Alan Gutierrez

Ever since those dudes won that prize, micro-finance has been all the rage. The point of this new trend toward micro-finance is sustainability at a micro level.

Nothing is more sustainable than something that turns a profit, even if it is a small profit.

Poverty, in New Orleans turns a big profit, as it is structured. Section 8 housing is an obvious example. There are others that are more subtle. Predatory lending, payday loans, deep fried everything, products that work against their consumers.

Bart Everson writes about Section 8 housing in Puzzle.

She shared some of the particulars of her financial situation. The Housing Authority of New Orleans is paying Debra’s rent under Section 8. The check, which goes directly to the landlord, is for the amount of $1,300 every month.

That’s more than our monthly mortgage payment. Our house is almost as large as the entire fourplex in which Debra’s apartment is located. Right, that’s $1,300 for a somewhat crappy, small, unfurnished apartment in a fourplex. Appliances not included — fridge and stove must be provided by the tenant.

Bart collected some links to crack this nut, National Housing Law Project’s Section 8 pages, the Homeowner Assitance Programs: Louisiana page of HUD, and the Homeownership Vouchers pages of HUD.

Recently, the President of the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization got a call from someone in California. Someone had gotten her number off the Internet. The caller wanted to know about Section 8 Housing, had heard that there was money to be made in New Orleans renting houses to the government.

Incredulous, she said no, it was not true, and hung up.

Xy and Editor B tell us about the Lafitte Housing Projects.