Coded language?

[Orrex]

A house down the street from me has been vacant for at least three years, with a succession of realtor signs on the lawn. I don't know the condition of the interior, but the outside doesn't look much worse than any of a zillion other homes in the region.

Last week I noticed a small sign on the property indicating that a zoning hearing would soon take place regarding the house's status as a duplex.

Then yesterday a letter was distributed to everyone in the neighborhood (left on porches, etc.) from the prospective buyer, and some of the language in it caught my attention.. Here's an excerpt (emphasis mine):

I am aware of the concerns the neighborhood has in regards to the above property being zoned as a duplex. My plans for the property are to purchase it, and invest the capital needed to bring it up to code as well as to make it more attractive and respectable. This will result in attracting very desirable individuals to rent the property. All will go through a vigorous background check as well as a credit worthiness check. This will help to insure a happy end for all concerned. As stated above I care about the neighborhood as well as my financial investment into this home. I truly believe this is the best option for the property and your neighborhood. If the home does not remain zoned as a duplex, I will not purchase it. The options listed below are some that you may not have considered but you may want to think about.

Option #2 Another investor purchasing the property at a lower price. Not investing any money for improvements. Renting it as a single family home for lower rent price that will attract undesirable tenants resulting in more property decay and lower property values for the neighborhood.

Option #3 Property remains vacant and continues to deteriorate. The bank sells it for a very low price to an individual who cannot afford to make improvements, again resulting in further erosion of property values.

Please keep in mind, the lower the sale price goes then the more lower income individuals will qualify to purchase the home. I truly believe this is your biggest fear.

What do you make of this? Am I being over-sensitive? Or is the buyer using coded language to stir up fears for his benefit?

[MethuenProgressive]

1. It's a violation of Federal Law.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/
We helped low income (mostly Hispanic) families find housing in the Lawrence, MA area for years.
This kind of thing is a classic violation of the law.

[Clovis Sangrail]

2. doesn't sound coded... sounds pretty straightforward

Capitalism encourages economic elitism / stratification.

[mrcheerful]

3. Nope this is basic land lord speak for obtaining property then splitting a single house into

2 apartments with the communities support and zoning laws have to be changed for them to do it. They try to set the nighbors minds at ease with the whole thing by saying they will check out renters so no bad people will be renting there so don't fight the land lord on getting the zoning law changed. Btw, they word it so people think bad people = whoever the neighborhood thinks fits the bad people are as individuals. Meaning that the racist biggot neighbor thinks no blacks or hispanics will be able to rent. Or the neighbor that is afraid of criminals thinks a person who committs crimes won't be renting there. Or the neighbor who worries about the place getting tore up and junk cars sitting in the yard won't happen. Btw, remember the only person being checked out is the renter, kids nor friends are checked out by land lords. So its meaningless drival used to give land lords what they want, in this case a zone law change.

[bean fidhleir]

4. You're not over-sensitive. It's coded.

It's also propagandistic since he doesn't commit to carrying out his alleged "plans" nor does he support his claim that if it were rezoned 1-fam that whoever bought it wouldn't put any money into it.

[Echo In Light]

5. Also sounds similar with N.I.M.B.Y.

"Not in My back yard!!!

In his ruse, the buyer is likely banking on good, normal folk abiding a shared prejudice for poor people ... you know, those people. Instead of the "good" ones who put profits over people.

[fed-up]

6. it pretty clearly states-"lower income individuals" not welcome nt

[TZ]

7. You are NOT being oversensitive

I hear this type of junk from certain blood relatives who aren't exactly open minded about types of people.
If I got that, I would hunt down as many as I could and rip them into a brazillion (:) pieces!
I swear Orrex, sometimes I think you live in different universe from me....:hug:

[Brigid]

8. This kind of reminds me of . . .

that scene in "A Raisin in the Sun" where that representative from the neighborhood association came to make a generous offer on the house, using great deal of "coded language." Yes, that is what it sounds like to me.

[SeattleGirl]

9. Definitely coded language.

Not only against "undesireable" minorities, but also against renters. Some of us rent, and take care of where we live, BECAUSE it's where we live.

[earth mom]

10. Sounds like working class or poor need not apply.

:puke:

[petronius]

11. As I read it, an asshole wants you to support a zoning change so

he can make a profit. Whoever wrote that letter sounds like the kind of prick that I wouldn't want owning property in my neighborhood...

(I'm a nimby when it comes to nimbys... ;))

[Orrex]

12. Thank you, all, for your replies!

I've never met the prospective buyer, though I admit to feeling a sort of gut-level animosity toward real estate speculators who work in an economically troubled area. It's not as though my town is sitting on an oil field or a uranium mine.