Is it possible?

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10-23-2009, 03:32 AM
Haveaniceday

Is it possible?

It came to my attention that it would be possible to house everyone who needs a home in America. All the homeless, all the low income, everyone could live in decent, crime free housing in the form of condominiums.
In the 60s, they had the same idea and built the projects. However, we could change the rules. Recreate these condos and make them modern and then give away free housing for everyone who wants it in exchange for a commitment. We would require the owner guard the condo where we live against property crime. We would require they check up on the elderly and disabled and go shopping for them. We would require they learn to fix and then fix simple plumbing and electrical problems.. We would require they do bi-annual painting of all interiors and exteriors. In exchange, all housing would be free.
We give prisoners free housing don't we?
The cost to build these condos is minimal, maybe $7,000 per unit if done en-mass. Drywall is dirt CHEAP and that is 90 percent of the material in a house or condo!!! How do I know? I am a licensed property adjuster and deal with this stuff every day.
The owner would be responsible for insurance, condo fee and local property taxes. Since the condo is worth $7,000 these fees should be minimal and could be paid for by a part time job working just a few hours a week. Those who couldn't work could pay due to disability could pay with their government subsidies. This would also pay for regular security guards (bouncers) of each condo to take care of anyone who didn't belong.

What happens if they do not abide by the rules? There would be a condo board and they would get kicked out. It would definitely be in their best interest to cooperate. We can do this.
10-23-2009, 05:19 AM
The Space Pope

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haveaniceday

It came to my attention that it would be possible to house everyone who needs a home in America. All the homeless, all the low income, everyone could live in decent, crime free housing in the form of condominiums.

First, what makes you think that those places would be crime free? Oh yeah, I forgot, only poor/homeless people commit crimes. Second, who'd pay for all of this, and where would these places be built? Many major cities (the ones that have a higher concentration of homeless) are already crowded enough as it is land-wise, why 'waste' prime real estate for bums?

Also, not everyone who's on the street wants a home. I know I didn't want one for quite some time.

Quote:

In the 60s, they had the same idea and built the projects. However, we could change the rules. Recreate these condos and make them modern and then give away free housing for everyone who wants it in exchange for a commitment. We would require the owner guard the condo where we live against property crime. We would require they check up on the elderly and disabled and go shopping for them. We would require they learn to fix and then fix simple plumbing and electrical problems.. We would require they do bi-annual painting of all interiors and exteriors. In exchange, all housing would be free.

That's all well and good, but this little happy community ^_^ thing just doesn't happen, especially in the projects. Do you really think some drug dealer is gonna say "oh gee whiz, I'm gonna turn my life around and change the diapers of old women because I care."

Quote:

We give prisoners free housing don't we?

Yes and no. Ever wonder why prisoners only make like 30 cents an hour? Room and board. In Oregon, you actually have to pay restitution of $17,000 for every year you were incarcerated, not sure if they still do that though.

Quote:

The cost to build these condos is minimal, maybe $7,000 per unit if done en-mass. Drywall is dirt CHEAP and that is 90 percent of the material in a house or condo!!! How do I know? I am a licensed property adjuster and deal with this stuff every day.

Materials may be cheap, but land is not. Neither is tearing down a structure or refurbishing one. And I'm pretty sure that wood/steel beams, pipes, wiring, cement, tiling, insulation, and drop ceilings make up more then just %10 of a condo, and that's just the basic materials.

Quote:

The owner would be responsible for insurance, condo fee and local property taxes. Since the condo is worth $7,000 these fees should be minimal and could be paid for by a part time job working just a few hours a week.

What about taking regional cost of living into consideration?

Quote:

Those who couldn't work could pay due to disability could pay with their government subsidies. This would also pay for regular security guards (bouncers) of each condo to take care of anyone who didn't belong.

Cameras would be far more efficient, the project I lived in didn't do so well with human security because most of them were just harassing people while they were shooting dope in the hallway.

Quote:

We can do this.

Haha yes I agree, and we can build condos in Atlantis and ride marshmallow pooping dragons on our way to our jobs as the X-Men.
10-23-2009, 05:28 AM
rubah

I've kinda wondered what would happen if foreclosures had squatters take over. Could be useful
10-23-2009, 05:34 AM
The Space Pope

Worked for me and my roaddogs for like 4 months.

Some places go ape:bou::bou::bou::bou: over that sort of thing though, because alot of them just go in to gut the place of copper.
10-23-2009, 11:01 AM
Timekeeper

It would be nice if the world worked like that. :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haveaniceday

The cost to build these condos is minimal, maybe $7,000 per unit if done en-mass. Drywall is dirt CHEAP and that is 90 percent of the material in a house or condo!!! How do I know? I am a licensed property adjuster and deal with this stuff every day.
.

Why are drywall and the other products used so cheap? They probably shouldn't be. Someone must be paying with something else, whether that's the lives of people in 3rd world countries, the environment or just plainly cutting corners in general.
10-23-2009, 11:43 AM
Madame Adequate

It sounds nice, but the thing is that what we now call the projects were built on exactly the sort of ideas you put forward. They were intended to be a glorious social revolution which changed housing and helped people bring themselves up; they quickly turned into dens of drugs, poverty, and prostitution.
10-23-2009, 03:44 PM
FaithWontFall

It sounds like a really nice idea, and you have thought a lot on it, because you had some good arguements:)
I think it'd be great if everyone who wanted one could have a house, so im going to say it could work. Even if people has to share the same house at least its a roof over their head (though i dont believe anywhere will ever be crime free.)
One day...:Dmaybe
10-23-2009, 05:03 PM
rubah

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timekeeper

It would be nice if the world worked like that. :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haveaniceday

The cost to build these condos is minimal, maybe $7,000 per unit if done en-mass. Drywall is dirt CHEAP and that is 90 percent of the material in a house or condo!!! How do I know? I am a licensed property adjuster and deal with this stuff every day.
.

Why are drywall and the other products used so cheap? They probably shouldn't be. Someone must be paying with something else, whether that's the lives of people in 3rd world countries, the environment or just plainly cutting corners in general.

It's just plaster. A cheap material that happens to be good at insulating, but not so structurally sound
10-23-2009, 06:44 PM
black orb

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haveaniceday

Is it possible?

>>> Of course is possible, but not in america..
10-23-2009, 07:01 PM
Bunny

I did not read the majority of the first post or subsequent posts. That said, I don't want to pay extra taxes in order to give hand outs to people that don't deserve them.
10-24-2009, 05:10 PM
Meat Puppet

Why don’t you renege on those awful slavery laws? I’d gladly spend tax dollars which go toward the capture and training of these homeless folk. And then you see, it works out because blk ppl could finally become the massahs and that will finally resolve all those years of repression
And then I’d finally be able to get that nasty tattoo I want
now that’s equality!

Hmm, I apologize for my terrible grandma in this post. I got some sort of toxic fume in my brain and now things aren’t kind of working like they used to.