My problem with those who receive Low Income Housing

I know many people in the city of Philadelphia alone who are on Low Income Housing (Section 8) and Welfare. It’s nothing wrong with getting the help needed to live because life can be very hard and harder on others. I don’t like the fact that many, especially women, abuse the system, take more than what they really need and leave nothing left for those who actually need the help with food and financial. On my way to work in the morning, I see the same things in my area. Women who drop their kids off to daycare or preschool and go back home to sleep and do nothing else. How do I know you may ask? Well if they had anything else to do, you would have on a uniform or work clothes of some kind instead of sweat pants, adidas flip flops and scarf on their heads. Of course with the exception of those who work at night and are single parents. What also kills me are the “drop off chicks”. Everybody knows at least one that drop their kids off to their parents or grand-parents and spend too much money on weave, shoes, makeup and nails but don’t have job the first. Welfare works wonders.

Anywho, the real reason I’m writing this blog post, the housing situation. It pisses me off to see or walk past Low Income Housing areas and to see it look like shit! Excuse the cussing but if you really needed the help with housing, you would figure people would act as such, right? They destroy the housing that’s provided and forget it can also be taken away. Or can it? I’m guessing not. Knowing someone that works for subsidized housing, they just go in, fix it up and make it nice, neat and clean for the next person to tear it up and move out. Same cycle. People don’t think nor do they care. Most of these houses or apartments are city owned and are just provided for women with kids and low income. Therefore, if you know you can not afford anywhere else to go/live and the city of whoever is willing to help...treat the housing as if you give a damn. I’ve been in a few to visit. The carpet is atrocious, front door is always open when the weather permits, kids running around everywhere and in and out the house, young men and women sit outside all day in the front smoking marijuana, trash is everywhere but in the can, more drinking, bodega and chinese spots than anything else in the area and loud mouth talking is the norm. Hey it could be worse and some places are but some are actually not that bad. Crazy because when gentrification occurs, they are upset now having to move in areas that are way worse than where they were or are put on a waiting list. Now crowding the local shelters. Not thinking that gentrification happens when the area gets too bad, homes and apartments are beyond run down with roaches and filth and the crime rate is out of control. After that, it’s a trickle down effect. From the homes it goes to the neighborhood rec centers, libraries and then business’.

These people are then forced to leave losing what they worked hard for and no longer being able to pay the rent that has now increased. It’s sad because the business has usually been at that location for years and the owner expected to stay longer. There are now WaWa’s, expansion of colleges/universities, 711’s, laundromats and newer homes that take over damn near leaving most people with low income homeless. All it takes is to think. If they would appreciate and take care of where they live, 8 times out of 10, gentrification would not happen because of triflin tenants. Many don’t foreshadow before making a decision or are even willing to save when having to work part-time to make their situation better. Most of the bills they have are already getting taken care of so what’s left could be in a savings account. Instead money is spent on frivolous things trying to show off what you don’t have on a daily basis. How are you competing with anyone in your neighborhood or building when everyone is in the same boat and situation? If they knew better, they would do better I guess.

People need to at least think of the children involved and wonder how their lives would turn out if they don’t leave  the projects or bad areas for low income to lead a better life and example for them. Staying stuck there creates more crime, poverty and all around bad decisions thus making the city gentrify for better. People don’t realize when they go to certain areas and it’s a mess and uncomfortable, usually PEOPLE living there are the creators of the madness. I know the city has their own rules and regulations but it’s not that bad to the point of wanting to destroy it and that’s where you lay your head. It creates tension and makes it harder for those who really need the help to receive it. Think.