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From NBC News
HARTFORD, Conn. — The mold started in the basement. But it soon spread to every corner of Rondesha Brooks’ government-subsidized apartment, covering the walls of the living room, the back of the couch and even her daughter’s shoes. The stench quickly filled the house, and Brooks, 28, feared for her daughter, who is 12 and has asthma.
"It’s not safe to live in,” said Brooks, who works as a cashier at a fast-food restaurant.
A federal housing inspection in February confirmed living conditions were abysmal — not just in Brooks’ home, but throughout the 52-unit Section 8 development known as the Infill apartments. The property scored only 27 points out of 100, far below the 60 points needed to pass the mandatory health and safety inspection.
The failing score was supposed to prompt swift action by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the building’s private landlord, who has a multimillion-dollar federal contract to rent the property to low-income residents, according to records obtained by NBC News. With citations for exposed wiring, missing smoke detectors and bug infestations, the Infill units racked up 113 health and safety violations — including 24 that HUD deemed “life-threatening.”
COMMENT:-
I can't understand the problem, after all Dr Carson lives in a house in an urban area so he should be an expert on housing and urban issues.
PS - You might not have noticed it, but there isn't a hint in the article that HUD has suspended payments to the landlords until the landlords actually provide the quality of housing that they are being paid to provide.
PPS - The issue here is NOT whether the tenants have any right to expect housing (regardless of quality) but whether the US government has a right to expect to receive 100% of the contracted services in return for 100% of the contracted price. Obviously if you can deliver 64 key pianos and get paid for 88 keyed pianos, that's just "smart" business - right?
Under Ben Carson, more families live in HUD housing that fails health and safety inspections
HARTFORD, Conn. — The mold started in the basement. But it soon spread to every corner of Rondesha Brooks’ government-subsidized apartment, covering the walls of the living room, the back of the couch and even her daughter’s shoes. The stench quickly filled the house, and Brooks, 28, feared for her daughter, who is 12 and has asthma.
"It’s not safe to live in,” said Brooks, who works as a cashier at a fast-food restaurant.
A federal housing inspection in February confirmed living conditions were abysmal — not just in Brooks’ home, but throughout the 52-unit Section 8 development known as the Infill apartments. The property scored only 27 points out of 100, far below the 60 points needed to pass the mandatory health and safety inspection.
The failing score was supposed to prompt swift action by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the building’s private landlord, who has a multimillion-dollar federal contract to rent the property to low-income residents, according to records obtained by NBC News. With citations for exposed wiring, missing smoke detectors and bug infestations, the Infill units racked up 113 health and safety violations — including 24 that HUD deemed “life-threatening.”
COMMENT:-
I can't understand the problem, after all Dr Carson lives in a house in an urban area so he should be an expert on housing and urban issues.
PS - You might not have noticed it, but there isn't a hint in the article that HUD has suspended payments to the landlords until the landlords actually provide the quality of housing that they are being paid to provide.
PPS - The issue here is NOT whether the tenants have any right to expect housing (regardless of quality) but whether the US government has a right to expect to receive 100% of the contracted services in return for 100% of the contracted price. Obviously if you can deliver 64 key pianos and get paid for 88 keyed pianos, that's just "smart" business - right?