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| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| Houses built by Peanut Farmer crumble |
| 2009-01-04 |
| Fairway Oaks was built on northern Florida wasteland by 10,000 volunteers, including Carter, in a record 17-day “blitz” organized by the charity Habitat for Humanity. The second blitz. Destroyed homes faster than the first. Eight years later it is better known for cockroaches, mildew and mysterious skin rashes. Sounds a lot like the Cahtah economy. A forthcoming legal battle over Fairway Oaks threatens the reputation of a charity envied for the calibre of its celebrity supporters, who range from Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt to Colin Firth, Christian Bale and Helena Bonham Carter. Yes, the BSA is green with envy. The case could challenge the bedrock philosophy behind Habitat for Humanity, claiming that using volunteers, rather than professional builders, is causing as many problems as it solves. But even in Peanutville, there's some with sense. Some residents dismiss their neighbours worries. Diennal Fields, 51, said people did not know how to look after their homes: “Its simple stuff: if there is mildew, dont get a lawyer, get a bottle of bleach.” Wait till Diennal finds out he's tangling with the ATLA and the DNC. Toast. |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #16 Beetles are good for you. My dad cured a lot of ear infections when I was a kid with a little beetle juice. Always worked. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-01-04 16:30 |
| #15 that some sorta damn cheep ass beetle. Don't be dissing no beetles, now. As J.B. Haldane pointed out, God must be quite fond of them seeing as how he made 300,000 some species of the little critters. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2009-01-04 15:54 |
| #14 jeesh. I can't stand Hollywood but the apparent moral of this story was that next time they should stay home and not lift a hand so they don't get sued. |
| Posted by: Shalet and Tenille1168 2009-01-04 13:38 |
| #13 Never mind... that some sorta damn cheep ass beetle. Ima miss ole Blue |
| Posted by: .5MT 2009-01-04 12:34 |
| #12 Damn that's BlueVelvet! Yo! Baby... come on home...! Is dat mai hand? |
| Posted by: .5MT 2009-01-04 12:33 |
| #11 Define Roach? |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2009-01-04 10:31 |
#10  |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2009-01-04 10:23 |
| #9 Volunteer carpenters? Everybody knows you can't build a decent house in the south without Mexicans. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-01-04 08:50 |
| #8 I don't think volunteers are be the problem. Habitat houses stood when Hurricane Andrew took out neighborhoods built by "Professional" builders. It seems the professional builders were skimping on nails and boards. Andrew revealed that the contractors had committed many building code violations. Habitat went above and beyond the building code, and their houses stood. The idea a "blitz" and the presence of Mr. Carter may have contributed to sloppy planning in choosing a site. Celebrities can be a distraction. Super Hose asks a good question: are these the original owners? Habitat usually screens people very carefully. They're not being given a house; they have to be able to pay back a modest loan, and they have to put in at least 300 hours of sweat equity in the construction. Abu, Habitat isn't housing authority, and renting is not the same as owning. When people own their own homes, they take better care of them. Housing authorities are notorious for bureaucratic muddles and neglecting property, and not screening tenants properly. The Habitat houses in our area are well built and well kept. The County housing in our area is well maintained but the tenants can be problematic. |
| Posted by: mom 2009-01-04 08:22 |
| #7 To be fair & balanced, the article should mention what has become of northern Florida housing NOT built by Habitat for Humanity over the same time frame. Humidity, heat & bugs respect no housing in that climate. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-01-04 08:20 |
| #6 A forthcoming legal battle over Fairway Oaks threatens the reputation of a charity envied for the calibre of its celebrity supporters, who range from Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt to Colin Firth, Christian Bale and Helena Bonham Carter. Caliber of celebrities, please meet the caliber of outrage, .223, ranging from 0 meters to 250 meters. |
| Posted by: badanov 2009-01-04 07:48 |
| #5 There's a 100% correlation between |
| Posted by: .5MT 2009-01-04 07:22 |
| #4 Seldom works on a grand scale either. Pruitt-Igoe is but one example. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-01-04 06:33 |
| #3 you just cant give people who have had there entire life provided for them as an entitlement something that requires upkeep and expect anything different. Locally we have several apartment complexes that are 'housing authority' -- brand new condos that were actually nice. The county had a rent subsidy program for them and at a moderate income ($18 K) you were not eligible to move there. less than 3 years later, and most of them are thrashed out and barely habitable. you cast pearls before swine, and they trample them into the mud. you can take the dirtballs ouy of the projects, but you cant take the projects out of the dirtballs |
| Posted by: Abu do you love 2009-01-04 01:43 |
| #2 Mildew could be related to construction - if a vapor barrier is not properly installed, for instance. Cockroaches, however, just happen. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2009-01-04 00:47 |
| #1 Mildew and cockroaches don't sound like construction issues. It would be interesting to know what percentage of the current owners were the orginal homeowners. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2009-01-04 00:12 |