(link removed in hopes that Post doesn't link to my blog anymore)
But, in brief, the Powers That Be in Manassas have decided that people who own (or rent -- what's the difference) can't have people living with them who aren't "related." And by related, I mean, not IMMEDIATE family. Nephew? Cousin? Not a relative. Not if you already have four or five people in your home -- there's a nifty formula to calculate how many people you're allowed to have. And, okay. But it seems a BIT stringent. Juuust a bit. And it seems suspiciously geared toward causing great pain and inconvenience to a certain minority segment.
Here's an especially intriguing bit of the Post's story, which you can probably still search for at the Post's Web site:
The Dec. 5 town hall meeting at Round Elementary School was advertised in the usual way, without any special outreach to the Latino community. About 30 residents attended, no one objected to the ordinance, and the City Council easily adopted it. Then Brian Smith, chief building official, stood up to explain the new concept in town: consanguinity.
Under the city's old, broad definition of family, just about any group of relatives, however distantly related, was allowed to share a single-family house, along with one unrelated person.
The problem with that, Smith explained, was that when inspectors responded to a complaint, they often found houses full of aunts, uncles, cousins and extended relatives but no violations, because the total number was below the occupancy limit.
"We were stymied by families who met the existing definition," Smith said. And so the city changed the rules to break up more households.
I have two problems with this:
1) There's generally no attempt made to reach out to Spanish-speaking folks on these matters, even when the matter is likely more relevant to them than to others. Yes, it probably would take some effort and expense to translate the notice. But isn't that part of the deal?
2) I'm unclear why (and how, really) we can regulate who lives in someone's house. Are you telling me, if I want a good friend to stay with me, and I have a family of four (or however many) already, he/she can't?
Wow.
Maybe there are angles to this that I'm not grasping at this point. But it smells an awful lot like a way to hassle Hispanics to me.
I'll be painfully honest here. It's a little unsettling to certain not-so-pretty parts of my heart when I hear someone racing through the neighborhood, strange Latino music a-blasting. I remind myself that I don't appreciate any music a-blasting most of the time -- and it always seems to happen when Lizzy's napping, or maybe that's when I notice it. So it's not so much a racial/social thing as an age thing, probably. And sometimes I feel like Hispanic men are giving me certain looks a bit more than I'd like. I'm not a big fan of the ogling and whistling.
But. I have no right (nor inclination, truly) to run them out of "my" neighborhood -- where I've resided an entire 10 months -- or "my" town. (God help me when I start identifying with Manassas that way.)
And. I hate to generalize here -- I hope this doesn't offend -- but it seems like most of the Hispanic people I see are the ones out there doing everyone's dirty work. The jobs the rest of us are too good for. And they seem to be doing those jobs cheerfully, efficiently and well. I take my hat off to the hard-working folks who do stuff that I can't, or won't, do. I've worked in a factory, and in fields, with migrant workers, some of whom I know weren't here legally. I barely made it through those college summers, with only the hope of "getting out soon" sustaining me. And THAT'S THEIR LIVELIHOOD. It still blows my mind. How fortunate and, frankly, spoiled I am to sit at a desk all day and make a lot more than a lot of them do.
So, I'm rather offended when I see people crafting laws to edge them out of precious Manassas. I mean, please. Because they have seven people in a five-bedroom home? I'm just sitting here shaking my head, the more I think about it.
(as usual, dissenting opinions more than welcome. Or any other kinds.)
I'll save the other news thingies for another post after I get some more of my cushy desk work done. :)
The article made me very sad. The "family" definition seems like it could cast a very wide net, but for the moment, the enforcement of the ordinance appears to be specifically targeted.
ReplyDeleteThis bullshit makes me irate. We, as a country have not enforced the immigration laws (not that we should have necessarily had them in the first place)we have had for twenty plus years. If anyone should be in violation of breaking laws, it should be we the people, i.e., our government and its citizens. But, no we go and change the law so as to ignore our own past negligence and to suit our current purposes. We tweak the law so that we can find a way around it, a way that gives us a justification for our racism. Then we say, "we're not anti-immigration, just anti-illegal immigration." At least historically we used to be honest about our discrimination, e.g., "NINA", and "Colored and White."
ReplyDeleteThe fat white cop threatening hispanics with prosecution if they don't let him inspect their family home for the presense of relatives is an American Nazi.
ReplyDeleteThis is the face of fascism. White folks holding on to their property values by evicting legal immigrants.
Take a look at Germany in the 30's to see where you are headed, guys.
This makes me very angry on behalf of Hispanic people all over the greater DC area. This seems to be a trend I'm seeing around the area... See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/14/AR2005121402308.html
ReplyDeleteIt's a trend being fought by 2 groups that many of us identify with (i.e. Reston Interfaith and FACETS). Have you seen their quick action on behalf of the migrant workers program in the Reston area? I read an article about it recently that made me proud to have worked with them. I plan to keep my eye on this issue and perhaps call Reston Interfaith to get their input on how we can help them combat what I (and I'm sure others) consider an overtly racist action.
