Banished

The WayneWho staff has been kicking around Osceola County's plan to spend its take of the millions in federal funding to alleviate the foreclosure crisis in the state of Florida and we are a little bit confused on one of the ideas. We were glad to the see the County Commissioners correct the stances on museums and health clinics and focus on foreclosures like the American Taxpayers have trusted us to do, but their is still one element that seems odd. Why would you build low-income housing in the middle of nowhere?

Before the folks down in Poinciana get upset at us, we are not suggesting that Poinciana is nowhere, but rather we are saying that Poinciana is a suburb of the Metro Orlando area where people strive to live the quiet life and commute to jobs that are a good distance away. Like in any other suburb type environment government services, shopping, clinics, and real jobs are at some distance away. So, we have to ask if it is smart to push your low-income residents away from the central hub of services and access to transportation? Would it be more convenient for families that cannot afford a vehicle to live in an outlying area like Poinciana that does not seem to be equipped, as a real city would be, to handle the needs of our low-income citizens? We do not believe the plan makes sense unless a new location that is more central and reduces transportation problems is looked at. Since the City of Kissimmee needs some help getting their Redevelopment project off the ground on Vine Street, maybe the County should discuss building the type of building that city wants, multi-story, parking garage, funky CRA colors with rope lighting, on that corridor instead of banishing low income families to the edge of the county. If the whole idea is to create an environment where people can live, work, and play, then maybe this would be a better plan.

Of course, no city wants more low-income families in its midst and forcing the Poinciana area into taking on the responsibility before it has the chance to become a city is just perfect timing. Poinciana is the forgotten town that Avatar built for years that the county has easily overlooked and it appears nothing has changed with the district's new commissioner Brandon "Valentine" Arrington dutifully nodding his head to whatever the rest of the commission has to say. Maybe "Valentine" should actually crack open the plan and give it a quick read to see if it makes sense. Maybe he should go down and ask some of the community leaders in Poinciana if they are ready to handle the needs of low-income families or at least spend a few minutes explaining why he thinks this is a good idea. It is not like the community leaders down there aren't already scrambling trying to handle one of the worst foreclosure rates in all of Florida, let's throw a little bit more on them. Is this more of the County's "Clean Slate" agenda at work trying to cleanse the area of those it perceives hinder its ability to attract high-tech and bio-medical firms?

The WayneWho staff thinks that spending some of the federal money on low-income housing is a smart idea, but we have to argue against its planned location. Banishing low-income American families will not help them get back on their feet, it just hides them from our line of site. Forgetting about a problem does not make the problem go away.