What should my wife and I do?

ND13

Well, while getting ready for work this morning, the wife and I were counting our blessings and discussing what else we could do to help out the folks displaced by Katrina. We already gave, generously, to the RC and SA.

Somehow she had learned about the Craigslist list of people offering to put people up til they can get back on their feet. So were considering doing just that. We don't have a huge home, but we have enough extra room to house a family of 2-3 people. I know we're quite a ways from the Gulf Coast, but alot of those people will most likely not have a pot to piss in, much less a place to rest their heads and shelter their children from the elements and the scum that continue to prey upon the downtrodden. We are going to think about this very hard before making such an offer. We would most definitely want to know the background of who we were considering letting into our home and around our children. We're thinking like a single mother of 1-2 small kids or something along those lines.

What do ya'll think??

RuSsMaN

I think it's a SWELL idea. I'm considering it myself.

jet2001

If you've got the room and the time...go for it!

aaharvel

If you have the room, it's a great idea. Billy Graham's son mentioned this yesterday to the AP. that if every major church in the southeast took in 10 families that it would help A TON!

Pablo

I was thinking the same thing, but I have a lot of concerns. I would think most of these people are looking for long term (12 - 18 months at least). How do you know who would come to stay? How do you know their background? What if you can never get them to leave? Can I afford to provide food, heat, hot water, clothing for a family of 4 for a year? I need to do the something for these poor people, I just don't know what (except the money of course).

audiobliss

Good questions you point out, Pablo. If you have the time and space and patience, it certainly is a great service that would help out a ton if more people would do it. However, you have those questions Pablo pointed out; kinda complicates things.

You hafta way the pros and cons carefully.

dragon1952

Taking someone in, although a noble gesture, could end up being a freakin' nightmare from hell.

dorokusai

I agree, no thanks.

faster100

specially if you had kids, remember thier safety as well.. although homeless, they could be anybody coming to your door.. I'll donate and keep it safe

madmax

In my opinion only... No freakin way if you have kids or a wife. People are desperate right now and require professional help which should involve security. Even somewhat unknown family members who may have lived in the areas are a red flag. These people MUST take care of their families (whatever it takes) and will do so. If you were a single guy like me then you could take whatever risks you wanted to.

madmax

RuSsMaN

I thought about it, but it's just not something I'm willing to do.

That, and I don't think they let you 'request' young strippers from the area.

Dennis Gardner

12 to 18 months? ****, 2 weeks in my 1 horse town and they would be begging for the city life!

Thank God my mother-in-law resides in Houston instead of N.O.!!

Dennis Gardner

RuSsMaN wrote:

That, and I don't think they let you 'request' young strippers from the area.

I saw most of them that they were pulling into boats and choppers, and I don't have a pole big enough to handle any of them dancers!!

For po' folks they eat well!

George Grand

I agree with Max. You have absolutely no idea who these people are, and what they were prior to the catastrophe. It is a tough call, but there is a lot at stake if you're bringing them into your home, and ESPECIALLY if you have children.

This may sound cold, but one of the higher ups in my squadron refused to fly about 100 or so evacuees out of New Orleans Naval Air Station. We have been flying the relief flights since 2 Sep. The request was made by the air base manager, and he called it an emergency to get the people out of harms way. Well, number one, they ARE out of harms way. Two, we have seating for about 50, not 100. Three, you going to frisk these people? Four, the president has mandated that we wear arms, flak jackets, Kevlar helmets and so on, even if all we are doing is opening the cargo door and offloading relief supplies. We have the two pilots, and two boom operators on every relief mission. The pilots and one boom ride in the cockpit on passenger hauling missions, the other boom (the armed one) rides in the back, and that is when we are hauling MILITARY personnel that have had their baggage and persons screened. I have flown hundreds of passenger missions in the tanker and I have never felt comfy in the back with them. It sounds cold but this is the way it has to be.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

amulford

As heartless as it seems, the thought would not have entered my head. That is asking too much. Hey, I feel bad, and I have given, too. But that's all I can do.

You have to protect you and your own. It's noble to want to help, but in reality, you ain't the Red Cross. Just keep your's safe and sound, that's a big enough job on it's own.

ND13

We thought about it long and hard, and we've came to the same conclusion as most of you have. There is just too many variables involved, especially when you throw in that we have 2 young children. We have decided to just give cash and goods. So far we've donated over $250 in cash and another few hundred in goods. I can't do anymore than that right now, especially with me getting to attend Polkfest now , not to make light of the situation.
If I still lived in Tennessee or Alabama, I could do more, like volunteering or something. Anyone that does let a family into their home, may God bless them and protest them from any scams or con artists, which there has already been several reports of :mad: . SCUM!!!! I mean to take advantage of someone's humanitarianism and generosity is about as low as it gets.

reeltrouble1

I am seriously considering it.

