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Mar. 14, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

LOW-INCOME HOUSING: Seniors' subsidized rents rising

Board says costs to increase yearly after July

By LYNNETTE CURTIS
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Hundreds of low-income senior citizens living in subsidized housing will soon have to pay more for rent, the Las Vegas Housing Authority board decided on Thursday.

The board voted 3-1 to increase by 5 percent the rent on 249 apartments and 71 mobile home park spaces for senior citizens. The increase, which is the first for the housing program in nearly a decade, goes into effect in July.

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    • "Our costs go up every year," said Carl Rowe, the housing authority's executive director. "We could no longer afford not to increase" the rent.

    Residents also will, from now on, face yearly rent increases tied to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.

    "We've tried to keep rents low enough that it ... wasn't a hardship for anybody," Rowe said. "But you have to keep pace. We have bills like every other business. It was as fair as we could possibly make it."

    He was booed by a number of senior citizen residents who attended the meeting.

    Several spoke in opposition of the increase, saying they are on fixed incomes and can't afford to pay more.

    "We'll have to choose between rent and food," one woman said.

    "We are being taken advantage of," said another.

    Board Commissioner Steve Ross, who is also a Las Vegas city councilman, opposed the measure.

    "I care about the seniors," he said. "I am not in full support of this."

    Rowe said if the housing authority doesn't start charging more for rent in its affordable housing program, it would eventually have to "sell the properties to a commercial business."

    The affordable housing program is funded by the Las Vegas Housing Authority and uses no federal money, he said. Its budget is about $2 million a year and has been subsidized by revenue from other sources.

    Those sources are drying up, Rowe said.

    Residents in one bedroom apartments will see their rents go up about $16 a month. The highest rent paid for one bedrooms is currently $325, Rowe said. Rent for two bedroom apartments will go from $360 to $378 at the highest, he said. And mobile home park rents will go from $185 for a single-wide space and $205 for a double-wide to $194 and $215 respectively.

    Voting for the increases were board chairman Father Dave Casaleggio and commissioners Haywood Carter and Brenda Williams. Commissioner Patrick Smith was absent.

    "This is the hardest thing to do," Casaleggio said. "But to be able to continue with the program, I believe this is truly necessary."

    The housing authority in the past has faced federal reviews that found it mismanaged funds and violated federal, state or local regulations.

    Rowe was hired in 2006 to help clean up the agency's messes. One of his first acts as director was to lay off dozens of the agency's employees after being forced by federal officials to convert to a decentralized, "project-based" management style.

    In defending Rowe on Thursday, Ross commended the sometimes unpopular decisions Rowe has made.

    "Mr. Rowe wasn't hired because he's a super nice guy," Ross said.

    Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0285.



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    Marie Arneson wrote on August 19, 2008 06:05 PM: We are seniors who have super bad credit. We need a home. I wanted an application for low housing for seniors with bad credit. I have searched the internet and I am so confused on how to do this. Who can help me? My husband is 66 and I am 58. We have lots of medical bills and have tried to help children and they have messed us up badly. Loss of a job cost me more bad credit in the past. We are both on social security. Is there anyone who knows if there is hope for us. I have always wanted a house but I don't ever see that in my future. Please help.


    j wrote on March 14, 2008 06:43 PM: Good! Now, please stop the casino buses from going to these places. This is wrong on every level.

    Or continue to raise the rent, until the residents no longer go to casinos.


    NEW Application wrote on March 14, 2008 06:41 PM: Simple Application for all forms of Social Benefits:

    Applicant must be over 75
    Applicant must be "really" disabled
    Applicant cannot have family members Applicant cannot work.


    Why? wrote on March 14, 2008 04:54 PM: I'm not cheap at all when it comes to helping out my (extended) family. I take care of myself and my own. I don't expect a handout.

    Did you not plan ahead at all and put any money away for your later years?

    When I turn 60 I predict that there will be no Social Security. I will rely on my 401k, Roth IRA, mutual funds, stock holdings, savings accounts, etc. I am subsidizing myself.


    Old Man wrote on March 14, 2008 04:48 PM: We deserve it because the younger generation needs to respect senior citizens. When you turn 60 the next genertion will pay your social security, just like you are paying mine now.

    Actually, you are paying for my gas now becuase I get subsidized rides to the casino from those small CAT buses. You help with my rent and my food due to my food stamps. Also I get medicare. Hopefully the next President will let Bush's tax cuts lapse so that we can see some decent cost of living increases for our subsidies.

    WHY,, why are being so darn CHEAP?


    Why? wrote on March 14, 2008 04:40 PM: I would like a taxpayer subsidy to pay my mortgage, fill up my gas tank, buy my groceries. Prices are high, don't you know. Where can I sign up?


    Why? wrote on March 14, 2008 04:38 PM: That doesn't make any sense to me. Why do you deserve it? I would really like to know the answer to that.

    Why isn't rent subsidized for everyone? Everything costs a lot for everyone. Do I deserve to have you contribute to filling up my gas tank? I don't think so.

    My taxes are very high. And my Social Security taxes, of which I will probably get very little if anything back, are also high.

    I don't expect anyone to subsidize anything for me. I am planning ahead and saving my money.


    Old Man wrote on March 14, 2008 04:15 PM: We are entitled to low rent because rent is high. When you reach 60, you should get taxpayer subsidy (rent, heating assistance) because we deserve it. Back in the old days the slot machines were loose and you could eat a buffet for .99 cents, Now everything costs so much, so the younger generation should be forced to help us out through higher taxes. That is why either Hillary or Obama is such a good choice. They agree with me


    Why? wrote on March 14, 2008 03:50 PM: Entitled to low rent? Why is anyone entitled to low rent? I have a great deal of sympathy for older folks and wish hardship on nobody. But I save a great deal of my income now (at 38) so I will not have to worry about my expenses later on. I don't expect anyone to subsidize anything for me.


    Old Man wrote on March 14, 2008 02:43 PM: As one of the low rent seniors, I believe we are entitled to the low rent. The cost of living has caused rent to go up so much. It doesn't cost taxpayers that much to let us live nicely. If the video poker machines weren't so tight maybe we could afford something nicer.

    And to MONEY TREE, you are cheap.


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