Without a home and nowhere to go

Eric A.
Jackson, MN     11/20/2009 9:07 AM

I believe that Minnesota has the capability to provide housing for every family in the state if our law makers would start clamping down on property owners who own multiple properties but who let these properties sit empty. We have at least ten of these properties in our city. I drive by them every day and I always think how easy it would be to gather a few friends with some tool boxes and scrap lumber and make these houses capable of being lived in by somebody. Some of these homes I think could be reconditioned within a week if we were permitted to do it. To me, homelessness in our state is inexcuseable considering that we could solve the problem if we really wanted to. But we need our law makers to cooperate with us and start handing down penalties and fines for those property owners who own multiple properties, but who choose to leave these properties sit empty for no other reason than because they can. There are people who turn old barns and old grain silo's into comfortable housing on the cheap by just using the existing lumber and materials already available on the property. I have seen people build tool sheds and dog houses out of recycled and reclaimed lumber that people could live in if they wanted to. The point is, homelessness doesn't have to be the problem that it is if we put our creative minds to good use. We need to stop property owners who own multiple properties and who let these properties sit empty for no other reason than just because they can and turn these properties into suitable housing for the homeless. We could accomplish this if we really wanted to.

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