I am just so disgusted and furious. We talk so much about how this country is based on freedom, but in so many ways we try to crush those folks who are simply trying to get their little piece of the pie. Who are these folks who feel like they can define what a family is - particularly in housing that they OWN. I'm sure nothing will be done to overturn this ordinance until either a lawsuit settles it, or a do-gooder white family which has taken in more than the allowed orphan children shows 'mainstream' folks how awful this law is.
ReplyDeleteK - FYI the post put a link to your blog from the article - in case you didn't already know that. (maybe you did?)
ReplyDeleteOn the issue - this stuff makes me see red. I am really so hot over this that I don't have any coherent thoughts but if someone comes up with something - let me know - I'm in. Ryan and I used to run a hispanic outreach ministry in Knoxville and immigrants of all kinds have a very tender place in my heart.
Oh boy, I guess I'm going to be the lone dissenter on this.
ReplyDeleteI'm not totally outraged by the law. In fact, if it's used justly to enforce the peace and maintain a certain quality of life... then I'm all for it.
Now, don't go beating me for being anti-Hispanic because I'm not. I could see having to enforce the same issues with white trash, too.
Look, I lived in Jersey City for over 12 years. It was a hell-hole. Of course there were a lot of benefits. I could walk to the Path and be in NYC in a matter of minutes. Jersey City also had its own thriving arts community and a wealth of cultural opportunities. But living there I just got totally burned out on low-life creeps working the system and taking everyone and everything for granted.
There was a terrible sense of entitlement -- they shouldn't have to work for anything. Those who were working the system stayed up all night and partied and played their loud music and made it hell for the rest of us that had to get up for work.
There were also issues of trash covered streets, no parking, over crowded and unsafe streets (both for cars and pedestrians), and over use of systems and services -- remember property is taxed based on the value of the home, not how many people are living there using public resources like schools and welfare.
I do agree that there are more honest, hard working people who deserve a break. I don't mind my tax dollars or donations helping those people get on their feet. I also don't have a problem with extended families living together as long as they are respectful of their neighbors.
Remember this -- this law was changed because inspectors were in homes that were overcrowded. Why did the inspectors go to those homes? I've never had an inspector just show up at my door and ask to look around. We're talking about situations that were obviously an issue for someone in the neighborhood. Someone had to call and alert the inspector.
If we're talking about a racist bigot who calls because they hate anyone of a certain minority -- then I agree that's wrong and the bigot should be publicly flogged. But if we're talking about a home with half a dozen cars on the lawn, loud music blaring at all hours, and a building that is obviously busting at the seams; well then I have to say I agree there should be a way stop the public disruptions.
I have more to say on the topic of property values and how impacting property values ultimately hurts the community members who really deserved to be helped (including immigrants and non-middle class) -- but I don't want to write a book.
I'll just close by saying if this law is unjustly enforced -- that's bad. But the law itself isn't bad and if you've ever lived in a big, over crowded city with lots of people suffering from entitlement fever -- you might realize why it's not an innately bad law.
Oh and I just thought of another thing... When building are over crowded they are unsafe for the residents. What if there were a fire or other disaster in the home and people died because the place was so over crowded that they couldn't get out or be rescued. I bet people would be screaming that something should have been done to prevent the deaths. Then people would be saying that this law should have been passed sooner.
ReplyDeleteOh well, I don't mean to beat on this -- but like I said, there were a ton of over crowded homes with large extended familes on my street in Jesery City and it really made the place a pit.
I don't have a problem with saying you can have a certain number of people living in a certain size home/whatever. I also am VEEEERRRY pro- laws that limit noise, trash, excessive numbers of cars / cars on lawns / and all the other nuisances that are by-products of people who may not share the same values as some who have been here longer do. I think those issues should be enforced - perhaps even heavily.
ReplyDeleteBUT - laws like this would mean co-housing would be illegal in manasses and I am equally concerned about too many big houses with not enough people in them to justify the resources they use. And with our society moving toward urban tribes over the nuclear family, I don't see it as ok for the government's right to decide who you choose to live with or not. I'd be more likely to co-house with one of my friends than my parents ANY day.
Note - there already were laws about the number of people that can live in a house and about the amount of noise they are allowed to make and the amount of trash on their lawns. This law is in addition to that.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are people who take advantage of the system, but outlawing them living together will not fix that. They will not say, "oh okay then I will go out and get a job." And there are many, many immigrant families who are doing the best they can and can only afford to live together. Would the city honestly rather have them living on the street?
Where I grew up, one would see several immigrant families living together in a much too small house with very little money, the adults working all the time and the children causing trouble. The city of Manassas seems to look at people like these and rather than compassionately saying, "these people need some help", they want to kick them out of their homes. I don't see any logic as to how this will help the problem in any way.
Another note - it is sad that there are people who take advantage of the system, but it is not as though they are living in wealth. I would not change places with them even if I had no moral qualms with it. They may not be deserving of what we've worked for, but honestly are we deserving of it either?