My wife, who speaks Spanish, was listening to one of the Spanish-language radio stations the other day. She said it was filled with ads from fly-by-night mortgage companies telling people how they can buy houses with no credit and no jobs.

WTF? How does THAT work? I realize there is predatory lending going on, and obviously these companies are dumping the mortgages on legitimate banks somewhere along the way, but how is this being allowed to go on? It's no wonder 10 people have to live in one house when they are paying a $5,000 mortgage on a $300,000 house.

I think it may also have to do with the 'fair lending act' or something like that, companies like fannie mae and stuff.

The Economist Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think it may also have to do with the 'fair
> lending act' or something like that, companies
> like fannie mae and stuff.


Fair lending, eh? How come everytime I've gotten a mortgage I have to swear my first child, yet these folks - who may not even be citizens - can just sign on a dotted line? Hardly sounds "fair" to me.

I think it's the subsidized housing program that the federal gov't supports - hardly fair to others - but to qualify - I believe the benchmark is they have to earn less than $18k as a household.

I like the idea of the mortgage companies advertising for Mexicans to come in and when they get there the INS van is waiting for them.

I've bought my first house using some government program advised by my RE agent. The program didn't provide any reduced interest nor lower income/credit req's, but allowed to avoid the "min 20% or PMI" rule.

We used to live on a nice, friendly cul-de-sac in Fairfax Station where kids of all ages played in the street, we shared a beer with our neighbors after cutting the grass on a hot summer day, had twice a year potluck block parties, and everyone got into the holiday spirit with brightly decorated homes. Oh, and everyone kept their yards tidy with leaves raked and trash out of sight.

Over the past 18 months the character of our street (about 12 houses), and our neighborhood in general, has changed. Since a working couple cannot afford a house on their own, we now have two properties with at least eight people living in them. Most of them have their own cars, so you can imagine what a nightmare it is for a friend to find a place to park, let alone navigate around the bikes, skateboards and toys that are lying around. They appear to be in violation of our HOA bylaws, but the HOA is afraid to push the issue since it may appear to be racially motivated (both houses are owned by Hispanics) and no one wants a lawsuit. An investigation by the FXCO Planning department found that they were within code since everyone is a blood relative.

Frankly, I don't care if they speak to us or not, but I would like them to stop using their garage as a quasi day labor center and keep their properties up.

Gideon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------


> Over the past 18 months the character of our
> street (about 12 houses), and our neighborhood in
> general, has changed. Since a working couple
> cannot afford a house on their own, we now have
> two properties with at least eight people living
> in them. Most of them have their own cars, so you
> can imagine what a nightmare it is for a friend to
> find a place to park, let alone navigate around
> the bikes, skateboards and toys that are lying
> around. They appear to be in violation of our HOA
> bylaws, but the HOA is afraid to push the issue
> since it may appear to be racially motivated (both
> houses are owned by Hispanics) and no one wants a
> lawsuit. An investigation by the FXCO Planning
> department found that they were within code since
> everyone is a blood relative.
>
> Frankly, I don't care if they speak to us or not,
> but I would like them to stop using their garage
> as a quasi day labor center and keep their
> properties up.


I hear you! We have several Hispanic families who live in our neighborhood. Most manage to get by with a normal family of four, five or six people. I have found most to be good neighbors who keep their yards up and don't leave their trash all over the place. However, there are a couple of houses that have seven or eight people - mostly single men - who are in and out all day like it is a Day Labor Center, with trucks pulling up, etc.

First, it is discouraging to hear that Fairfax Station has this problem. I was thinking about moving to a higher priced area to get away from this, but it sounds like the problem will pretty much follow you anywhere they can get away with packing 20 people into a house. Second,if they are in violation of HOA covenance, than HOA needs to enforce them. Seems to me there is no equal protection under the law if people are exempted from HOA because of their race. If HOA can't do it, then you shouldn't have to pay HOA your monthly fees.

