Petition Tag - housing

Hi,

President Obama has an important opportunity during the next congressional recess to help millions of homeowners with one simple step: replacing the man who's holding back the housing recovery with someone actually willing to help homeowners and taxpayers.

I signed a petition encouraging him to take the bold step of replacing Edward DeMarco, acting head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, with someone who'll do the right thing for the economy and the 12 million families who are in danger of losing their home.

Fannie should allow principal reductions on ALL homeowners who are underwater both current and delinquent.

Why do the banks send you a letter decling a loan modification and then go on to offer for you to short sale it for market value to someone else instead of giving you a loan modification at market value?

Ed DeMarco must go !
Can you join me

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Housing NSW is over-charging its tenant Elizabeth Anne Ciesiolka (Libby) at a rate of 50% of her gross income. It continues to charge rent on Child Support when Libby does not receive this. Housing NSW is sending letters to the tenant demanding the overcharged rent be paid and it can evict her from her home of 19 years on the basis of her failure to pay 50% of her gross income to it.

You can watch a YouTube video about this petition:
Short version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeCVCJ0TTZg&feature=youtu.be
Long version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoxdtCvk0Vs&feature=youtu.be

Housing NSW’s assessment of Libby’s rental subsidy application totals $213.30 rent per week but the documents provided by Libby show an annual income of $18,508, plus her son’s annual income of $3,735 totalling $22,243. The assessment charges rent at $11,073 per annum which is at a rate of 50% of the household’s gross income. This is causing severe housing stress and anxiety for Libby.

Housing NSW’s assessment of Libby’s rental subsidy does not refer to any of the documents she submitted and statutorily declared in her subsidy application. She has not been informed of why they were rejected. Housing NSW policies require she be informed in writing of any perceived irregularities in her documents but she never has been given reasons why they have been repeatedly rejected, although sometimes accepted, over the years.

Housing NSW's assessment and the following documents can be found in the contentious documents file at http://www.pdfhost.net/index.php?Action=Download&File=c8e0d2c07fdb7b8398889c8812bb782d

Rejected documents
• First Employment Income Details: This document was rejected as incomplete by CSO Nik on 7 August 2012 because it did not state income per week and was not marked with a Company Seal.

• Second Employment Income Details: stating income per week as $385.58 and marked with the Company Seal

• Letter from Child Support Agency stating that entitlement to Child Support would cease on 18 November 2011.

• Child Support Agency Certificate under ss.116(2) of the Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988 (Cth): showing that child support remains unpaid.

• Centrelink Income Statement: 7 August stating eligibility for Family Assistance but that no income is received fortnightly it is received as a lump sum at the end of the financial year.

Libby’s son:
• PAYG income tax statement 2012 and 2011 with 2012 showing that Libby’s son’s income averages $71.83 per week.

Contention
1. The amount assessed as $423.41 appears to be calculated from the rejected First Employment Income Details and therefore rejects the Second Employment Income Details stating income per week as $385.58.

2. The assessment fails to accept Child Support documentation that shows that child support ceased on 18 November 2011 when Libby’s youngest son finished school and that the child support remains unpaid as the payer has withheld payments and cannot be located. This issue was discussed with CSO Nik who said that HNSW must continue to charge rent on Child Support until a letter stating that no Child Support is owed is provided. Libby expressed concern about being charged rent on unpaid child support and Nik said “you have nothing to worry about because Housing NSW is ‘not for profit’”. Libby contacted the Child Support Agency but they could not provide such a letter because money is still owed. Housing NSW continues to charge rent on Child Support and Libby has already paid 50% of that Child Support to Housing NSW.

3. No account was taken of Libby’s son’s income from paid employment. Instead the assessment charges rent on Newstart but he is not eligible for Newstart as he is only 21. Libby’s son is not eligible for a payment from Centrelink because Libby receives Family Assistance for him. Nor is he eligible for both Family Assistance and Youth Allowance as previously assessed by Housing NSW.

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Residential Mandatory Disclosure of energy efficiency of existing homes is critical in our quest to make Australia less reliant on energy.

