[RP TownTalk] multiple families/apartments

Thu Apr 22 01:18:09 UTC 2010

Besides being eye sores and the town missing out on a huge rental tax revenue and property values going in the toilet, we should also be concerned about fire hazards. If one of these over crowed places caught fire it would be devastating.

________________________________
From: "bruce.wernek at mindspring.com" <bruce.wernek at mindspring.com>
To: "McDougall, Sherene (Law)" <Sherene.McDougall at ngc.com>; OurDollMom at aol.com; wheadle at yahoo.com; towntalk at riverdale-park.org; nbmooney1 at yahoo.com; towntalk at riverdale-park.org
Sent: Wed, April 21, 2010 8:00:26 AM
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] multiple families/apartments

Oh please, enough with the motherhood, this has been going on for years.  There are two houses around a block from my house that have/had multiple families living in them long before the economic downturn.  One of them, next to Ernie's Lock, was shut down about 18 months ago for this reason.  The other still has around four families living in it.

It's unfortunate, but many of these places are halfway houses for illegal immigrants/families.  This is the way it works.  A citizen or a legal immigrant buys a house.  To pay for the house he/she rents rooms to illegal immigrants/families.  Since the illegal immigrants/family have no identification, credit history, social security number(s), etc, it's difficult if not impossible for them to rent an apartment or find a regular job.  This means that they must work as day laborers and therefore pay their rent in cash.  It's perfect for the landlord because; there is no record of rent payments; there is no enforcement of rental laws because as far as the county is concerned the house is not a rental property; the landlord doesn't have to spend any money on maintainenance, insurance, etc. because again the house is "not a rental property"; enforcement of rental laws is lax if not non-existent; and the landlord doesn't claim the rent as income
 so he/she doesn't pay any taxes on it while still geting all of the related benefits that we taxpayers pay for.  Not only that, if the illegal immigrant/family is having difficulty paying their rent, the landlord can threaten to turn them over to the INS or just throw them out with absolutely no consequences.  The tenants have no recourse since they are not legal residents.

What a country! 

Bruce

-----Original Message----- 
>From: "McDougall, Sherene (Law)" 
>Sent: Apr 20, 2010 6:01 PM 
>To: OurDollMom at aol.com, wheadle at yahoo.com, bruce.wernek at mindspring.com, nbmooney1 at yahoo.com, towntalk at riverdale-park.org 
>Subject: RE: [RP TownTalk] multiple families/apartments 
>
>
>Please remember that in these times when a lot of people are losing their homes, families are bundling up and living with relatives so as not to end up on the streets.  I do agree that there are instances where unrelated people dwell in a home, but we are all trying to survive. 
> 
>Sherene
> 
>From:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org [mailto:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org] On Behalf Of OurDollMom at aol.com
>Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 5:57 PM
>To: wheadle at yahoo.com; bruce.wernek at mindspring.com; nbmooney1 at yahoo.com; towntalk at riverdale-park.org
>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] multiple families/apartments
> 
>Some time ago I went to a meeting about
>this topic.  The answer was the courts are
>so overloaded with serious cases that the
>judges will not hear or prosecute people
>who have multiple family members/friends
>living with them.  Also was mentioned that
>these people are trying to survive, make a
>living, send money back home, etc. They
>said the rules cannot be enforced.
> 
>In a message dated 4/20/2010 12:30:35 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, wheadle at yahoo.com writes:
> 
>>On the same subject, what is the maximum number of people allowed in, for instance, a 1 bedroom apartment?  Just curious...
>> 
>> 
>>
>> 
>>
________________________________

>>From:"bruce.wernek at mindspring.com" <bruce.wernek at mindspring.com>
>>To: Nancy Mooney <nbmooney1 at yahoo.com>; towntalk at riverdale-park.org
>>Sent: Tue, April 20, 2010 10:42:23 AM
>>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] multiple families/single family homes
>>I've noticed this too Nancy.  This is going on all over town.
>> 
>>Based on my understanding, the maximum number of unrelated individuals allowable by law is five per household.  I had to abide by this law when I had rental property in Hyattsvile.
>> 
>> 
>>-----Original Message----- 
>>>From: Nancy Mooney 
>>>Sent: Apr 20, 2010 10:33 AM 
>>>To: towntalk at riverdale-park.org 
>>>Subject: [RP TownTalk] multiple families/single family homes 
>>>I have begun to wonder what the impact is on our town of these many single family homes that are crammed with families.
>>>
>>>I know of one instance where a family of 4 shares a bedroom in the back of a house.  Another large family has the front of the house, and at least one other person is living in the basement.
>>>
>>>I think there are at least three families - by the number of 'moms' and kids I see.  (I'm assuming they are moms) in the house next to me - which has 4 bedrooms at the most.
>>>
>>>I know this group can be very caustic - please no insults about me being racist, or bigoted, or, whatever.  These people I'm speaking of are my friends.  But it just seems unhealthy and in the long run - a burden on the town services.
>>>
>>>What I would like to know is what are the costs to the town, and what can we do to reduce this impact?
>>>
>>>Nancy 
>>> 
>>
>>
>>
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