Big changes on Shroyer Road

I am writing today to ask some questions, but to also comment on the recent articles and blogs out there on the topic of the Section 8 housing on Shroyer.

First off, I have lived on Shroyer for 20 years, near the Shroyer Road Baptist Church. I have seen change in the neighborhood over the last several years and it started with someone, I don’t know who, maybe government, purchasing the Shroyer Road apartments on Shroyer, Shadowlawn and Roy avenues.

At first, the apartments were fixed up and there were no great changes as far as the people that you saw coming in, and out of the area, near the apartments. It has become apparent that big changes have occurred.

The reason I am telling you this, is when this all started happening, the neighborhood was not informed of who was moving into those apartments. We have had to guess over the years.

I applaud you for writing about the Section 8 housing on Shroyer. The DMHA will   not tell us who they are moving into our neighborhoods, we have to find out ourselves and many times it is too late to voice our opinions or concerns, point in case, the Shroyer Road apartments.

I still would like to know who lives in the Shroyer Road apartments and who is responsible for the upkeep, as it is starting to look run down.

If we don’t look out for ourselves and our neighborhood, who is?  Our city officials have proven over and over that they don’t care. They say they do, but actions speak louder than words.

DMHA should have made it a point to provide the surrounding neighbors information as to what was happening with the Section 8 housing.  They should have been open and upfront with you and given you all the information you needed to write about.  I know from first hand experience how difficult it is to get answers from city and state officials. It’s near impossible to get a straight answer.

I would appreciate from your paper, updates if possible on the situation on Shroyer Road.  We know the DDN will not provide it.

Thank you for your efforts in keeping us informed!

Mrs. Jana Moody
Dayton

Section 8 article misleading

You are a bigot. The goal of your newspaper seems to be working towards dividing a community rather than building cohesiveness. First you misled the community about the Sugar Camp Mikveh and now you are instilling misguided feelings of discomfort amongst Oakwood and Kettering citizens. Your editorial seems to intimate that all people who require subsidized housing are thieves, drug dealers and all-around bad people. These generalizations are dangerous and only perpetuate negative feelings and little opportunity for progress. One may recall just a few years ago when a group of our own “Oakwood teens” were found to have taken baseball bats to their neighbors’ mailboxes. It is editorials such as yours which bring back memories of a time in Oakwood when homeowners were discouraged from selling their homes to anyone considered to be “undesirable.” You seem to ignore the fact that all parents, regardless of their income, want their children to grow up in safe and nurturing environments. I think that since you continue to take many journalistic liberties in stretching facts your advertisers should be reminded that they are supporting a newspaper which promotes irresponsible journalism, narrow mindedness and exclusivity. The dictionary definition of diversity is a point or respect in which things differ. Mr. Winkler, you could benefit from some diversity training!

Marie Moran
Oakwood

South suburbs playing ‘NIMBY’ (Not In My Back Yard)

Now that the initial burst of near hysteria, blame assignments and reverse snobbery is over, perhaps cooler heads can prevail. The DMHA voucher issue is not and has never been about race, color of one’s skin, cultural differences or even the public’s misperception of Oakwood as a rich and elitist suburb. The REAL issue here is the crime that has moved into our southern suburbs.

The careful wording of the DMHA director in saying that criminal checks had been performed on the new residents gives him room to NOT say what, if anything, those criminal checks turned up. He did not have to explain what level of past criminal behavior or association with criminal behavior was an explainable or acceptable risk in reassigning these public housing tenants.

It must be remembered that the local government closed those two housing projects not only because the buildings had deteriorated, but also because these low rent apartment communities had become home to an “artificial” culture of drugs and gangs; spurred on by low incomes and government hand outs. If this lifestyle is all that a person has ever known, it is absurd to think it will cease simply because he/she crossed the border into the “suburbs.” Does this mean all DMHA vouchered families are criminally inclined? No. Does this mean that at least some of the new families will take this opportunity, and work at improving themselves and breaking the cycle of poverty and government assistance? One could only hope so.

However, the simple fact is that our gun toting neighbor (by the way – have the police checked HIM out? What’s up with the gun?) followed these young men who trespassed onto his property, and found they were living in government assisted housing. One can imagine how outraged he felt at discovering his property damaged (and later stolen) and then realizing his own tax dollars paid the rent on the bad guy’s base of operations. That is what this issue is really about.

The simple fact is that (despite the rich and elitist perception) most of today’s Oakwood residents are hard working, two income homeowners who work long hours to pay the higher taxes and home prices that allow them to raise their children in a safe, clean, middle class environment with excellent schools. Kettering and Oakwood homeowners deliberately chose to move to the suburbs, in part to avoid the decay and crime of urban Dayton living. The landlords and homeowners who take advantage of public housing and assistance programs undermine that feeling of safety in the suburbs.

DMHA’s voucher program is simple and idealistic; and for those who use it as a much needed stop-gap in hard times, it is a noble program. On the other hand, when it has become a third or fourth generation “right” to individuals or families who have no plans to live without government assistance, it takes its toll on the whole community, and the landlords don’t care. They don’t live in the community – they simply receive their subsidies and move on.

For the South communities, this issue will be viewed as Dayton exporting its uncontrollable crime, and hoping that no one notices. Dayton will counter that the South suburbs are just playing “NIMBY” (Not In My Back Yard.) The sad fact is what is done is done, and when guns starts showing up in school, or crack cocaine is found in the park, it won’t matter what color a person’s skin is, nor how much money they make. The only thing that will matter is how well trained our police forces are.

Respectfully,
D. Collins

Section 8 a bad omen

I read your paper on line following the news coverage. I live only a few blocks away from this area in Patterson Park and all I can think of now is to give it a new name - Patterson Parkside. The absolute fact is that the crime in the the entire area is about to skyrocket if it has not already started. I have already noticed people meandering in my neighborhood that I have never seen before. I feel bad for all you folks in Kettering and Oakwood cause you guys are screwed.

The city and police department are only going to give you some politcally correct responses to your concerns but don't kid yourself. Your crime is going to go up. And it will go up substantially. If you have any doubt just look what DMHA has done for Dayton. Look at what RTA has done for the downtown. Would any of you reading this honestly say that moving welfare housing in your area is going to be a good thing? I don't think so.

I hope someone can do something to stop this but I am not very hopeful. Once DMHA or Section 8 gets in they are like a cancer. You can't get rid of them once they are there. I have been told by someone in the know as they say, that DMHA plans to buy as many properties along Shroyer Road as the can. This is from a good source so I would imagine that it is accurate.

If nothing is done to stop this invasion the results will be disastrous for for everyone. For those tree-hugging liberals out there, just ask yourself how wonderful this is after your house gets broken into and your car gets stolen. Then ask yourself if this was so wonderful. Make no mistake, these people will ruin your neighborhoods. Period.

Mike Green
Dayton

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