Apr 23, 2007

My public announcement on housing

I have a public announcement on the housing situation in Des Moines, the test run is already on video tape and DVD.The props are an air bed and ramein noodle soup and etc.
Contents :
In the 1950's it took one income to pay the bills.In the 1980's it took roughly two incomes to pay the bills.It is 2007 and it takes a full time job and a part time job to pay the bills or three adults in a household.Rent in Des Moines costs more then the average person can afford.What happens when you look at the low wage earners, the elderly and the disabled and single parent homes ? Des Moines is turning into an " Air bed and Ramein noodle soup " kind of community.
The homeless are always talked about but nothing much is done to help them. A few have died on the streets here. We've had several die in fires due to paying too high of rent and not having money for utilities. Then we have the near homeless who bounce between family and friends homes to stay off the streets.Their beds go with them as air beds are easy to move.
There have been alot of people here who have told me time and time again they cut the cost of groceries by buying ramein noodle soups and mashed potato flakes, peanut butter and cereals. It's cheap and not exactly healthy.
Des Moines is a city where lofts and condo's are being built. A lot of the residents in Des Noines will never see the inside of the lofts and condos , let alone rent them.The low income and elderly and disabled have very few choices as to where they can rent.They live in substandard housing or in the homeless shelter the city officials seem to have taken the place of low to moderate income permanant housing.
What about the job situation here ? We have corporate welfare, these companies bring in alot of low wage jobs with little to no health care and they collect city money. When you add all this up, it doesn't look good. How many people will end up living on the streets before someone does something ?
At the last housing voucher give away there was a fight in the line, even when they were told it could take a year before they are helped. The next time you see someone's Grandmother sleeping in a city of Des Moines bus shelter,you know why.
The city officials of Des Moines Iowa need cited for illegal dumping of human beings.

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