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In the mid 90's the Federal Government of the day cancelled the National housing program Canada used to have, this decision created the housing and homeless crisis we now have to deal with and none of our federal Government to date have been dealing with this issue properly.

As a result the crisis has been growing at a steady pace and many of our most vulnerable have died because of it.

As well the poverty crisis in Canda has been growing at an alarming rate due to cut backs at both the both the Provincial and federal levels over the past several years.

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Although in summer 2011, Israeli masses protested by the thousands for government solutions to socio-economic issues, specifically the lack of affordable housing, the social justice movement was orchestrated and monopolized by the concerns of the Jewish Israeli middle-class.

In reality, housing issues are the most critical in the Palestinian Arab community, where citizens face systematic discrimination in land ownership, renting and basic services. The Mossawa Center was central in coordinating meetings between Arab community leaders and the Jewish leaders of the socio-economic protest in order to encourage the movement to adopt key demands specific to the Arab community’s needs.

Following the release of the governmental response via the Trachtenberg Committee, it was evident that these demands were not taken seriously.

Last summer was not the first time the Palestinian Arab community’s housing, land and planning issues were brought to the forefront. The international media has intensively covered issues of “disputed land,” especially house demolitions in the occupied Palestinian territories, since the Second Intifada.

In more recent years the international community has also begun to cover the deteriorating situation of the Palestinian Arab Bedouin living in the southern Negev desert. However, it remains understated how common issues of land, housing, and planning are for Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, including citizens in the North (the Galilee), in the Triangle (the Center) and in mixed cities (Haifa, Akka, Jaffa, Lod, and Ramle). The Or Commission, founded after the events of October 2000, highlighted the housing, land and planning crisis in the Arab community and called on the Israeli government to allocate proportional resources to Arab localities. To this day, the government has not responded to the Commission’s request.

Land, housing, and planning are core issues of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In Israel, these issues are the main source and indicator of inequalities amongst different strata of the society, especially amongst the Jewish majority and the Arab minority. According to a number of human rights organizations, fair and affordable housing for all citizens is the responsibility of state government. However Israeli Basic Law, the document that stands in place of a written constitution, does not enshrine the “right to adequate housing.” The Supreme Court does not interpret the “right to human dignity,” which is guaranteed under Israeli Basic Law, to include adequate housing.

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services” (Article 25.1).

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We the tenants of the housing and urban development are tired of being Abused, Neglected and Ignored when it comes to work orders NOT being fixed in a timely manor, going without heat and hot water and having no security or safety in our Buildings or on the property grounds as well as infestation of Rats and Roaches, Management Ignoring complaint's and Harassing tenants in a form of retaliation to your complaint with eviction notices or closing work orders that have been placed without even checking in to the matter or doing the repairs, or passing on the buck from one department to the other department with no results;

Or a management bringing a tenant to court and the Management not having to appear in court having an Attorney appear for them instead when an Attorney dose NOT know the facts of the matter only going on what the management tells them.

As well as the tenants not having any legal representation on their behalf, it is unfair to the tenants.

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The former Penistone Grammar School buildings Fulford, Weirfield and the stables and the site they are situated on are been sold for possible residential development, which would lead to the demolition of these buildings.

These buildings are an integral part of Penistone's social history and must be retained for future generations. Other alternatives for use and conversion need to be fully exhausted before this can be allowed to happen.

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Vale of Glamorgan Council have identified an area of land off Lavernock Road reaching to the coast as a potential area to build 450 houses.

We think the land should not be used for housing for the following reasons:
- the road and transport system in the area would be over-stretched
- the local schools are already full
- the land is currently used for agriculture and commercially as grazing for horses
- we want to reserve a green area between Lavernock and Sully to preserve the unique identities of the two areas
- we don't want 10 years of building work
- we believe additional housing, traffic and surface water would have a negative impact on Cosmeston Lakes Country Park

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The proposed development of affordable housing on the land at the north side of Drum Estate will impinge on the green belt and have a massive impact on the environment of the Candlemakers Estate.

As well as the loss of amenity of the woodland and open space and the loss of wildlife habitat, this proposed development will double the traffic volumes at the entrance to the estate with the resultant increase in noise and pollution.

