Multi-Housing Development OK If Not For The Poor

Residents of the Woodbridge HOA in Sachse Texas have begun to complain that a proposed low-income block will mar their community with lowered property values, an overloaded school system, and a general discouragement of new business.

Sachse is an affluent neighborhood – only 6.5% of the community lives below the poverty level compared to a state average of 17.2%, and their median household income is 70% higher than the state average.

For a zip code that has over 21,500 residents – adding some 350 people (100 low-cost rental units x 3.46 average household size for the region) – increasing the population by 1.6% of low income individuals won’t have any substantial change to the area. Indeed, this might raise the total below poverty individuals to 1750 (including what the residents claim will be 200 new children) or so individuals in the whole community.

Indeed, at that level of “new poor”, along with the location of area – which has been zoned for apartments and commercial development for 10 years – is relatively isolated from the single detached units (you don’t have to drive through the neighbourhood to get to the proposed development), no traffic impact. Indeed – most residents could continue living their lives without ever seeing an actual low-income resident ever step foot on the sidewalk in front of their house. (Though watch out – Google street view shows a suspiciously low income looking van for sale in the Woodbridge community, along with a lot of generic low-cost, 10 year old appearing, cars.)

So – (1) the amount of development, location, and growth on the community should have negligible impact on property values, (2) the area is 70% more affluent than the region so their already have enough of a school tax base to cover new students, and (3) apparently low-income residents drive away discourages new business. That’s so silly I don’t have a better remark.

In a country that welcomed immigrants with the words “Give me your tired, your poor” – they should update it with the tagline “as long as they live far away from me”.