Waldron Proposal Would Prohibit Rentals To Illegal Aliens
Escondido Councilwoman Marie Waldron is proposing that the City prohibit renting to illegal aliens. Apparently, the proposal was inspired by an ordinance being considered in Hazleton, Pennsylvania.
What is interesting is how the matter was reported in the local press. The North County Times ran an article on Sunday, July 9, 2006:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/07/09/
news/inland/21_03_117_8_06.txt
The NCTimes allows reader comments to be posted on its web site under an article. This article drew over 150 comments!
The NCTimes Editor wrote an Opinion piece that blasted the Waldron proposal:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/07/11/
opinion/editorials/22_01_387_10_06.txt
The Opinion drew over 70 comments!
The NCTimes then ran an article about Latinos organizing to oppose the Waldron proposal.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/07/13/
news/inland/21_43_407_12_06.txt
That article drew over 90 comments!
The Union Tribune ran an article after the NCTimes:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/
northcounty/20060712-9999-1mi12illegal.html
The UT had a survey next to the article. I took the survey, and was presented with the result. 85% responding to the survey were in favor of the Waldron proposal.
Then, a story about Latino oponents who addressed the City Council was reported:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/
northcounty/20060713-9999-1m13illegal.html
Then a UT columnist criticized the Waldron proposal:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/
northcounty/jenkins/20060713-9999-1mi13jenkins.html
Constrast that reporting with The Paper.
http://thecommunitypaper.com/localnews.php
The Paper had quotes from several members of the Escondido City Council. Part of the article is quoted below:
"Councilman Ron Newman is not “real warm,” to Waldron’s idea. “I sometimes wonder, with an election right around the corner if proposals such as this, which are very popular with the community, but possibly not do-able legally, are more for show. I don’t think her idea will stand up to a legal challenge. I have a good relationship with Marie . . . but I’m mindful that she’s running for re-election in November . . . I would need more input.”
“Both issues, renting to illegals and restricting the number of tenants in a single family residence, become property rights issues.”
Pointed out that housing agencies that provide governmentally subsidized housing do, indeed, require proof of citizenship . . . but that private ownership did not . . . Newman agreed that there appeared to be a double standard. “I know we place certain restrictions on Habitat for Humanity homes we build in partnership with the community, and to some extent, subsidize . . . but whether we could do that with private ownership I just don’t know. We’d need some legal counsel.”
(Note: Newman has announced that he will not run for a second term in the fall)
The Paper included a Commentary titled: How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico
http://thecommunitypaper.com/editorial.php
What did I learn from The Paper that I did not learn from the other papers. First, that the ordinance has not been drafted yet. Further, that Marie Waldron "is presently doing research to determine how such an ordinance might be written to comply with existing fair housing laws." Thus, arguments that the ordinance violates fair housing laws are premature. Second, citizenship is required for government subsidized housing. This includes housing in Escondido by Habitat for Humanity. Third, that Newman had an opinion, and needed legal guidance. Fourth, that President Eisenhower had to address the same problem of an illegal immigration crisis. Good job at The Paper.
The Community Paper was well worth the price. It was free. Best of all, it had an example of good journalism!
What is interesting is how the matter was reported in the local press. The North County Times ran an article on Sunday, July 9, 2006:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/07/09/
news/inland/21_03_117_8_06.txt
The NCTimes allows reader comments to be posted on its web site under an article. This article drew over 150 comments!
The NCTimes Editor wrote an Opinion piece that blasted the Waldron proposal:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/07/11/
opinion/editorials/22_01_387_10_06.txt
The Opinion drew over 70 comments!
The NCTimes then ran an article about Latinos organizing to oppose the Waldron proposal.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/07/13/
news/inland/21_43_407_12_06.txt
That article drew over 90 comments!
The Union Tribune ran an article after the NCTimes:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/
northcounty/20060712-9999-1mi12illegal.html
The UT had a survey next to the article. I took the survey, and was presented with the result. 85% responding to the survey were in favor of the Waldron proposal.
Then, a story about Latino oponents who addressed the City Council was reported:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/
northcounty/20060713-9999-1m13illegal.html
Then a UT columnist criticized the Waldron proposal:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/
northcounty/jenkins/20060713-9999-1mi13jenkins.html
Constrast that reporting with The Paper.
http://thecommunitypaper.com/localnews.php
The Paper had quotes from several members of the Escondido City Council. Part of the article is quoted below:
"Councilman Ron Newman is not “real warm,” to Waldron’s idea. “I sometimes wonder, with an election right around the corner if proposals such as this, which are very popular with the community, but possibly not do-able legally, are more for show. I don’t think her idea will stand up to a legal challenge. I have a good relationship with Marie . . . but I’m mindful that she’s running for re-election in November . . . I would need more input.”
“Both issues, renting to illegals and restricting the number of tenants in a single family residence, become property rights issues.”
Pointed out that housing agencies that provide governmentally subsidized housing do, indeed, require proof of citizenship . . . but that private ownership did not . . . Newman agreed that there appeared to be a double standard. “I know we place certain restrictions on Habitat for Humanity homes we build in partnership with the community, and to some extent, subsidize . . . but whether we could do that with private ownership I just don’t know. We’d need some legal counsel.”
(Note: Newman has announced that he will not run for a second term in the fall)
The Paper included a Commentary titled: How Eisenhower solved illegal border crossings from Mexico
http://thecommunitypaper.com/editorial.php
What did I learn from The Paper that I did not learn from the other papers. First, that the ordinance has not been drafted yet. Further, that Marie Waldron "is presently doing research to determine how such an ordinance might be written to comply with existing fair housing laws." Thus, arguments that the ordinance violates fair housing laws are premature. Second, citizenship is required for government subsidized housing. This includes housing in Escondido by Habitat for Humanity. Third, that Newman had an opinion, and needed legal guidance. Fourth, that President Eisenhower had to address the same problem of an illegal immigration crisis. Good job at The Paper.
The Community Paper was well worth the price. It was free. Best of all, it had an example of good journalism!
posted by Robroy at 5:46 PM
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