It will directly impact on property values and insurance costs and change the entire nature of the estate. If the development goes ahead, there will be an extended period of disruption and disturbance which will end in the area being forever changed.

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This petition is to have Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia re-open or pass a similar bill to BILL M 203 -- 2000 PETS IN RENTAL HOUSING ACT, 2000 (http://qp.gov.bc.ca/36th4th/1st_read/mem203-1.htm), amending the Residential Tenancy Act.

In 2002, a poll conducted for the BC SPCA by McIntyre and Mustel Research, indicates that a majority (79%) of BC residents are in favour of legislation that allows pet guardians the right to keep companion animals (i.e. cat or dog) in their rental units, provided they do not cause unreasonable noise or damage.

Once again the people ask the province listen to their VOICE in this regard and enforce their WILL. The people have a VOICE and both the people and the animals deserve a LIFE with dignity. Let the people's voice be heard!

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We call for the development to be rejected because:

• The drastic loss of sun and daylight to residents in Whitgift House will place some residents in permanent darkness in the winter, increase their fuel and light bills, and have serious consequences for their quality of life

• The loss of sunlight and daylight to the Lambeth High Street Recreation Ground will have a detrimental effect on the quality of the park especially in winter months

• Less than 10% of the development is being put aside for affordable homes. This borough needs more social and affordable housing and not more housing for millionaires!

• The 138 exclusive car parking spaces are completely unnecessary in an area which has some of the best access to public transport in London and will increase traffic noise and pollution in local streets

We want a development that respects local residents, the amenities and character of our neighbourhood, including the listed buildings and other heritage assets of this area.

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Thousands of residents are affected by the worsening housing crisis. Further benefit cuts are forcing people into homelessness and is likely to send low and middle income families into a state of poverty, unable to provide food or heating due to extortionate renting costs. Many people are forced to live in inadequate, unsuitable, unfair conditions!

Urgent immediate action is called for by both the Government and Local council.

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Keeping a local family living locally. After being promised a 4 bed new build from Salix then it falling through due lack of funds, then not being offered the 1st 4 bed that became available. We live in a 2 bed on whit lane estate and have local family friends links also local schools and playgroup, this all seems to count for nothing anymore.

We are at present only entitled to a 3 bed for 14 months until my daughter is 5 then they expect us to move again to a 4 bed. When they could just move us into the 4 bed and we wouldn't have to move again, we play a big part in our community and really don't want to have to leave in 14 months time. Sadly our overcrowding needs will force us to.

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I know of 2 cases where 1 person is living in a 3 bedroom Department House as a single person.
the other is a couple in a 2 bedroom house.

When I confronted the Department of Housing about this they said that there maybe a chance that these 2 cases might have there children rejoin them, highly unlikely as both have adult children who have there own homes.

If we review Housing Occupancies we maybe able to help lessen the already High Housing Crisis and those who are living in extra rooms can be placed into a more suitable dwelling.

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The first increase in 15 years to people on income assistance in British Columbia was in 2007 in the amount of $50.00 per month, while the MLA's voted themselves a, reported, 28.78% increase that same year.

MLA's salaries are $101,859.00 per year with additional compensation of 50% of base salary if they hold a portfolio. The premier's salary is an additional $91,673.00 per year plus 50% of base for holding a portfolio, Total salary approximately $250,000.00 per year. increases have been received annually according to consumer price index with exception of 2010 and 2011, (source Provincial Comptroller).

With the electorate basically being their employer, when was the last time you could give yourself a raise?

With the recent world financial crisis people, dependent on legislated assistance are increasingly financially stressed to keep roofs over their heads or food on the table.

Current assistance for accommodation for housing for a single person is $375 per month; living allowance $235 per month. This is unreasonable and long overdue for review to reflect actual costs.

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Current living arrangements classed as overcrowded are not prioritized with housing associations - Evidence is from personal experience which is currently ongoing.

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There is way too much traffic and we are dense enough without your proposed development of potentially 45+ units. Crime is extremely high without 33 units or any density bonus of up to 45 units.