Manassas had the right idea, they just went about it the wrong way. I like what Prince William County is doing - ticketing contracting vehicles that are parked on public streets. I think Fairfax needs to start doing something like that, as well.

They seem to know the rules about work trucks and are very careful to make sure that they are the ones in the driveway at night. The HOA is being cautious because you really cannot tell whether they are in compliance or not. Unlike a fence violation (i.e., no chain link visible from the street), the risk that comes from being wrong is significant since the HOA could be sued for discrimination and/or harassment. While D&O insurance should provide some protection, it is unclear whether the HOA's assets would be at risk and people like the pool and tennis courts.

No one really cares that these new neighbors are Hispanic, Saudi, Korean or Egyptian. What everyone seems to miss is the sense of community that we used to have and people would look past the multiple cars and piles of construction material if there was some attempt made to join us. People have brought by plates of cookies, offered to carpool, and done similar neighborly acts, only to be looked at like they are nuts and then have a door closed in your face. It is hard to explain to a 7 year old selling wrapping paper or the Cub Scout selling popcorn why the people in this house or that house seem so mean. While I don't like having kids shilling products as a fundraiser, we all just grin and bear it and spend the $10 because next time it might be your kid who is trying to raise money for new band uniforms.

it is BULL SHIT!!! This is the oldest line in the book for these people. From the time they get into this country they are told to use the word family. My father had the same problem in Arlington and they tried to use the same line until you do the following:

1. The country looks for an excuse to close the case by using the word family. The only way these people are related is DNA. The majority if not all are flop houses and the majority of the people don't know each other; the owner running the flop house uses the word family!!

2. Do you know your mailman, ask him and he will tell you they multiple names of people living in the house.

3. It takes a team effort. Every one of your neighbors needs file a complaint with the Zoning Office. Do your home work up front. Talk to the mailman, observe what is going on. My father wrote down the license plates and identified the different cars. You may even find on the cars the many different countries they come from. Look for commerical trucks (that is also a zoning violation).

4. Please see attached URL: http://edynamicportal.com/DP1/metroplex/FairfaxCounty/customerservice/wiz_csr.asp
Go under violation type and select, "Too many Families/people in a house.

5. Have has many of your neighbors file a complaint.

6. Have each of your neighbors write to your County Supervisor and Gerry Connolly, even though he is as left as they come.

7. To prove your point, ask them to give you the name of each of the owners of the many vechicles they drive, they won't do it but it proves a point.

8. Get mad next election and get rid of our county supervisors. Did you know Gerry Connolly wrote a letter last year to GOV Warner asking him to allow us to give welfare benefits to illegals.

9. To prove it works if your persistent, I personnally helped get rid of the problem we had in Poplar Tree. The house in the front of the neighbor hood use to have twenty people living in the house. Today you will only see 4 cars.

10. Good Luck!!

2. the mailman has no right to tell the neighbor's business. Should have his busybodied ass fired. I certainly wouldn't want my neighbors accessing my personal information because of the mailman. As freaky as you are, he'd go along with anything you say, "HOW MANY DIFFERENT LAST NAMES ARE IN THAT HOUSE!!!?" To which he'd say "uuuuuuhhh ... 16?" How loud did you have to scream at the postman to get him to come up with a number? OR, did you beat it out of him?

9. how did you kill them?

PaperPusher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 2. the mailman has no right to tell the
> neighbor's business.

That part sounded bogus to me, too. Seems to me the guy would lose his job for doing that.

umm... if there is stuff left in the street for over a day, like toys and junk, just throw them away.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

that is probably indy mac that was lending out these bad loans lol

ok...dirty and wow.....the mailman is under no legal obligation to not talk about you. there is no constitutional right to privacy. so your mailman is free to talk about anything he wants as long as the information he gathered was from the outer addresses on the mail (ie he cant look in/open the mail and legally use that info)

also did you know that the post office....specifically the US postal inspection service will photocopy the exterior of all of your mail prior to delivery and give it to a law enforcement agency with a simple request. no warrant required.

so your mailman can talk about anything he wants....