This space is currently rented on a section 8 contract lease @ $350.00 monthly, of which the tenant pays $84.00. The unit comes unequipped and the tenant is responsible for Gas & Electric, Water, and Sanitation. The lease is under review and due to be renewed in April.
So why don't I just move?
I can walk to Kroger, catch a bus a block away, it's Downtown in a "Historic Neighborhood", the neighbors are tolerable, and it makes more sense to make a purse than look for a prettier pig... For the most part, the unit is a shell with the exception of the bathroom fixtures (new tub/shower) and the kitchen cabinetry. Furnace & Hot water heater in basement. All the other furnishings are what I brought with me or have salvaged from neighborhood rehabs.
I find it perplexing when I read about city and community leaders negative comments and disdain for "residential rental property". On one hand, there seems to be too much in certain neighborhoods and the solution is to turn poor tenants into struggling owners. On the other hand, luxury apts, lofts, artists studios, etc are seen as a key to the Covington
Renaissance and attracting the "Right" kind of renters to populate the Downtown Core.In either case, it seems to me that the real key is to lower
turn-over by improving quality of life.
My Rental Dilemma
Single male, 49, Terminally Ill, SSDI of $721.00/mo, smoker, relies on public transportation, desires to be within walking distance of laundry, major grocery, etc.. I have reached the end of my Journey with just my Social Security, Medicare and Uncle Sam. I have no need or desire to own any property and will be a renter for as long as I have left. As the
current fair market value for a 1 Bedroom apt is $503.00 at the high-end, there has to be something better out there.
FAIR MARKET RENTS
*Amounts determined annually by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
For Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN to include Boone, Campbell, Kenton counties
EFFECTIVE: OCTOBER 1, 2003
1 Bedroom $503
2 Bedroom $672
Rents generally vary according to location, quality of unit and amenities to name a few factors.
I would be more than willing & able to pay more than $84.00 a month rent for some nicer appliances, more storage, laundry, better bathroom, etc. - especially if the rent included the water & sanitation and my Gas & Electric wasn't so
high. Currently my Shelter Costs of Rent, Water, Sanitation, and Communication average $160 for 22% of income. When you add in my current average Gas & Electric bills, it brings my total costs for maintaining my Home to $450 or 62% of my monthly fixed-income. But I did the unthinkable, I butted heads with a previous landlord and took him to task for turning off my heat in December and was eventually
evicted as a matter of principle, losing most of my possessions. And the several letters I've written to HUD probably doesn't help my case either! I have a reputation!
Corner protrudes approx 3' X 4' creating 5'9" alcove
Bath adjacent to kitchen is approx. 5'6" X 7'7"
"What would our community look like if it were a really healthy place to live?" The National Civic League (NCL) posed this question to neighbors in hundreds of communities across the country. This is how people everywhere responded:
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A clean and safe environment
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A diverse and vibrant economy
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A place that has good housing for all
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A place where people respect and support each other
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A place that promotes and celebrates its cultural and historical heritage
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A place where citizens and government share power
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A place that has affordable health care for all
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A place that has good schools
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A place that has and supports strong families
But we are moving away from this ideal. In the Gannet News "Mood of America" poll, 76 percent of citizens agreed, "there is less concern for others than there once was."
We must be careful not to over generalize, since some Northern Kentucky communities may not fit these trends fully, or even at all. There will always be crosscurrents and countertrends. A few communities may have high levels of interconnectedness and public participation, with few glaring social problems and plenty of resources. But these communities are the exceptions.
Is the solution financial? Solutions often cost money, so, of course, more public funding to address local problems would be helpful. Support these efforts, but realize that in the present economic and political climate, success will not come easily and will cost each of us more than money. We need to understand there are no short-term solutions. We need CommUNITY Leaders who will engage, listen and translate the words into compelling long-term actions.
Leaders who can then garner the support of government, private sector, faith community, public sector organizations and residents for the action plans.
Residents, along with the people who work, worship or have roots in a community need to be seen as an alternative resource, as someone with something important to share.
The task is to identify these alternative resources, then to coalesce and organize them, to plan, develop, implement, and sustain multiple community wide solutions. This will not happen all by itself. The structure for organizing and mobilizing community resources is generally not in place. A big plus is that people, 63 percent in one poll, believe that people are willing to pitch in and fix what is wrong in their communities, if they knew how. Mechanisms for
involvement are rare, but do exist. Let us identify these processes and bring them into our communities.
America is the great democratic example, but because we lead there is no blueprint. America's greatness has been due to our ability, on the national, state and local levels, to find common ground. To large extent, it is our ability to reach consensus through civil discourse that has contributed to our greatness. Today, in our communities, neighborhoods, media and even in our legislative bodies, far too often, a difference of opinion is painted
as evil, making constructive dialogue impossible.
In doing this work, the Boston Foundation developed "Seven Guiding Principles for a New Social Contract."
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Incorporate those directly affected by policies at the heart of dialogue and community building.
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Value racial and cultural diversity at the foundation for wholeness.
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Promote active citizenship and political empowerment.
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Build on community strengths and assets.
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Ensure access to fundamental opportunities and remove obstacles to equal opportunities.
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Support and enhance the well being of children and their families.
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Foster sustained commitment, coordination, and collaboration based on a shared vision and mutual respect.
We hear congress can't get anything done, or that government can't get anything right. We are a democracy; the government is a reflection of ourselves.
The task ahead will be long and is not easy, so it is important we get started. In the words of Bobby Kennedy: "The future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellow man alike, timid and fearful in the face of bold projects and new idieas. Rather, it will belong to those who can blend passion, reason and courage in a personal commitment to the ideals of American Society."
excerpted from the "White Paper on Poverty in Northern Kentucky"
A Good Place to Live - Summary
Section 8 Housing Quality Standards
For a house or apartment to be a good place to live, it must meet two kinds of housing quality standards:
Things it must have in order to be approved for the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
Additional things that you should think about for the special needs of your family.
These standards apply in six areas of a house or apartment.
1. Living Room
2. Kitchen
3. Bathroom
4. Other Rooms
5. Building Exterior, Plumbing, and Heating
6. Health & Safety
When a house or apartment meets the housing quality standards, it will be a safe, healthy, and comfortable home for your family. It will be a good place to live.
After you find a good place to live, you can begin the Request for Lease Approval process. When both you and the owner have signed the Request for Lease Approval and your HA has received it, an official inspection will take place. Your HA will inform both you and the owner of the inspection results.
If the house or apartment passes, a lease can be signed. There may still be some items that you or your HA would like improved. If so, you and your HA may be able to bargain for the improvements when you sign the lease. If the owner is not willing to do the work, perhaps you can get him or her to pay for the materials and do it yourself.
If the house or apartment fails, you and/or your HA may try to convince the owner to make the repairs so it will pass. The likelihood of the owner making the repairs may depend on how serious or costly they are.
If it fails, all repairs must be made and the house or apartment must be reinspected before any lease is signed. If the owner cannot, or will not, repair the house or apartment, even if the repairs are minor, you must look for another home. Make sure you understand why the house or apartment failed, so that you will be more successful in your next search.
