2:25 p.m. - 2007-02-11
mcMansions
Sunday, February 11, 2007
It's a lovely Sunday afternoon. The sky is grey and overcast with enough light to highlight the snow covered bushes and trees in my backyard. My 3 cats are sleeping in their various cozy corners of choice. The house is silent and my mind is mulling over what I just read in the local newspaper.
Several weeks ago, I was reading the entry of a woman who lives in Alaska.
She lives in the Fairbanks area. She was commenting on a project that had been completed near her neighborhood. She was concerned. The family was very much in need of help. Their living conditions were bordering on neglect. Their financial and physical health was very serious and there were also children in the mix. A good thing seemed to have happened to them, though. A TV Home Makeover show had come to the rescue. The house has been rebuilt and refurbished and all seemed to be well. My blogger friend voiced a concern. Because the home was now so much better than the neighborhood; it stood out like a sore thumb, so to speak. But even more concerning was that the taxes on this newly constructed masterpiece were going to be ENORMOUS. My blogger friend didn't think this poor family would be able to pay the taxes, pay for the utilities and stay in the home.
Then, today, I read an article written by Eunnie Park of THE RECORD in Hackensack, N.J. Ms. Park writes about another very deserving family with a blind father, a mother who is currently a cancer survivor and their three disabled children and a blind grandmother. They all lived in a "small split-level with faulty plumbing and steep stairways." The taxes on this home were $6,110 in Berganfield, N. J. and the family could afford that.
When the Makeover Home Show came to the rescue, they replaced the house, and including state of the art technology with solar panels and a computer that basically runs the maintenance of the home.
Everyone has their own bedroom, and the dream house is complete. Complete with a new value of $497,000 and a tax bill of $14,550.
"There was a similar situation in Irvington, N. J. where a woman with 12 disabled adopted and foster children was now facing a huge tax hike after her home was replaced with a house twice the size of the original."
Granted the lawmakers and the program producers have been working very hard to pass legislation to protect these homes for the disabled or for charitable offerings. There are programs in the works to provide federal tax credits based on their needs. Some of them will come with a five year limit but lawmakers are working on finding more ways to help out.
"The issue of how contestants cope with maintenance and tax bills after a home makeover has been raised several times since the show began airing in 2003. In 2004, NEWSWEEK reported that a loophole had been found by 'leasing the home for 10 days, during which time the property was renovated, which allowed tax-free rental of less than 15 days and the renovations are considered leaseholder improvements." "The producers counter that the contestants are made well aware of the potential tax increases and sign a contract before the makeover"
"The intent of the programing is to provide benevolence and make people's dreams come true." said one of the producers. In the meantime, some of the local charity foundations are raising money to assist this particular family in New Jersey while they wait for the outcome of the governmental legislation.
I am very much in favor of the charitable work being given to these families in need. I would never say that they are not entitled to assistance. What I feel would be a better offering would be to rebuilt or reconstruct their home to meet their needs on a reasonable basis. Then, I think the home makover group should provide a trust or a fund to meet the maintenance and tax needs for the next 10 years. Less "bling bling" for the viewer to see and rave over and more sensible provision for the family in need.
Instead of a home computer that raises and lowers the temperature, prepares the meals automatically, turns the tv and wall to wall stereo on and off and vacumns the rugs...how about a college tuition program for all the children, a decent vehicle for transportation, medical insurance for the entire family's needs, some money for a nice little getaway vacation and even buying food to fill up a freezer and refrigerator for a year or two?
What do you think? Wouldn't you still support and watch these tv programs if they toned down on the over-the-top renovations?
I would also like to add that I know there is a blogger on another site whose local TV station and/or community assists homeowners in need. Her home was refurbished and made more comfortable with construction still in the neighborhood's appeal and without over-doing the changes. The blogger is very happy with the outcome and she and her husband are living in a lovely home now.
So it can be done....!!
