[RP TownTalk] multiple families/apartments

Jeffrey Yorke yorkedial at gmail.com
Fri Apr 23 19:39:07 UTC 2010


Don,

I have no idea where you got the idea I live in Gaithersburg. I don't. Never
have. I live not far from you, own my own house, and have had the same home
phone number since 1957. My brother an I also pay monumental property taxes
in Riverdale Park and have spent more than $300,000 in the past five years
improving my property.  Let's be clear:  we have a vested interest in
community improvement. But we don't trade in racism, phobia of immigrants or
all things foreign. (However, for the purpose of full disclosure, we both
drive American-made cars by American-owned companies.)

As far as your number of homeless people, I would be interested to see your
data and I wonder if the number is higher or lower than those homeless on
say 10 Street NW., Nannie Helen Boroughs Drive  in SE, or along MacArthur
Blvd. in Glen Echo.? Do you have any idea? I've never thought of Riverdale
Park or Hyattsville being mecca for the homeless but perhaps this old
reporter has missed something?

Would it be better for the would-be homeless to be inside, maybe crowding a
house, rather than on the streets? As one Town Talker noted yesterday, more
in a home paying the mortgage is better than a home going into foreclosure.
Sooner or later, people get tired of living too close to each other and they
do find ways to get their own space.

The other answer to the overcrowding problem is to move to a wealthier
neighborhood where the overcrowding problem is less an issue.

Jeffrey Yorke






On Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 11:58 PM, Don Lynch <dlynch at garretroomstudios.com>wrote:

> Mr. Yorke,
>
> I don't live in Gaithersburg, like you, so you are probably unaware that
> there over 2000 homeless people living in the Hyattsville/ Riverdale area. I
> don't believe that a few more living outside an illegal single family home,
> operating as an apartment building, will impact our community.
>
> Don
>
> Jeffrey Yorke wrote:
>
>> Bruce's theory is only one scenario in the Big City of immigration in
>> America. And in landlording. Most landlords are not out to beat the tax
>> system illegally. At least not the ones in my sphere. And we are also not
>> out to take advantage of tenants, citizens or undocumented immigrants.
>> Long before America's recent invasions/wars broke the bank, families and
>> friends have been doubling up in houses. And in apartments. Part of it has
>> been economic beyond the economy, part of it is cultural. My own Ukrainian
>> relatives packed into a small house made for a fifth of the number of those
>> who lived there. That was during Calvin Coolidge's administration. And it's
>> happened to every immigrant population since, not to mentioned US born
>> Americans. It's just more obvious to communities when the gang is
>> "outsiders." And we immediately think they don't belong and that they are
>> here illegally. A whole lot of assuming is going on here.
>> One more thing: Americans are generally a people overhoused. Too darn much
>> space for each person in a single house. Bathrooms that go on for acres,
>> kitchens large enough for Emeril Lagasse to do his show. Should we be
>> astounded when someone from a different culture takes new approach to
>> otherwise wasted space?
>> As far as fear of property values going down because "too many" people
>> live at one address, consider if these same people were forced to live
>> outside the dwelling, on the street. Property values would be really down
>> then. And that would be the least of our problems.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 8:00 AM, <bruce.wernek at mindspring.com <mailto:
>> bruce.wernek at mindspring.com>> wrote:
>>
>>    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 <mailto:OurDollMom at aol.com>,
>>        wheadle at yahoo.com <mailto:wheadle at yahoo.com>,
>>        bruce.wernek at mindspring.com
>>        <mailto:bruce.wernek at mindspring.com>, nbmooney1 at yahoo.com
>>        <mailto:nbmooney1 at yahoo.com>, towntalk at riverdale-park.org
>>        <mailto: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>
>>        [mailto:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org
>>        <mailto:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org>] *On Behalf Of
>>        *OurDollMom at aol.com <mailto:OurDollMom at aol.com>
>>
>>        *Sent:* Tuesday, April 20, 2010 5:57 PM
>>        *To:* wheadle at yahoo.com <mailto:wheadle at yahoo.com>;
>>        bruce.wernek at mindspring.com
>>        <mailto:bruce.wernek at mindspring.com>; nbmooney1 at yahoo.com
>>        <mailto:nbmooney1 at yahoo.com>; towntalk at riverdale-park.org
>>        <mailto: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 <mailto: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
>>            <mailto:bruce.wernek at mindspring.com>"
>>            <bruce.wernek at mindspring.com
>>            <mailto:bruce.wernek at mindspring.com>>
>>
>>            *To:* Nancy Mooney <nbmooney1 at yahoo.com
>>            <mailto:nbmooney1 at yahoo.com>>; towntalk at riverdale-park.org
>>            <mailto: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
>>                <mailto: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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>>
>>
>> --
>> Jeffrey Yorke
>> Yorke Property Management, Inc.
>> Yorke Partners
>> Jeffrey at YorkeRents.com
>> 301-502-1243
>>
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>>
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>
>
>
>


-- 
Jeffrey Yorke
Yorke Property Management, Inc.
Yorke Partners
Jeffrey at YorkeRents.com
301-502-1243
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