Curley: Phase out families living in low-income housing who shouldn’t be there

There are 81 people in Washington living in low-income housing who no longer qualify.

According to an audit by the Office of the Inspector General, the 81 living in public housing are making more than they were when they moved in. However, there is no rule that requires them to move out, now that they no longer qualify.

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It’s a problem at the national level that KIRO Radio’s Tom and Curley previously discussed.

John Curley:Is this surprising to anyone?

The problem, Tom Tangney says, is that housing agencies don’t want to demotivate people. They don’t want to create a cap on how much someone can make, and prevent people from becoming more successful. Instead, they just charge renters more as their incomes go up.

When Curley is in charge, which he will be a couple weeks when he gets more “likes” on his Facebook page, that is not how things will work. When it’s up to him, the people living in low-income housing that have disqualified themselves by making too much, will receive a notice in the mail. They will have a year to find another place to live and receive assistance to do so.

JC: Because we have other people that need to reap the benefit.

Tom argues that if people start getting kicked out because they’re making more money, that might stop them from wanting to make more. Additionally, it’s not bad to keep people becoming more successful in low-income housing, as they can be seen as role models, he explains.

JC: No, that is an academic theory not proven.

TT: Housing advocates say that we need to build more housing.

JC: I gave you the solution.