Dallas Housing Authority

[TexasStooge]

Dallas Housing Authority reductions may force some out of homes

By GARY REAVES / WFAA-TV

DALLAS, Texas - The clock is ticking for more than 800 North Texans who get federal help to pay the rent.

The Dallas Housing Authority is trying to weed out Section 8 tenants who don't follow the rules, but many complain the agency is dredging up old problems to save money.

Anne, who did not want her last name used, is among those residents. She's embarrassed she and her disabled daughter are facing eviction.

"I don't want me and my kids to be sleeping in the car, or (going) from shelter to shelter," she said.

At months' end, Anne will be cut off from the Section 8 program that pays most of their rent, apparently because of a fight that landed her on probation nine years ago. She's been crime-free since, and her landlord Mary Chang is outraged.

"It was such a long time ago, and she seems like such a sweet ... she is a sweet girl," Chang said. "She has that handicapped child she dearly loves and takes care of."

Back in April, the Dallas Housing Authority was ordered to reduce the number of families on Section 8 back to 2003 levels; that would mean reducing it by about 500 families. They hoped to do that by simply eliminating the ones who were breaking the rules.

"(It's everything) from people who don't report their income, to people who have more people living in their units, to criminal or fraudulent (behavior)," said Dallas housing attorney Michelle Raglon.

Based on research by BackgroundChecks.com, more than 800 face losing their benefits. About half have already requested appeals, among them Naomi Martinez.

"I don't do drugs or drink or smoke," Martinez said.

Federal rules don't require evictions for old crimes, but say the authority "may" evict people engaged in "drug-related" or "violent criminal activity" during a "reasonable time before the admission."

"We're hearing from people who have things that go back decades," said Sandy Rollins of the Texas Tenants Association. "That's not a reasonable amount of time."

Anne was up front about her past when she applied for Section 8. Now, it's the future that worries her.

"Me and my child will be homeless," she said. "We don't have anywhere to go."

The DHA reminds everyone who is facing the cut that they have the right to appeal. Officials expect many who have caused no problems to win those appeals.

[stormie_skies]

I don't understand how evicting people over petty crimes that happened nearly a decade ago is doing the community any service....