N.I.M.B.Y probelms in Antioch

Story Date: 2006-Sep-15 at 14:05:03
By Simon Read

Section 8 worries spur second forum: ANTIOCH: Hundreds expected at Quality of Life meeting, councilman hoping for meaningful dialogue
Categories: politics / local authority

Sep. 15, 2006 (McClatchy-Tribune Business News delivered by Newstex) --
Hundreds of residents have appeared before the Antioch City Council during the past several months, expressing concern about eyesore properties and government-subsidized housing. Hundreds more are expected to attend a public forum Saturday to delve into the topic.

This will be the city's second Quality of Life Forum this year; the first, in July, addressed specific concerns about crime.

Councilman Arne Simonsen said he hopes the forum allows residents, including homeowners in a group called United Citizens for Better Neighborhoods, and city officials to engage county housing authorities in a meaningful dialogue about Section 8 housing.

"We can hear people give complaints, but I want to deal with facts -- not innuendo or hyperbole," Simonsen said, adding that he would like to see a notification system put in place that would alert Antioch and other cities when "an active (Section 8) voucher" moves into the area.

All council members -- as well as city code enforcement officers -- will attend, along with representatives for U.S. Reps. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, and Richard Pombo, R-Tracy.

"I fully see this as an issue the region can work on together with our local representatives in Congress," said Councilman Jim Davis, who noted that dilapidated rental properties have become a concern in Brentwood as well.

"This is about absentee landlords and rental properties as a whole, which includes Section 8," Davis said. "I'm interested in legitimate concerns about code-enforcement issues that are bringing down property values."

He said the issue goes beyond East County.

"I would like to see changes made at the national level."

Those changes include placing a limit on how long someone can receive federal subsidies for their housing, he said.

"I see Section 8 as a hand up," Davis said, "not a hand out."

Mayor Donald Freitas did not return repeated calls for comment.

Gary Gilbert -- the founder of United Citizens for Better Neighborhoods -- said he hopes the forum will result in Congress re-examining the Section 8 program.

"We want to leave no doubt in the mind of housing authority officials that it's our belief they've contributed greatly to the problems in our community," Gilbert said. "We're going to hold them accountable for their actions."

Gilbert said he is also hoping landlords who rent to Section 8 recipients realize they have an obligation to maintain their properties and screen prospective tenants.

IF YOU GO

--WHAT: Quality of Life Forum

--WHERE: El Campanil Theatre, 602 West Second St.

--WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday


Simon Read covers Antioch. Reach him at 925-779-7166 or sread@cctimes.com.