Submitted by my404 t3_11nz3xj in Pennsylvania
"Let's hope that means these units will be torn down and not replaced" - the 72nd District representative stated. The Johnstown native has spent months calling for restrictions to housing assistance in the city, which has a poverty rate of 38%. The residents, many of whom are elderly and disabled, have 30 days to leave the city's long-standing black neighborhood.
"Ongoing structural inspection"?? That's not a thing. Inspections take hours, not months. It's an excuse to evict black people.
Or they're full of asbestos, lead paint, not built to code, or some other liability and the JHA doesn't want to pay to fix and/or remediate.
Classic example of the bike fail meme. Demand harsh cuts in funding, then come back later saying "OMG Look what THEY did!"
Also, from the Tribune Democrat, October 29, 2021:
"DeBartola wants to see a decrease in the amount of federally funded Section 8 housing operated through the JHA, which recently held an event designed to provide landlords with information and bring them into the program. He believes the voucher system plays a role in creating a transient population within Johnstown."
This isn't about "structural deficiencies". They have depopulated an ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD because of a small section of folks who believe "those people don't belong here".
"Let's hope that means these units will be torn down and not replaced" seems like a pretty bizarre response to that.
Full quote from Rep Burns
Rep. Burns on public housing in Johnstown and Cambria County
That’s a lot of words for “I don’t want more black people in Johnstown”.
I don't know why you're getting downvoted, but I got a few good guesses
Don't know much about Johnstown, but, desirable as it might be, I can't imagine Philadelphians clamoring to move there. It's a considerable distance, for starters. Philadelphia has public housing of its own, I understand.
It might have to do with the Philadelphia Housing Authority having a tens of thousands (I wish I was joking) on their waitlist for public housing. This has been a problem for years, so I’m guessing some people are willing to move somewhere more rural where they have a chance to get the housing.
Was not aware of the wait, though this seems common for public housing elsewhere, too. Like I said, aside from casual visits and drive-throughs, I'm not too familiar with Johnstown, but have to wonder how they apparently overbuilt? At any rate, can't help but wonder if complaints about people from Philly moving in en masse are exaggerated...
Where is the Burns quote from?
His facebook page
Something just feels very off with this story. I just can’t quite figure it out, but for the most part JHA has been very decent with maintenance & upkeep, at least in other properties of theirs.
This seems like a very strange decision, especially when they have similar properties in the area.
Either some of the theories here are right, which is sad, or something more major is going on.
I do know that these are pretty much the only housing property that JHA has that is built on the hillside. The rest are basically flat land. I wonder if various types of water damage to foundations or something similar.
I keep having a strange feeling that they will cancel the 30-day move notice, but I can’t explain the feeling.
I agree. This sounds way out in left field, but I think it might have something to do with the school. Housing might be part of it, but just before this whole thing blew up, there was an enormous push to undermine and vilify the local SD as incompetent and financially burdensome with a simultaneous push for private charter schools. I think it ties in somehow, but I'm not sure how.
There are many other things going on as well, and a huge influx of money pouring in and a lot of bitter people trying to position themselves to benefit. I don't have a stake in it either way. Burns got some big donations this year and followed up with a slew of votes favoring fash trash. He's not just a DINO, he's a trash DINO. The legitimate dems in town are problematic too. The best thing I can say about them is at least they're trying. The overall theme in town is pro-patriarchial, anti-poor, and xenophobic with performative liberal tokenism. It's all secrets here. Dems won't speak out against anything in this town.
The whole thing stinks, but it's impossible to tell where the odor is wafting in from. Maybe it's like a fart cloud that hangs over the entire city.
Yea, something definitely is going on.
The local media stated that JHA would not even explain to residents what the issue was during their individual meetings. Originally they refused to even tell the newspaper.
I do find it odd that various Facebook & Review Sites comments keep saying about mold and leaking pipes.
It just seems odd to me that if it was entirely just old age, why wouldn’t they go “These apartments are very old and need major repairs”.
Here is a very interesting read on Prospect Homes:
https://cambriamemory.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/A-Restrained-Militancy-Johnstowns-Postwar-Black-Community.pdf (Page 5/151)
Basically it started out to where many whites in 1943 refused to even sign their leases because “they didn’t want to live with black people”.
It basically was the way until around 1970 when the courts stepped in and basically said every JTown Housing Property has almost no black persons except Prospect.
It really makes you wonder how much care & maintenance they would have gotten on that almost 30 years of first existence.
Wow! That makes so much sense. Johnstown has a very dark history of racism, which unfortunately still continues today. I was contacted by an older Johnstown native many months ago who felt very strongly that the current situation mirrored its history of banishing the black community in the past.
I just can’t help but think after reading that, did they care to really do maintenance in the “black area”? Even if they had their own folks, did they refuse to sell them adequate supplies? It seems like it could have been a terrible mess.
linkdudesmash t1_jbpxrpf wrote
“The JHA said that the notices were sent “due to preliminary reports received during an ongoing structural inspection,” but did not provide specific details about what issues exist at the homes, built in 1943.” Sounds like it’s not safe to live in.