Pubdate: Fri, 08 Mar 2002
Source: San Francisco Examiner (CA)
Copyright: 2002 San Francisco Examiner
Contact:  http://www.examiner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/389
Author: Vivian Ross

DRACONIAN POLICY

I was disturbed by "Zero tolerance eviction law argued before high court" 
(The Examiner, Feb. 20), and the eviction of four Oakland tenants.

The article reports the 1998 policy encourages tenants to intervene with 
their drug-using relatives; failure to do so results in eviction, and law 
abiding citizen move-ins.

In the article, the AARP reported, "More than 1.7 million families headed 
by people over 61 live in government-subsidized housing." The government 
should consider the ramifications when entire families are penalized for 
the actions of one member.

The increase in punitive action against entire families will only 
exacerbate social problems; homelessness, displacement of the elderly, 
school dropouts, and a possible increase of children in foster care.

Does the federal government really want to be implicated in this possible 
outcome?

Vivian Ross,

The City
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