In DC, public housing tenants forced out, then homes flipped

[Judi Lynn]

In DC, public housing tenants forced out, then homes flipped
Ben Nuckols, Associated Press
Updated 12:44 pm, Sunday, November 29, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the rapidly gentrifying nation's capital, real estate investors aren't the only ones flipping houses for profit. The city's public housing authority is getting in on the action — moving aging tenants out of homes where they've lived for decades, renovating them and selling them to wealthy buyers.

The renovations, at a cost of more than $300,000 per home, are outfitting the houses with luxury amenities, and some of the houses have sold for nearly $900,000. Others, however, have sat vacant for a year or longer after tenants were forced out.

The housing authority plans to use the profits to renovate existing subsidized rental units and build new ones. But most of that work hasn't started, and none of the money has gone to new construction yet, according to the agency. Meanwhile, sales have been slow-moving and haphazard.

Some elderly tenants and their children have asked for an opportunity to purchase the homes, only to be rebuffed, even after spending thousands of dollars maintaining the rental properties.

More:
http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/In-DC-public-housing-tenants-forced-out-then-6663199.php

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Exactly what New Orleans did after Katrina.

They forced the tenants to evacuate, even transported them out of state, then boarded up the houses, and when the tenants tried to move back in, they were not allowed. Even tho some of the housing areas had NO damage what so ever.
Then the areas were gentrified. Companies got money for tearing down perfectly good houses, while other businesses got money for rebuilding.

Spike Lee covered some of that in his film about Katrina.
David Simon did the same in his TV series Treme.

[John_Doe80004]

2. this is also starting to happen here in Denver, Co

with landlords refusing to accept section 8 housing choice vouchers and the housing authorities not only not building new properties to take up the slack but also cutting back on affordable housing spending.

[tazkcmo]

3. Not quite the same.

Sec 8 involves private property owners, not public housing. In D.C., they government is house flipping using government owned housing. Private property owners have been doing this since private property was invented.

[John_Doe80004]

4. the way it is going here,,,

i say it is only a matter of time before some desk jockey gets the bright idea to start copying DC's move.

[appalachiablue]

5. Read about an apt. bldg. in DC last year where working class people had rented for years.

It's near Farragut Sq., 6 blocks from the WH. The owners decided to sell the property to condo developers and gave the current tenants first option to buy their places (probably by law). Asking price: $900,000.

Gentrification has been rapid and destructive in the last 10-15 years all over the US, and in London where an absentee ownership class just reaps profits from properties that are dramatically increasing in cost, never living in the neighborhoods or having any interest in their welfare.