RT1

ND13

RT1,

Just make sure that you have say-so in who you let in your home. If you have friends in the government, ask them to do a background check on them. Just CYA. I think it would be a noble deed, it's just not in the cards for me and my family at this time. Good luck if you do and God bless.

madmax

reeltrouble1 wrote:

I am seriously considering it.

RT1

Make sure you have legal ability to remove them any time necessary. Don't assume you have any particular rights that are not written in a contract.

I won't argue the legal points because half of them don't make sense and add on top of that particular judges who believe one thing or another but... I have seen people in rental agreements who cannot be gotten rid of for years even without paying rent. At the same time in a house down the street another person is kicked out 15 days after non-payment the first months rent. Also, if they are "living there" then they "live there". This can apply to the law no matter who is paying the bills. Keep in mind that the law is whichever people you happen to be dealing with at the time.

I'm just saying you need to have a contract drawn up by someone who really knows what they are doing before taking such a risk.

madmax

reeltrouble1

Ugh, I have already done some checks on the crew here, oh, the things I could tell you!! :eek: j/k

RT1

Low-lifes would likely decline my offer, or change their mind very quickly. In my particular case I am not allowed to associate with any form of a low life for at least two years.

Edit: Adoption is another consideration. I wont be doing anything rash I have to check alot of things, the advice though is well spoken and very applicable.

Ron-P

I thought about it, for about 30 seconds. Too risky. They'll get my support in other ways but not in housing.

Pablo

I'm considering it as well (but not that seriously yet), but have major concerns. I mentioned most of them earlier, but my main concern would be having to support them and getting them out at the end. I personnally know 2 cases of not getting rid of people. My parents had a house on Saratoga Lake, and couldn't get rid of the non rent paying, property destroying low lives for almost a year. After that they sold the place (probably worth about $1,000,000 now [bummer]).

A friend of my sister's let some people she knew (barley knew) stay in a house she had in FL that she was planning on selling because they had no place to go (she moved out of state). Now they won't leave. They don't pay rent, but now have squaters rights and she's going through hell to get them out (I think it's been well over a year).

If anybody does do this, please let us all know what they go through to find someone "qualified", and what rights they may have.

madmax

Pablo wrote:

Now they won't leave. They don't pay rent, but now have squaters rights and she's going through hell to get them out (I think it's been well over a year).

Exactly what I was talking about. Any person with logical sense would say "Its not theirs, they have to leave if I say so". Not necessarily true and lots of times the squaters end up with the courts on their side.

madmax

reeltrouble1

OK, well, lets blame it on the LAWYERS, so far they have been unscathed in this whole thing, wherever trouble looms a LAWYER is sure to be around somewhere!! :eek:

My wife has ended up nixing the idea for us and I must respect her decision on this one. We have given in several ways and are helping a family being housed here on the base.

RT1

Ron-P

Pablo, my parents had a renter that stopped paying. After a couple of months they walked into the house and shut off the water, gas and electric, pulled up the carpet and made the house unlivable. They rented a storage facility for one month, got a U-haul van went into the house, loaded up all the stuff and took it to storage. Done deal, no police, no lawyer's, no problems. Just one pissed off homeless person with stuff in storage.

I'll let the government provide housing for these people, as should be there responsibility.

up2youjoe

Elizabeth Smarts father decided to help someone out and the guy ended up taking and raping his daughter. If you live alone fine but if you have a wife and or kids, NEVER bring strangers into your house.

Also, depending on your state, once people live in your house for a certain period of time....THEY HAVE RIGHTS. If you call the police and want them out the police will ask if they live there and for how long and the cops will tell you that YOU will have to take them to court to get rid of them. Oh, don't forget to inform your homowners insurance company you have strangers living with you. Oh, almost forgot....your car insurance company will want to know there is another licensed driver at your address. Don't try telling them they don't drive your car.

Ron-P

but if you have a wife and or kids, NEVER bring strangers into your house.

Exactly why I won't do it.

If you call the police and want them out the police will ask if they live there and for how long and the cops will tell you that YOU will have to take them to court to get rid of them.

Exactly what my parents did, they called the cops regarding the situation above. It was actually the cop that told them to do what they did to get the person out.