Focus on low income housing

December 4, 2002

Dear Sir,

I would like to respond to a few of Sen. Burch's comment made to The Royal Gazette (Wednesday, December 4, 2002). Getting tough is not the solution to resolving the housing situation in Bermuda. First of all we do not have affordable housing in Bermuda. Anything is affordable if you have the money to pay for it. What we need in Bermuda is low-income housing. I don't mean ghettos. I mean rental which are below market value. And your Rego Realty or your Caldwell Bankers certainly will not provide these properties for that matter.

Mr.. Minister you need to look a littler deeper and clear up some more of that dust that has been flying around BHC. In regards to BHC clients, many, of them are individuals who pay their rents on time, follow up with their appointments and so forth. Then there are the clients from hell. The ones that you can't do a thing with! Still they need to be housed just like anyone else. I believe that the vast majority of BHC clients rely fluctuating incomes.

Many are single parents, whose incomes may be as low a $250.00 per week. Hence they require the support of BHC and or financial assistance. Some of these clients fall into the concept of "if you pay your rent no one needs to know you can't feed or clothe your children, or the telephone is off more times than it is on. Other clients fall into arrears, due to poor money management of very limited. The priority becomes different. For example a child's birthday party, school clothing, a nice hair and nail do. "Feel good stuff" hat helps to bolster flagging self-esteem. How many individuals have used the rent money for other purposes? Check out the Crown and Anchor tables at a certain time of year.

While I do not condone such behaviours this is a reality for many Bermudians. This is especially so for those who find themselves living on limited incomes. Some BHC clients who from time to time find themselves in this situation become confused and scared and facing the authorities is the last thing they want to face. Why? Is it because they know that they will be seen from Sen. Burch's perceptive. As a difficult client, running to the media.

Sen. Burch, what about the right to free speech and the media being a means of expression, positive or negative? The case being where clients should pay off their arrears, was a good policy in the past. Unfortunately, most of these clients do not have enough money to pay their rents. How are they suppose to pay arrears when the income is not available?

Sen. Burch while you are getting tough at BHC, I challenge you to look at real issues that that effects low income housing in Bermuda. I challenge you to consider also that there is no such thing as affordable housing in Bermuda. Additionally, give some consideration to Mr. and Mrs. Joe Average with 2.5 children, whose monthly combined income is $5,000.00 per month. The rent is $2,500.00 and with careful budgeting Mr. and Mrs. Average will survive another month. They might be able to accumulate a little saving. But not too much. That saving goes towards that pipe dream of home ownership.

But its not every month there will be something to save. In Bermuda's present economy it is hard to save for that magic down payment, and pay Bermuda's exorbitant rent at the same time. Forget that "no" down payment scheme. Like those BHC Clients who have arrears it is often difficult also for them to pay rent as well pay off arrears. It needs new innovative policies in housing provision to tackle present housing/rental crisis, such as CO-OP housing. Finally, where would one find the Department of Research and Social Policy? It would be interesting to see the yearly statistics on income, expenditure, housing, unemployment and employment trends; and in particularly, international influences on the Bermuda economy, especially in areas such as housing.

MR. STAYING A. FLOAT

St. George's