View our interview from the KHOU News broadcast in Houston TX.
THE PROBLEM
YOU’VE SEEN IT BEFORE, low income housing. Fix it up, repair it, and improve it. Immediately it begins to fall apart again. Crime moves in, and spills over into surrounding neighborhoods and beyond. The tenants themselves are sometimes the source of the destruction. So why should we care, and what can we do? Those residents obviously like to live that way, right?
EVERYONE, NO MATTER THEIR INCOME LEVEL, DESERVES A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE and to enjoy their life with respect and without fear. Unfortunately, the housing options available to low-income households have negative reputations in society. The quality of life within these communities is not what it should be. The rate of crime, drug abuse, and violence is often very high. This crime and the wasted taxpayer dollars negatively impact the entire community.
We believe that this does not need to be the case. A safe, happy life is possible no matter what your income level is. It’s been proven that people function better in a safe environment. Wouldn’t it improve our society as a whole if we could stop the cycle of destruction, and help empower low income families to take charge of their lives and homes, and improve their lot in life?
THE SOLUTION: THE RESIDENTS
EACH INDIVIDUAL residing in the property has their own story and needs. We believe that only a small percentage are truly destructive. Most, with the proper education and assistance, want to and will improve their conditions. We’ve been proving this successfully for many years.
WE DON’T NEED MORE POLICE, WE NEED FEWER CRIMINALS. We begin by spotting the criminal element inside the complex. It’s our belief that criminals are not criminals because they want to be, but are criminals because that’s the only way they know to survive. Some can be rehabilitated fairly easily, given the right education and conditions. This we provide through partnerships with other organizations. Those criminals—drug dealers, pimps, child molesters, sex offenders, thieves, racketeers, and gangsters — who are not cooperative are banished from the community.
The remaining tenants, those who are interested in working toward a better life, are interviewed to determine the type of education and assistance they need to effect stable change in their lives. Our partners, experts in financial management, personal safety, career choices and training, small business opportunities, personal health and well being, help those willing to take charge of their own lives and their surroundings.
THE RESULT is a safe, sane, well run community, and residents who are empowered to better their conditions in life, and improve their self respect, no longer relying on public assistance, and contributing to the health and prosperity of all.
WATCH US WORK
WE WANT TO INSPIRE YOU! Watch us work. We’ll be posting photos and videos, and BLOGGING about our current projects. We hope that others will begin similar work in communities across the country and the world.
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU with our decades of experience in the evaluation, purchase, rehabilitation and day to day management of your projects. Our goal is to take this model viral, improving the economy and the lives of low income families, and thereby improving our overall economy and community as a whole.
Watch an interview with John Hurd talking about this project.