We cannot accommodate any more people in a congested neighborhood feeding traffic that attends Rancho, Novato High, Lynwood, more kids being driven to Good Shephard and two preschools.

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Hintonburg Hub is a one‐stop‐shop (a Hub) to create better access to quality health, housing and social services in the heart of the vibrant Hintonburg Wellington West neighbourhoods. The concept is to have all of these services under one roof. The partners are Somerset West Community Health Centre, Family Services Ottawa, Citizen Advocacy and Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation.

Investments in integrated health, housing, and social services play an important role in creating healthy vibrant communities! Hintonburg and Wellington West residents have identified a need for local affordable housing options, medical services, and other essential social services.

The Hub partners are investigating the possibility of purchasing property from the Salvation Army at the corner of Wellington St. and Rosemount Ave., but cannot proceed with this purchase without the financial support from governments.

This opportunity to bring health care, housing and social services to the neighbourhood is too good to pass up. This open letter encourages governments to work together to find creative funding solutions, so we can make this positive development happen.

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International graduate students comprise a significant part of the graduate student population at Georgetown University. With their diverse backgrounds, commitment to Georgetown's ideals and high achievement, they are an integral part of the community and contribute significantly to the academic tradition of the University.

At the same time, international graduate students face multiple challenges in moving to a new country to attend school, among them housing. This is due to unfamiliarity with the housing market in the United States and the short window of time they have between their arrival and the start of the academic year.

This places unnecessary burden on international students who are forced to tackle the intricacies of finding housing in a new place with unfamiliar regulations on a tight schedule. Students end up in sub-standard housing or locked into contracts they do not fully understand which greatly impacts the quality of their experience at Georgetown.

For these reasons, and keeping in mind the commitment of Georgetown University to provide an environment conducive to a rewarding academic experience, it is essential that the University take steps to address this issue.

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To Rob Ford and the Toronto City Councillors,

We, the residents and the workers of Toronto Community
Housing Corporation (TCHC), and their supporters, are
demanding a halt to the privatization the TCHC.

Privatization of the TCHC would place our community in
the hands of big business profiteers who would likely
increase rent, neglect their obligations to repairs and layoff
maintenance staff as to increase their profits. Furthermore,
privatization can mean the widespread destruction of our
housing to build condo or other commercial enterprises.

Canadians have a right to affordable and quality housing.
This means that beyond just preventing privatizations, we
need a massive increase in funding to public housing. We
must end repair backlogs, decrease rent rates, provide
adequate subsidies to those in need and massively expand
the TCHC. The expansion of housing would provide
tremendous employment, particularly for local youth, and
must be paid at union wages.

In light of the recent scandal, we believe that TCHC
tenants are best able to end corruption or any abuses of
power thought direct democratic control. No to corporate
ownership! For democratic tenants control of the TCHC!

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My eldest son Jack is Autistic. I was advised last year that a pet would be good for Jack to help with his Autism and bring him out of himself and help teach him to care for somebody else, to help give him a sense of responsibility.

After a lot of research in October last year We got small Shih-tzu puppy for him. At the time we were living in a 2 bedroomed first floor flat owned by Notting Hill Housing Group, we recently moved to a 3 bedroom house with a garden owned by Notting Hill Housing Group. I

have just received a letter saying we must get rid of our puppy or face being evicted, Whilst living in the first floor flat we were allowed to have an Alsatian for 7 years who sadly passed away 4 years ago. Since getting our puppy(Gino) my son has completely changed and come out of himself, He is due to start a mainstream secondary school in September which is something I couldn't have predicted a year ago.

To take away Gino will cause him such heartbreak and trauma it could set him right back.Gino has changed Jacks life in so many ways for the positive, please help my family.

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Devon County Council receives a government grant (called Supporting People) to support vulnerable people. This includes helping to prevent homelessness, as well as helping homeless people get off the streets and have a better future.

This grant has only been cut by around 12%, but DCC intends to cut services supporting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness (mostly run by local charities) by up to 40%! This is extraordinary disproportionate and against instructions by government Ministers.

