Hunger Is Not a Disease

Did your landlord reduce your rent?

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I got an email survey question yesterday.

“Did your landlord reduce your rent?”

Somehow, I can’t get this question out of my head.  It just keeps grabbing my attention at every opportunity.  What a question!

The answer is “NO!”

No landlord has lowered anyone’s rent in this area.  Rents are going up, up, and up.  In fact, rents are disappearing.

My landlord is evicting my neighbors.  They live in  one half of the duplex next door.    The other side is air bnb…or maybe vrbo…or any one of several other vacation rental apps so popular on everyone’s computer and phone.

Until last year, both sides of the duplex were vacation rentals.  Then, the town supervisor cracked down on them so the landlady  made one side a monthly rental.

Immediately, a lovely young couple moved in.  They are the perfect tenants.  No noise, no clutter, no smells, no noisy children.  Their footprint is the smallest they can manage.

Well, small footprint or no footprint, their days are numbered.

I see them packing up their possessions and driving them away – a few cartons every day.  The boxes are going to a storage unit until they can find a new place to live.  So far, they’ve had no luck.

They want to stay in Woodstock because this is their home town.  Growing up, Gaby skated and bicycled on every street in this town.

Well, there are no places to rent in this town.  Woodstock is a vacation rental town all the way.

This lovely young couple seeks shelter in other communities:  Palenville, Catskill, Athens.

Meanwhile,  the landlord eagerly advertises both units as vacation rentals.  The young couple must go.  His list of eager vacationer applicants  is long.  He’s sorry the young couple has no home.

But, life must continue.

Thank you for reading this article.

Please refer it to your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco

Woodstock, New York

 

It’s Vacation Time!

Your vacation time is here!  It’s your last chance to get a break this summer.  That means it’s time to go to the beach – to the mountains – to the city – ANYWHERE!

What do you have to do to get away?  Well, first, find a place to go.  Second, pack your bags.

FINALLY,  drop off loads of food to your neighborhood food pantry before you take off on your vacation..

August is the most challenging month of the year for food pantries because it’s the month with the least amount of food available at the food bank.  Food pantries get most of their food from donations and very few people donate in August.  And, sadly, this carries right through to September.  September brings school openings with parents getting ready for school lunches.  Food pantries are often empty.

It’s my opinion that people don’t donate food to food pantries in August because they’re focused on their own activities:  vacation, getting kids ready for school.

But, your neighborhood food pantry doesn’t have to be empty.  There are things you can do.  You can organize a food drive in your neighborhood and take the food to the food pantry.  You can keep the food flowing right through to October.

Thank you in advance for thinking of things you can do for your food pantry during the leanest months of the year.

Please refer this article to your preferred social media network.

Thurman Greco