Comments on: The truth about trailer parks: Poor forced to live among sex offenders and felons as owners cash in

By: Jerry

Jerry — Thu, 07 May 2015 22:54:27 +0000

When I was released from prison, the only place I could find to live was in a motel that charged $230 a week or over $900 per month. I could only afford that for about six weeks. After that I was “fortunate” enough to find a room in a house where I had to share the bathroom, kitchen, and living room with two to four other people. That was “only” $500 a month, which increased after the second year to $550. All the while I still had to pay the mortgage on a house that I couldn’t live in. So, after about being out of prison for less than two years, I filed for bankruptcy, which ending up costing me $10,000. This is what the registry does to people.

By: fac-admin

fac-admin — Tue, 05 May 2015 13:12:04 +0000

In reply to bspragg.

There are mixed emotions. In defense of Lori, who provides housing to Sex Offenders; the reality is that she is taking in those who otherwise have no place they can lawfully live. Most can’t live in their homes with family because of residency restrictions and even in those areas that are available for housing, good luck finding a landlord that is willing to rent to you! Generally, if it’s an apartment, they don’t want a sex offender to block-bust and bring down the rents of the other units in the building, so they won’t accommodate a sex offender.

On the other hand; it does present a window for opportunists to step in and exploit a population that has no other choice.

Colonies such as Miracle Village, Matthew 25 Ministries and Lori’s trailer parks do provide an opportunity for registrants to live SOMEPLACE. Granted it’s not the best option and living three people to a trailer or in the middle of corn fields is not even a good option, but sadly it’s the ONLY option for many.

By: bspragg

bspragg — Tue, 05 May 2015 12:51:00 +0000

The mixed emotions I have reading this article are troubling. America has always been a country of “have and have not’s; Those that have money make money and those that don’t live as exampled here. The capitalism of such business plans confounds me . The residents here are spending nearly three quaters of thier income on housing, and just barely making it on the remainder. While there is a true need for affordable housing and these niche businesses do serve a purpose , How ever when they are run soley for profit and the promoters reccomendation that rents be raised , it saddens me. They do a diservice to our society by financially victimizing the poor and displaced ,soley for profit; who”s only option could be to go homeless.

By: MJ

MJ — Tue, 05 May 2015 12:24:43 +0000

Hmmm, so let me get this straight. The trailer park scumlords NEEDED the sex offenders to drive away the drug dealers??? That is freakin’ hilarious! Uhh, could it be because drug dealers are even more dangerous and unpredictable predators than any sex offender could be? Could that be it?? Just like a typical business person to pit “criminals” against each other for their own gain. In most circles, that is called…..EXPLOITATION??!!!! And I can tell you, the same kind of exploitation is all over the prison system too with canteen providers jumping in to get a piece of the action from inmates and their families with prices 3x’s the amount you’d find in the stores. (i.e.: 1 Ramen noodle soup costs 63 cents in prison. Stores = about 20 cents). Again, someone needs to bring all this to legislators attention, but then again, what would it solve??? They’re all in it together.