More Sanctions Bashing...

The media is on a quest to convince the public that the Employer Sanctions law will hurt the Arizona Economy.  Here's a classic example from this morning's Republic. 

Arizona's employer-sanctions law is driving illegal immigrants to leave the state, as intended.

The departures were first felt at stores and businesses that cater to such immigrants. Sales suddenly dropped.

Now, apartment complexes, especially those with affordable rents in neighborhoods with large immigrant populations, are feeling the effects. Individuals and entire families are moving, leaving behind empty apartments that can't be filled.

Hmm, apartments are vacant.  That's a bad thing and it's the result of the employer sanctions law. 

But earlier this week, the Republic spun this story as being a good thing and having a different cause. 

Hundreds of low-income families have safer, more affordable housing now that Phoenix has successfully reduced a vacancy rate in its public-housing program that was double the national average.

The city attributed the gains to the hiring of temporary workers last year to process applications, interview applicants and prepare units for occupancy. They also developed a program to help applicants pay their security deposit, which has allowed some families to move in more quickly.

Golly, the City of Phoenix spends over $700,000 to hire temporary employees to recruit families to move into subsidized apartments and for some reason the owners of private apartments can't compete.  Shocking. 

The same thing is happening in Tucson as well.  With a massive slowdown in the construction industry, the high rate of real estate vacancies state wide, and the massive efforts of the City of Phoenix to move families into subsidized housing, is it any surprise that low end private apartments are sitting vacant?

Just one more example of the media manipulating the facts to promote its own agenda. 

Comments

[ron]

Whatever the cause of the vacancy rate in residential housing, I received this today. I think we would all do well to heed these concerns. There are at least 2 vacant houses on my street between 37th Ave and 39th Ave.

1-30-08

Re: Empty/Vacant Residential Properties
Blight and Criminal Risk to Arizona Neighborhoods
Metal Recycling Industry

Dear Community Stakeholder,

Please add the following information to your file. Please forward to members of your
organization or committee dealing with this neighborhood issue.

These are suggestions to take and enact proactive measures to reduce the risks of the escalating volume of vacant residential properties in Arizona neighborhoods, as we wait out the stabilization of the Real Estate market.

It is well understood that the most vulnerable at risk communities will likely bear the brunt of the fall out from Sub-Prime lending practices and Mortgage Fraud and resulting criminal risks.

The boarding up and securing of vacant residential properties needs to be expanded from securing window openings and exterior doors and gates, to include securing the electrical service panels and the entire Air Conditioning/Heat Pump mechanical systems.

The boarded up vacant home at 5820 N. 42nd Lane in Phoenix demonstrates several unaddressed problems. The vacant boarded up home has well secured window openings and door entry ways. The gates to the back yard are missing from the front and at the entrance to the alley. It appears the transients may be sleeping at the location. There are also indications that there is pedestrian traffic from N. 42nd Way, west through the property to the alley. Graffiti vandalism is present.

There is no posting for an emergency contact or responsible party on the property. There is no posted No Trespassing signage at the property. This prevents neighbors, Block Watch organizations or Neighborhood Associations or local police squads from contacting the property owner to alert them about the deteriorating conditions. With out a posted No Trespassing sign and executed Authority to Arrest document, local police departments are limited in their ability to respond when there is an unidentifiable victim.

The entire electrical service panel and roof mounted Air conditioning/Heat pump has been stripped. All metal features on the exterior of the home are being removed. Historically when there was access to the interior of vacant homes, all recyclable metals and interior mechanical systems would also be removed. This theft and vandalism may only be reported by the titled owner, to local law enforcement agency.

Given the projected 20,000 mortgage foreclosures predicted for Phoenix alone, I think it would be prudent, responsible and proactive to require that the Arizona owners of this category of properties be required to:

1. Post Emergency contact information and ownership information on the main entrance door to the property, on a laminated water proofed notice.

2. Post and execute No Trespassing signage at the front and rear of the property. Execute all required No Trespass documents with local Law Enforcement agencies.

3. Schedule the property for periodic field inspection and maintenance.

4. Secure exterior openings to residential property and all exterior mechanical systems.

Ten years ago the home at 3835 W. Montebello Ave. was surrendered with a Deed in Lieu of foreclosure back to the lender. The lender "lost" the file on the property for a period of 18 months. The vacant home became blighted. The lender refused responsibility for the property. The local jurisdiction absorbed the expense of a title search to prove the lender to be the responsible property. It was only due to the vigilance of the active Block Watch and with the assistance of the Neighborhood Preservation Department that the activities described as occurring at 5820 N. 42nd Lane did not arise.

In the past 5 years another notorious foreclosed property at 5802 N. 42nd Lane owned by Washington Mutual took almost 4 years to be returned to a habitable home. The extremely high cost of rebuilding the property and reluctance of the lender to absorb the financial loss that occurred under the lenders watch created a stubborn stand off. The families living nearby absorbed the years of blight and nasty side of this. This can be prevented and must be prevented.

Given the projected volume and ever upwardly adjusted numbers of foreclosures, I would appreciate your active support and endorsement of the ideas presented in this email. Any feed back or additional ideas you might have are very welcome. Please let your concerns on this issue come forward.

Lastly, on the subject of the role the Metal Recycling industry has in the incentive to vandalize and strip vacant residential properties here is my comment. I am unfamiliar with the enforcement and funding mechanism put in place in last sessions legislation. I will be educating myself on that. However within the past week, I was present when a local recycler accepted items that were clearly stated on their sign as prohibited items, as items that would not be accepted.
Thank you.

Sincerely,
Montebello Ave. Block Watch
Sevilla Neighborhood Association
Phoenix, AZ

[ron]

Greg, you wrote,

"Golly, the City of Phoenix spends over $700,000 to hire temporary employees to recruit families to move into subsidized apartments and for some reason the owners of private apartments can't compete."

First, the city was being cited by the Feds for their lack of attention to this issue. If I recall, the city was at risk of censure if they failed to deal with the issue.

Second, people who qualify for subsidized housing do so under strict guidelines, namely, income restrictions. People who entered into these subsidized units were probably living with others who helped pay the rent.

Third, to suggest that opening up subsidized housing has created thousands of vacant apartments is disengenious at best.

Fourth, the law of 'intended' and 'unintended' consequences are kicking in and some conservatives are gloating about this. Of course, if you are not an owner of rental property (I am such owner), you probably are amongst the gloaters.

Fifth, if there is not a major reduction in property values in my September card from the county which tells how much I have to pay in taxes, I will be joining thousands who will be protesting at the ballot box in November as well at the County offices.

[DKinTucson]

FACT: On the second Monday in January, I went to the MVD in Tucson at the Broadmoor location. I have been there many times for personal and corporate vehicle licensing. This was at 10AM and I was cussing myself for being so late, as I expected to encounter a long line of illegals waiting to get legal with new drivers licenses and vehicle license. (never mind they have NO insurance)

Dang, I stated to the clerk that I need a new vehicle title and they gave me a ticket and I swear within ten seconds my number was called. There were 20 clerks available and it seemed there were no illegals bulking up the lines and holding up legal tax paying residents like me.

Wonder of wonders, the massive lines for government services was GONE! Geez, do you think the employer sanctioning bill sent them all squirting straight through AZ to another state that does NOT have an employer sanctioning bill.

Mr. Editor: demand to see the stats from every State of AZ MVD location and compare the January 2007 to January 2008 MVD service stats. I think you will be amazed at a 40% decrease in traffic.