According to the HUD website: http://www.hud.gov/ , there is a big federal push to get the state housing authorities to buy into “deconcentrating poverty”. There is no real documented proof that this social experiment of deconcentrating poverty works. Apparently this action is to be done without notifying the receiving communities, and without regard as to how the receiving communities are affected by having Section 8 public housing projects in their neighborhood. Each Public Housing Authority (PHA) must adopt an admissions plan to place relatively higher income families in lower income developements and lower income families in higher income developements to help eliminate concentrations of poverty. To our knowledge only lower income families have been placed into higher income neighborhoods. Stone Manor Luxury Apartments were purchased for use as Section 8 subsidized housing as well as Mahogany Row on Weatherly Rd. and another apartment on Hobbs Rd. And the Huntsville Housing Authority is just getting started. http://www.huntsvillehousing.org/NewsDetails.asp?ID=25
If there is not one near you now there soon will be according to the HHA’s plan which focuses its efforts on south Huntsville.
Huntsville Housing Authorities 5-year plan:
www.huntsvillecommunityrights.com/uploads/HHA_5_year_plan_as_of_April_09.pdf
(The short paragraph gives you all the pertinent details of the plan. The plan focuses on south Huntsville because of the good schools and other quality of life factors.)
The Huntsville Housing Authority (HHA) is given its powers by the state as a public coorporation, but functions as a private company whose commissioners are appointed by the Mayor of Huntsville. The Huntsville Housing Authority has complete autonomy and is not accountable to any elected official of city, state or federal government. However, the HHA must follow HUD law and guidelines in order to continue to receive HUD (federal) funding, but beyond that they are without any kind of oversight.
The concern is that the HHA, as well as all other state Public Housing Authorities, control millions of dollars of tax payer funds and have no accountability or checks and balances for their plan or how it is implemented.
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely…” John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902).
HUD guidelines are limited leaving any laws governing Public Housing Authorities in the hands of the states. Alabama gives the Housing Authorities their powers, but does not limit them in anyway. However, a HUD law that was applicable has been removed. (See: http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/centers/sac/demo_dispo/24cfr970.pdf See page 702 paragraph 3 section C and following about PHA getting governing body’s approval i.e.: The Mayor and/or City Council for the PHA’s plan.
Also, as well as federal monies, the HHA is funded by state and local tax dollars. The HHA is empowered by the state to use eminent domain which allows them to seize private property at will…anyone’s private property, including yours.
Part of the Councill Court public housing next to Huntsville Hospital has already been demolished. According to the HUD website: www.hud.gov/offices/pih/centers/sac/demo_dispo/24cfr970.pdf every unit of public housing that is demolished must be either purchased or rebuilt somewhere in the municipality where the old public housing was torn down, unit per unit. Since HHA is planning on tearing down all Section 8 public housing projects, a Section 8 public housing project is coming to your neighborhood in the near future.
The multi-million dollar Councill Courts property next to Huntsville Hospital is up for sale by the HHA. It is estimated by local real estate agents that this property could be worth 70-80 million dollars. The proceeds of this sale go to the HHA. Since the HHA is a non-profit organization, any profit by the HHA apparently goes to the city of Huntsville.
According to the Huntsville Times, State Representative Mike Ball and State Senator Arthur Orr have recently introduced a bill that would strip a municipal housing authority’s right to use eminent domain to seize private property. Such authorities could still acquire property, however, as long as a majority of the city council approves it and public notice is given at least 30 days before the proposed council action. This bill has yet to pass and will face fierce opposition according to Rep. Ball and others.
Let your voice be heard…Please call your Senator and Representatives and ask them to support this bill because this effects all of Alabama not just Huntsville.
Go to this site to find your Alabama state senator: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senators/senateroster_alpha.html
Go to this site to find your Alabama state representative: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/houseroster_alpha.html
Get involved in your Community Organization:
http://www.huntsvillecommunityrights.com/
Find the latest news and commentary about the Huntsville Housing Authority:
http://www.flashpointblog.com/
HUD website – this is a page indicating HUD’s ideology:
http://www.huduser.org/rbc/search/rbcresults.asp?query=+AND+TopicID+in+(3
(This website is not intended for the general public, but for housing authorities’ management nationwide.)
State Law: Title 18 (eminent domain) and Title 24 (housing authorities):
www.legislature.state.al.us/CodeofAlabama/1975/coatoc.htm
(The HHA can seize private property at will.)
Huntsville Municipal City Codes:
www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?sid=1&pid=12962
(There are no city codes that give any elected official oversight or approval of the HHA’s housing plan, yet this plan affects all of Huntsville.)