Fairness In LIHTC Elusive

No Mistake ... No Voice for Tenants

The holidays and their aftermath fading memories, my plan is to retire the blog, and focus on publishing a professional newsletter. I admit the speed of my momentum in 2015, has been disappointingly slow, so here's a post, maybe the last post, in "A Grateful Age." I am grateful, truly grateful for so much. I don't have it easier than most elder Americans. On the contrary. I can work from home, if I choose. I have a wonderful, loving family, caring friends and the companionship of a wonderful animal. I don't suffer, nor do I work with the suffering elderly, as do people I know.

     Colorado Gerontological Society volunteers and staff daily deal with the forgotten elderly ... impoverished, abandoned and in poor health. The most President Obama seems able to do is continue to decline to link Social Security Cost of Living Adjustments to the chained Cost of Living Index. From the get go, however, President Obama has shown himself willing to significantly help any population of Americans over elder Americans.

     Among the many things for which I am grateful is my apartment and my ability to stay in it. It is a tax credit set-aside, or LIHTC. It is also a modern high-rise building in an attractive development, populated (thank you, God) by people, most of whom work. What we have in common is our need for affordability in our housing. Tax credit housing sounded like a dream come true for so many of us. I treasure my space, privacy and the ability to continue living independently. I'm delighted not to live elbows-to-tits with exclusively elderly neighbors.

     All that said I should be grateful for a chance to show off the apartment to the building investors ... right? Nuh uh. I received the notice of a coming visit and tour by bank officials. This occurs annually and is the second of our annual housing inspections, one required by my lease. I declined to welcome the bank inspectors. I am a private person; my apartment is where I work, and it is my refuge. None of these Kahunas of banking would invite me to his or her home to have a look see.  I did put qualifiers on my refusal to comply, saying I might be more inclined, were the landlord and management company (one and the same) not mediocre and were this not a segregated development, one side for the younger, whiter, prosperous kiddos, the other, for ethnic minorities, the disabled and elderly. I have not received a reply. None is required, as I know the management wants to avoid my venting to the bankers.

Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards. -Eric Holder

    Tax credit housing throughout the country has been criticized for its role in furthering segregation, not just according to income level, which is bad enough, but, by ethnicity. At conception tax credit housing was put in the regulatory hands of the I.R.S. and the Department of Justice. Financing is multi-layered. For residents of the housing this translates to no voice or representation, in the face of violations of The Fair Housing Act. HUD is dismally poor at enforcement and public housing authorities do not soil their hands with meaningful advocacy. Sure, a PHA will send someone to show tenants how to form a resident council, but, a resident council without power, backing and a voice is as effectual as a bridge club for resolving housing issues.

   

Okay that's it for the rant. Baby, it's cold outside in Denver today. My dog, Lolo, likes "Alaska State Troopers" on Justice Television, plus it's almost tea time. You bet I'm grateful!