HUD, By Official U.S. Doctrine of Social Justice, Destroys Communities

This article is an opinion piece from Bill Lockwood. Catch Patriotic Pulpit with Bill Lockwood weekly at 11 a.m. Saturdays on NewsTalk 1290.

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Another corrupt example of socialistic government intrusion that destroys the life savings of families is occurring right now in the state of California. And since it is at the intrusive hands of HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development), it is coming to a township near you.

Sacramento, California’s Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD, an arm of HUD, has ratcheted up the pressure on various California communities such as Del Mar, Escondido, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Oceanside, Solana Beach, and the prime beach vacation spot, Coronado, to provide “affordable housing” for the poor and to address the “racial desegregation” that supposedly exists on the island of Coronado, according to an article from KPBS published Dec. 21, 2022.

Voluntary segregation is a crime of crimes, which, according to HUD, "causes more crime." HUD has argued, for example, in Baltimore, Maryland, that “the bunching of people together causes crime.” The ludicrous nanny-state socialistic solution, therefore, is forced integration in neighborhoods. Government did it with schools, now it is neighborhoods. In Baltimore, $30 million of taxpayer money was spent to put low-income housing in affluent neighborhoods.

Following suit, the California State Legislature has demanded that “racial desegregation” must occur in affluent neighborhoods and cities. Local communities must show that they are taking active steps to “combat segregation” which is linked to “racist policies.” Prime target: Coronado.

Coronado, California, one of the wealthiest cities in San Diego County, is being referred to the state's Attorney General's office for prosecution, which can be up to $100,000 per month for non-compliance with the new housing orders. These orders included plans for zoning of 912 low-income housing on the island.

The Coronado city government, however, is unable to find the strength to stand up for freedom. Coronado Community Development Director Richard Grunow scrambles to tell KPBS that the city is working on a housing element that zones for all 912 homes it has been “assigned.”

Coronado is an idyllic community hosting a number of retired Navy and Marine soldiers who have invested their life’s savings to purchase beach homes near the famous Hotel del Coronado, where Hollywood movies have been filmed. It is also conservative on the political scale and it is no coincidence that Coronado became the “first city in San Diego County to receive a ‘notice of violation’ letter” that demands a response in 30 days.

Is This Social Justice?

This is in the name of social justice. The federal government, and in this case, the State of California government, has decided that people who have worked, saved, earned a retirement so that they can purchase valuable homes in safe neighborhoods are racist. It is “unfair” says President Joe Biden, that you live in a majority white neighborhood with expensive home values. White privilege.

Consequently, HUD has instituted the AFFH (Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing) program, which dismisses the rule of law and order for “fairness.” If you have a nice house located in a nice neighborhood, then you are going to have to sacrifice those blessings for this social justice nonsense.

If you worked all of your life to save your money; if you have not participated in licentious living with the rest of the country and now have a savings account that you have invested in equity in a nice home - too bad. Government says you are racist and discriminatory in your selection. Low-income housing, which always devalues the surrounding properties, will bring back socialism’s balance. Property rights must give way to social justice.

But as socialism always does, it brings everyone down to the lowest level. Home values will plummet; life savings will be depleted; crime will increase; taxes will increase; the quietness of the city streets will turn to chaos. That’s why we will not expect the Obama’s to put up a low-income apartment complex on Martha’s Vineyard, or HUD to demand 912 low-income housing next to Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, mansion. HUD rules are only for you.

As Milton Friedman put it in 1999:

The Department of HUD has done an enormous amount of harm … they have destroyed parts of cities under the rubric of eliminating slums … there have been many more dwelling units torn down in the name of public housing than have been built.