Vulnerable people WILL lose their homes as a result of these cuts, which take effect in April 2011. Young people WILL be forced to stay in abusive and unsafe situations because there will be nowhere else to go. Supported housing projects helping people get back on their feet WILL be closed or dramatically cut back their services.

This will create untold human misery to people whose lives are already difficult enough.

But even if you have no heart, these cuts make no economic sense. If homeless people are deprived of housing and support, their lives will become more chaotic. Crime will go up. Antisocial behaviour will go up. Drug and alcohol misuse will go up. Mental health problems and hospitalisations will go up. A&E admissions will go up. More people will be in prison.

The list of consequences of these badly thought out plans goes on, and every one creates problems for the wider community and extra costs to the taxpayer. These cuts will COST money, lots of money, not save it.

All this will happen unless we, the voting public, make our views known. So join this cause, and let's tell DCC councillors what their voters think.

Positions
1.These are difficult times. But, as DCC's leader has said, we have to protect the most vulnerable at this time. This includes those at risk of homelessness

2.£1 spent on housing support saves over £2 in the long run through reduced crime and antisocial behaviour and improved physical and mental health

3.Central Government has only cut Devon's funding by 12%. It is grossly unfair to target homeless people with cuts of up to 40%

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To: Legislative Assembly of Ontario

All Ontarians have a right to affordable housing.

Whereas an unacceptable number of individuals and families are ‘precariously housed’, meaning they are in a state of uncertainty around their living environment due to low wages, high rents, high utility costs and/or substandard living conditions (Affordable Housing Action Network),

Whereas, according to Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association’s Report on Waiting List Statistics for Ontario, it is estimated that there are 142,000 individuals and families on Ontario’s subsidized housing waiting list and the number is growing,

Whereas, according to City of Toronto’s Report Card on Homelessness, the current waiting list for 2 bedroom units and larger is 10-15 years,

Whereas The Daily Food Bank reported that, in 2008, the average food bank clients used 68% of their income on rent,

Whereas there is $50 million left from a rent supplement program that municipalities have a flexibility to allocate the funds according to local needs (The Toronto Star, September 15, 2010),

Whereas there are not enough units contracted by the City to provide affordable housing to those in need,

Whereas, according to Statics Canada, this will affect Ontarians not just on an emotional but also on a physical level,

Whereas instability with regards to financial matters has a negative impact on one’s physical and mental well being and it affects everyone that is involved in these people’s lives (CBC News, May 9, 2005).

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Social housing has been regulated by various bodies including the Housing Corporation Housing Ombudsman and now the Tenants Services Authority and none of which has remedied the lack of accountability to tenants by housing associations.

There has been plenty of scrutiny though this has not prevented tenants experiencing a lack of response in areas of disrepair and rent going astray for example.There are no clear guidelines for recourse for both tenant and landlord.

Complaints procedures are ignored and tenancy agreements may as well not exist. The sector costs many millions to support and monitor- money that could be spent in providing a tribunal to hear disputes and have them settled fairly.

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Please help stop property developers from destroying our countryside. An application for affordable housing has been submitted to Cheshire East Council which will destroy a unique woodland feature on Marthall Lane, Ollerton in the supposedly protected Cheshire Green Belt. Despite having so-called protection from development, the law provides loopholes for property developers to exploit and believe it or not, could allow the Green Belt to be built on.

There are far more suitable brown field and derelict locations in the area that could, and indeed should be developed, but of course this land is more expensive than 'protected' green belt. Voila, out comes a proposal from the developer that may allow destruction of this unique habitat.

This petition does not reflect anyone's opinion on the merits of affordable housing or whether such housing is needed in our village but is purely a statement of our desire to protect the Green Belt.

The planning application number is 10/2203M and the consultation period ends on August 11th 2010.

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Did the color of money color judgment of elected representatives ?

When it came to G8 funding seems that the offer was to provide a dollar from the federal Government, matched by the Provincial government and then by the Town of Parry Sound.

