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From: Ivan Krpan
Category: General Discussion
Date: 29 Oct 2002
Time: 11:42:25 -0500
Remote Name: 66.119.33.167
There is no incentive for a builder to go into an older neighborhood, invest his own money and rehab an older home. Most older homes need to have so much work done just to bring them up to today's standards, when completed, these houses cost just as much as newer homes and not as well built. Old sewer and water lines, areas with low water pressure, neighborhoods that are run down due to neglect of absentee landlords or owners who cannot afford to maintain their homes (properties)any longer. When people buy homes, they buy neighborhoods and when they invest money in a home, they would like to see the equity go up in that investment. Older neighborhoods do not always provide that. I know, my own home which I lived in for over 17 years and improved, I lost money when I sold. The rest of the neighborhood never caught up to me and the city never enforced ordinances on the books to help me out. Let alone worry about the hassles of structurally poor foundations, wet basements, lead paint and asbestos removal, updating to current codes. Too much to do for so little. Have the city work with TIF monies and provide incentive for this work. It'll get done. After all isn't that what TIF is for.