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Hernando Today

Those Empty Homes Were Once Full Of Life

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By ROBERT MELACCIO SR., Guest Columnist

Hernando Today

Published: October 2, 2008

Yes, anywhere USA, but more obvious in good old Hernando County, Florida. The empty house across the street and up the block was once alive with family. It is no more.
The grass was cut and trimmed, kids played in the yard and cars were parked in the driveway. It was a home of family, values, good times, sharing, love, compassion, happiness and holidays. It is now empty — its last days filled with despair, anger, worry, anxiety and fear. The grass is now weeds and the paint is pealing. The home is dark, with no cars in the driveway. A sign of the times.
Yes, and they are on every block on every street in this nation. More than one. Does it really matter except in the sense of economic impact in loss of value to their home? Is that what it really is all about?
Destruction of family, lives, people. Does that matter at all? How did it get that way? Well, it was in people, who while professing everything good and who came in light, were really darkness and destruction and all that is evil. You see, evil does not come wrapped in dark for all to see. No, it manifests itself as good and light to be eagerly consumed by those who hope. Yes, the wolf in sheep's clothing.
It came as their friendly banker friend who had a Realtor, who had a lawyer, who had an investor that could get them a loan. It came in the words of encouragement, you have to live somewhere, you have to pay rent so why not own, you can afford it, you have a good job. They had a young family and they thought they could do it. They made a poor choice, and many can admit to doing the same. Yet they were helped through trust along that path.
They did not see the darkness of those in Washington, D.C., who were giving away their dream piece by piece. How could they? They were doing fine. They had employment. They could go on a small vacation and they just loved that little house. Not pompous, but enough for them and their children. Life was good for a time as it always is before the storm.
Then, little by little, the costs of owning that home started to rise. Fuel surcharges on their utilities exceeding what they actually used and a pay-or-else mandate from the electric company. Phone costs forever rising, insurance on the home and taxes eating away slowly but ever so surely. Daycare for the children, hundreds a month. Pay raises little to none and benefits and hours cut to the bone. Retirement savings had to wait. Education plan had to wait. Then the news the job was gone. Moving offshore. No work, layoffs. No pay, can't pay, can't pay, no credit and on and on and on.
They had to live off of unemployment, which was a pittance, and food stamps; and based on what they made, they were not eligible. The new job only paid $8 an hour and they did not work a full week and they had to drive longer to get there. So, little by little, everything had to go. Then they had to use their credit cards for food and medical necessities. And when they fell behind, the payment skyrocketed and the rate went to 31 percent and more, causing the payment to triple.
Yes, they were no longer "personally responsible" Americans and certainly not credit worthy. In an instant, they joined the lowlifes, those average Americans, about 50 million, the "takers" as many describe them and who in reality, regardless of their words, and no one really gives a damn about.
The bankers who gave them the loan, well "unfortunately." The friend, laid off long ago, she had her own problems. So the wife went to school, paid for by the government and it cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars. But when she graduated, there were not enough jobs. Only a few were placed and she remained unemployed. Finally, they went into foreclosure and they had to move away. Everything gone, everything.
Yes, a house the American taxpayers will now purchase, hold onto until the market gains value and eventually investors can buy cheap and resell. Yes, they'll place a family on the street for a fraction of what is owed and won't negotiate with them but an investor, well step right up. So as We the People and of Hernando County get to own all these homes, who will take care of that home as it languishes? We certainly don't give a damn about that family on the street, now do we? That's a shame, but they should have known better. Yeah, right. After all, they weren't "personally responsible" as those who invest are.
When will it change? Frankly, it will never change. So as you take a ride or walk around Hernando, take a good look around and see the empty, the abandoned, the decaying and realize that it was once a neighbor's home and now you own it all. Yes, and you also have the debt. That is you and yours. Yes, and many of you still vote for these same types who brought it upon us. That says it all.

Robert Melaccio Sr., a resident of Spring Hill, can be contacted at tommeltimmy@yahoo.com.

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