The question now seems to be on the minds of voters why all the extra spending on brick inlay, new park benches ash trays that are unused or reek from smell of water, bird plopping or urine ! or the water fountain in the park just to name a few items !The brick inlay is collecting , holding cigarette , gum , dirt , bird and dog feces, which makes for a very ugly sight about the town.

Now someone tell me why All this EXTRA cash was spent , when there is a HUGE need for housing ! Surely some of OUR cash could have been spent on St Joes or to invest in creating jobs in the housing sector as well. This lack of what appears to be MONEY colored judgment, is the talk of the town. We have bankruptcy's waiting to happen, some turning to drugs sales and other means to find a way to subsist !
News flash Minimum wage Don't cut it ! Workers who MUST drive out of town now deal with extra costs.

This known desperation ain't pretty and will be blamed in part on the money colored judgment that wall levels of government need to explain ! Vote to have Housing no ! in our town for a change !

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From Rev. Steven Epperson as quoted in the Canadian Unitarian: (see full text at http://cuc.ca/canu/index.htm)

I believe it is time for speaking again with a national voice—expressing a clear vision—in order to affirm who we are and to assert a “stronger public presence” in this country. I have an (im)modest proposal as a means of realizing these goals: commit ourselves as individuals, congregations and as a national religious denomination to a focused, decade-long project to pressure our federal government to restore a fully funded, national affordable housing program back into the federal budget, and to make it a policy priority to achieve.

Across Canada, in a dozen meetings dedicated to addressing poverty, civic and community leaders told Liberal MP Ken Dryden that the single most important thing this nation’s government could do to alleviate poverty in Canada was for the government to forge, fund and restore a credible national housing program.

Since it was slashed from the federal budget in 1993, Canada is the only G8 nation with no national affordable housing program. More than 300,000 people in this country are homeless. Close to three million families are struggling with basic, core housing needs. The inadequacy of decent housing for our First Nations and Inuit people is an international disgrace. Ten years ago, Canada’s mayors declared that we have a national housing crisis.

Ask politicians, journalists, and community advocates the question, “How can an individual congregation influence public policy outcomes?” and they answer, “Send letters to elected representatives."

Politicians are influenced by pressure from their constituents.” We sorely undervalue this: we rarely use it. It’s time to begin the work, and commit to it until it is achieved. In so doing, I believe we may discover the unique things that Canada has to say, and we may yet learn to speak the special language of this place to greater effect.

We could discover broader fellowship, expanded vision and renewed strength — we could discover ourselves — our vision and our voice.

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The closure of the Beacon Court sheltered housing scheme has caused many people a wide range of problems and raised a number of wider issues. This action was carried out by the Riversmead Housing Association without any noticeable consideration of the views of the community of Hertford Heath.

The Parish Council has had discussions with East Herts Council officers and there seems to be a danger that Riversmead can do "whatever they want” with the properties and land they own and manage as long as they meet their overall target for the whole of the East Herts District.

They are a very large property owner and have the ability to change communities at their fingertips, as the closure of Beacon Court has shown, without any explanation. We ask you to support our petition to our elected body, East Herts District Council, to urge them to put in place effective measures that prevent this from happening.

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Bolton Defend Council Housing
Say No to Stock Transfer

Council housing is worth defending against privatisation. There is concern that tenants are not being given full information on the case against transfer. The alternative of direct investment should be given and the risks of privatisation highlighted.

These risks include loss of secure tenancies, higher rents and charges, loss of accountability, and problems of debt and borrowing. These risks also include financial crises, job losses, pay cuts, mergers and takeovers.

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We, the local community, would wish that any further developments on Acre Lane (in particular the proposed development of the existing Fulham Timber Site - Acre Lane 176-184) would heed the views of residents and instead of seeking to cram more social/affordable housing into this area, develop the area so as to provide additional amenities and services to the local community.

We have already succeeded in stopping BYS building yet more (and unused) storage facilities and seek to stop Genesis from building housing when there is already a surplus of vacant accommodation in the area and a lack of decent facilities/amenities for the exisiting local community (ie shops, green spaces, community spaces, schools).

For info on the Genesis plans please visit: http://www.ghg.org.uk/Building+new+homes/Acre+Lane+consultation/

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