To educate the public on something that I learned today.
I'm looking for a way to escape from de-facto rent increase - I'd have to pay $110 utilities a month in addition to my $1412 rent for 1 BR apartment. It will put a strain on my budget (candidates can use this example for debates). I've got a suggestion today from a woman whose daughter applied and received approval for Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) Program http://www.rockvillemd.gov/residents/MPDU/.
As everything that is government, it doesn't explain clearly the requirements (otherwise where all mediators/gov employees would work?), but from what I understood, there are different income requirements for Rockville and MD as a whole. Not a big difference, but I think I qualify for MD and am too rich for the town of Rockville to take an advantage of this program.
If you want to read not very emotional but very factual research it is below. I'll make quoted text in a different color; bold and underline will be mine to draw your attention.http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dhctmpl.asp?url=/content/dhca/housing/housing_p/mpdu/mpdu_rental_program.asp SUMMARY OF THE PROGRAM AND ITS REQUIREMENTS A Home You Can Afford (...) A goal of the Montgomery County Housing Policy states that affordable housing should be available to people of all incomes. To help achieve this goal, the County Council passed the Moderately Priced Housing (MPH) Law in 1974. A provision of the MPH Law requires that between 12.5% and 15% of the houses in new subdivisions of 20 or more units be moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs). The MPH Law requires that 40% of the MPDUs be offered to the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) and other non-profit housing agencies for use by low and moderate income families.
Included in the MPDU program are detached and semi-detached homes (duplexes), townhouses, garden condominiums and high-rise condominiums and apartments. Under the present sales price limits, a three bedroom townhouse has a sales price of approximately $165,000. Sales prices and rental limits are reviewed annually and are revised to reflect changes in construction costs.
Click here for more information about the MPDU Rental Program. Click here for more information about the MPDU Purchase Program.
My comments. HOC has lower requirements for income to qualify and must have lower rental prices.
My question about affordable housing should be available to people of all incomes. Why? We are not talking about people living on a street in a need of shelter, it is about AFFORDABLE housing. Why?
For Rockville http://www.rockvillemd.gov/residents/MPDU/
What are the current maximum income limits?
- 1 person family $43,500
- 2 person family $49,700
- 3 person family $55,900
- 4 person family $62,100
- 5 person family $67,100
I'm too rich to apply. Another comment - my friends in Brooklyn who had about 55K a year for 3 of them (only father works), and now $62K (at the best, not always) for 4 on same conditions bought a new car for $20K and property in their native country, without any illegal activity. My friend is very frugal, cooks at home, buys clothes on sale in GAP and Marshall's, takes advantages of very cheap Brooklyn prices. They have 2 big TVs, digital toys for the whole family, fly to Europe every year, older son is in college on merit earned scholarship. They never lived in affordable housing and don't plan. Why somebody else should? Because they want to eat out every day, take a taxi and have no idea how to save on sales?
Now, more about MD program. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dhctmpl.asp?url=/content/dhca/housing/housing_p/mpdu/mpdu_rental_program.asp
MPDU Rental Program
- Montgomery County's Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) Program offers affordable rents at a number of MPDU apartment complexes located throughout the County. (...)
- Click here for a list of MPDU rental complexes
Please look under the column entitled "Vacancies (BM)" which lists Below Market (BM) rate apartments, such as MPDUsplease call the apartment complex directly at the phone number listed.
- DHCA no longer provides applications and no longer issues Certificates of Eligibility for MPDU rentals.
Are You Eligible? (All incomes are gross household income; that is, household income before taxes)
- Minimum annual household income is $30,000.
- Maximum annual household income (effective May 14, 2010):
Household
Size | Maximum Income--
Garden Apartments | Maximum Income--
High Rise Apartments |
1 | $47,000 | $50,500 |
2 | $54,000 | $58,000 |
3 | $60,500 | $65,000 |
4 | $67,500 | $72,500 |
5 | $72,500 | $78,000 |
You must:
have at least as many people in your household as the number of bedrooms in the apartment;
demonstrate a good credit rating that is acceptable to the apartment management; and
be able to afford the monthly rent payments for the MPDU rental property.
Hurray! Anywhere but Rockville I still can use somebody's money to help me to rent an apartment at cheaper price. Ain't it nice?
DO YOU THINK THAT SOMEBODY WHO MAKES BEFORE TAXES FROM 47K TO 50.5K NEEDS HELP TO RENT AN APARTMENT BELOW MARKET PRICE? DO YOU WANT TO ELECT PEOPLE WHO WILL STOP IT?
If this opportunity is available, why somebody wouldn't use it? People don't think that money to support such programs make our deficit grow, and children of those who enjoy now ease of life will pay heavily. And if I look around and see that my friends (even if some make more than I?) take advantage of paying $1028 a month instead of $1412 as I do now, how long can I hold on my principles? If they have $300 a month more to spend, it is hard for me to compete with them. What if I say "everybody does it, and it is legal"? What does it do to the spirit of fairness and the drive to achieve?
I hope that candidates can use this information to show that erosion of ethics goes on all levels. My question is - how many will vote for those who oppose these programs?
