Laserfiche WebLink
<br />;"' 4-' <br /> <br />. , <br /> <br />TUESDAY <br /> <br />MARCH 11, 1980 <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />Mr. Oakes pointed to the fact that the new West Piedmont Housing Survey shows <br />a need for 426 assisted rental units and no need for assisted home ownership <br />units. <br /> <br />Mr. Brown and Larry Burnette, the Executive Director of West Piedmont, discussed <br />this at a previous Council meeting. <br /> <br />The City obviously has rehabilitation needs as evidenced by the fact that a <br />house-to-house survey in the areas that we are discussing tonight shows a need <br />for rehabilitation. <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />The West Piedmont Plan does not differentiate between rehabilitation and rental <br />units because it is not based on a house-to-house survey. West Piedmont updated <br />their housing study with current statistics, such as demolitions and building <br />starts, but the study is still based on 1970 census figures, not on a house- <br />to-house survey. <br /> <br />Another problem with West Piedmont's figures, as pointed out in the grant application <br />we are discussing tonight, is that the West Piedmont Plan shows less housing <br />assistance needs for the elderly and handicapped than are currently on the waiting <br />list for the City's Section 8 - Rental Assistance Program. <br /> <br />The fact is that we cannot adequately determine our total needs for assisted <br />housing unless we do a field determination of the relative conditions of our <br />existing housing, and this grant application includes $15,000 to pay for the <br />study. If we do not pursue this application we will still need the study and <br />it will cost our taxpayers $15,000. If we do pursue this application, the <br />study will be done with no local cost. <br /> <br />And, in opposition to the program and to the filing of a final application, Councilman West offered <br /> <br />the following prepared statement, which he prefaced with a cited illustration of abuse of the <br /> <br />lIWelfare System": <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />As taxpayers, we cannot properly criticize the federal government for its <br />deficit spending, inflation and waste if we as citizens are willing to accept <br />its handouts. It seems to me that Martinsville, which is a well-managed <br />prosperous community, will be guilty of a degree of irresponsibility if it <br />seeks help of this kind from an almost bankrupt federal treasury. If there <br />are people who would like to improve the homes they own, let us encourage <br />them to do it with their own resources. They should spend their own money <br />according to their own needs and desires instead of spending other peoples' <br />money for their personal use. <br /> <br />Inflation is the number one enemy of us all, whether taxpayers or recipients of <br />federal largess. It now approaches a mind-boggling high double-digit figure. <br />The lIspend and print money" policy of the federal government is primarily <br />responsible for this inflation. By accepting doles, we locally assist in <br />the continuation of this "funny money" policy. Simply, we the taxpayers <br />cannot afford this. There are already a multitude of programs by the <br />federal government - independent of local government action - that are <br />available to people of every circustance; the aged, the infirm or otherwise. <br />This City by its action should not encourage more. Again, the people can't <br />afford it. <br />