with utilities would not be 750 per month.

If you are really rich, you may have forgotten how little workers earn. While you get at least 100 bucks for your hours, they get as little as 15 per hour. And, most of that is lost just being poor. if you do not know what this means, you would almost need to play a poor person video game to understand it. Watch as poor people run out of gas because they can never afford to fill up. Notice that they spend more for food than you do, even though they appear to eat mostly garbage. See them being led off to jail for behaviors that might be concidered strong, excellent behaviors in an eccentric wealthy person.

In any case, i have been searching for some way to pay for this housing. It will not work to point to the housing trust, and say, look, we are doing all that we can. We are totally failing. We are doing almost nothing to help with housing. Of my wealth friends, only one has allowed workers to live with them. they own multiple homes, but allow a firefighter family to share their home and property. Ironically, this 'sharer' seems to be the happiest rich person that i know. I can not guess if they share because they are happy, or are happy because they share.

I am starting to do better financially, and i now feel compelled to share. I give away anything that I am unlikely to use before my croakage. But, it seems that really wealthy people do not always have the need to share. This thread is about that group. The ones who do not share still use plenty of workers, but they do not care where the workers live.

If they got rich by gaming the system, they will game any tax as well. They will not pay it. So, we are providing new buildings in twisp and winthrop. They are not for low income housing. they are embelishments that are not necessary. a second library, and another park that is not used, and buildings in Twisp. There is some blah blah blah about the new buildings being needed by local children. hahahahahahahaha . that is what is always used to drive peoples outlook.

The children that will hang out at a computer in the new library will not be worker children. They live in huge buildings themselves, and do not require luxurious after school activities. We expect a town or a valley to grab onto new money, and fancy itself up. I believe that this thread asks: should a tiny fraction of the windfall be deployed to create a small surplus of housing that can reduce rents and make it easy to move here? Otherwise, we can use all of it for new sports facilities and public buildings.
Alf Randell

[pasayten]

karlukkid » Sun Nov 21, 2021 2:44 pm

I stand corrected, I heard of another org that had stricter requirements, Bruce Herron Wolf Creek
Bruce Herron Wolf Creek

[pasayten]

ctbehrens » Sun Nov 21, 2021 2:13 pm

Just so one's understanding of the Methow Housing Trust doesn't get in the way of fact, please visit their website. Here is the link to their eligibility page...

https://methowhousingtrust.org/eligibility
Christopher Behrens

[pasayten]

karlukkid » Sun Nov 21, 2021 12:08 pm

Also the Methow low income housing project is building more houses, However my understanding is that you have to be making over 100k as a household which in my mind is not low income and you have to come up with a significant down payment. I also would like to acknowledge all of the local groups that are assisting folks in this situation, like: Room One, The Cove, Kiwanis, Neighbors helping Neighbors, the Manger mall, etc. There will not be a single solution to this, it will require a broader initiative, Bruce Herron Wolf Creek
Bruce Herron Wolf Creek

[pasayten]

Reapward » Sun Nov 21, 2021 10:06 am

Agree David. I know I can't get something for nothing, that is why we pay our taxes, and granted they seem to be a bit out of proportion to what the very wealthy should be taxed. However, I know to provide a safety net for those less fortunate, that this is what we do. And I am taking advantage of that safety net with Social Security and Medicare, at long last.
Those with less income should indeed not be taxed as much, if at all. Determining that level is sometimes difficult, but the gov't bases it on what a family earns and if they are below a certain level then not as much or none is paid.
This could be construed as socialism, but to me it is helping our fellow humans out.
The issue of housing as we know now, is being worked on in Twisp and Winthrop. Has come a little late but maybe things will happen more quickly with people jumping in and trying to solve this problem.
The Valley's economy is now based on tourism, so to keep that tourism, we need to have living spaces for our worker bees. Bless their hearts.
Pearl Cherrington

[pasayten]

mr_coffee » Sun Nov 21, 2021 8:31 am

In the real world you solve real world problem with money. So if we decide that affordable housing is a major problem that needs solving, then we ought to be willing to figure out a way to pay for it.

I find it entertaining that most people, across party lines, region, and social class, expect more in government services than they are willing to pay in taxes. So at the heart of it most of us want something for nothing.
David Bonn

[pasayten]

karlukkid » Sun Nov 21, 2021 6:54 am

The folks with second homes here (vacant or otherwise) are paying taxes on their first home as well. Why is the solution for every problem more taxes? With respect to the aforementioned vacancy tax, who is going to keep track of the number of vacant days per house per year? Bruce Herron Wolf Creek
Bruce Herron Wolf Creek

[pasayten]

twisponite8 » Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:55 pm

I personally think it should be a vacant home tax. Also a higher tax on VRBO/Airbnb. People who can afford two homes, one left vacant much of the year can be taxed. If someone owns two homes and is willing to rent it out monthly or longer, should not be taxed at that same rate since it is work to own property.

[pasayten]

RACKEM » Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:02 pm

OH GREAT IDEA PENALIZE SOMEONE WHOS WERKED HARD TO AFFORD A (SECOND) HOME
AND AWARD THE THE ONES THAT JUST WANT TO LIVE IN GODS COUNTRY GO TO WERK AND
SAVE YER MONIES just sayin GO TO WERK

[pasayten]

Reapward » Sat Nov 20, 2021 4:17 pm

Good points Agnes. Just because people own a 2nd home here, doesn't mean they have the means to contribute $5000 per year.
No flak, but the idea won't work. People ideally should contribute what they feel they can.
I don't know if the Housing Trust could do something like a capital campaign.
Pearl Cherrington

[pasayten]

muchaloza54 » Sat Nov 20, 2021 2:50 pm

It might have to be defined by value of the 2nd home, because I know some 2nd homes are trailers and double wides and small cabins.
Agnes Almquist

[pasayten]

Yet another good thread zapped off the methownet BB... I had two pages of it saved...
If anybody wants their post removed, just let me know at pasayten@yahoo.com


Jonnylucy » Sat Nov 20, 2021 2:08 pm

I realize I am going to catch some flak for this idea but I want to throw it out there.
Perhaps a solution to the problem of lack of affordable housing should be a tax on those that can afford it.
My idea is to tax all second home owners 5,000 dollars a year and that money would go to the Methow housing trust or some yet to be determined entity. Defining who lives here full time or what the definition of a second home is would be among the many details for someone other than me to work out.
What do you think ? Steve