Posted on 08/15/2003 5:03:16 PM PDT by Born Conservative
A North Scranton family with 18 children is determined to keep their Habitat for Humanity home, which was declared unfit for human habitation last month.
The city condemned the 2517 N. Main Ave. home of Charles and Barbara Smith on July 29 for debris outside and inside the house, and because the Scranton Sewer Authority shut off the water on July 24, said Bill Fiorini, director of permits, inspections and licensing.
Mr. Smith, who said the city should have let his family stay in the house while they correct the violations, said they have until October to fix the problems or else they will lose the house.
The Smiths and 14 of their children, ages 3 to 21, are staying several blocks away at the home of one of their older sons, Mr. Smith said.
Habitat for Humanity, which renovates abandoned houses into affordable homes for first-time, low-income owners, bought and fixed up the North Main Avenue duplex for the Smiths, converting it into a single-family home with 10 bedrooms and three bathrooms. In March 2000, the family moved in.
As the largest biological family ever to obtain a house through Habitat for Humanity, the Smiths were featured in the Sunday New York Times as well as on the ABC-TV newsmagazine "20/20."
But the family, relying solely on Mrs. Smith's income as a housekeeper, fell behind on their sewer payments by 13 months, owing $1,600 to the Scranton Sewer Authority, Mr. Smith said Thursday afternoon. As a result, their water was shut off.
A former auto mechanic, Mr. Smith said he is no longer able to work because of heart problems. The family kept up on their $115-a-month mortgage payments and other utility bills, but those and other expenses left no money for sewer payments, which were $123 a month, he said.
"We busted our humps to get that house through Habitat," Mr. Smith said. "Whatever it takes, we're getting back into that house. We don't want people making us out to be a bad family just because we're having a hard time maintaining our house. We're decent people. We're just having a tough time because we're low income."
Mr. Smith said the violations include some damaged light bulb fixtures, which he said he tried to repair, and a missing electrical junction box lid in the laundry room, which he said he replaced. He said other violations included missing ceiling tiles in the pool table room, which he said he took down after his children damaged them with pool sticks.
Habitat director Ozzie Quinn said his agency and Lackawanna County Children and Youth Services support keeping the family in their home.
Children and Youth caseworker Kerry Kimmick said her agency deemed the home habitable for children during its last visit there, but said she couldn't recall when the last visit took place. Ms. Kimmick said the agency has not visited the home since it was condemned. And without a copy of the list of code violations, Children and Youth cannot determine if the house is still fit for children, she said.
"The city should have notified us before condemning the house," Mr. Quinn said. "Had we known ahead of time, we could have tried to prevent this."
Mr. Fiorini said the city did not notify Habitat because the Smiths own the home, even though the Smiths make mortgage payments to Habitat.
"The family didn't let us know they were having problems keeping up on the utility payments. Otherwise, we would have tried to help," Mr. Quinn said.
"We didn't let anyone know because we don't like going to others for help unless it's absolutely necessary," Mr. Smith said. "We don't like being thought of as one of those families who take assistance they don't really need."
I can barely support two children. I have two children. We ain't going to have sixteen more.
PS: I didn't slam you either.
Obviously, every chance he gets.
They can have as many children as they want. If they can't afford them then they need to mow my yard and kiss my ass while they are stealing money from me in the form of deadbeat handouts.
As long as I am paying for their food and housing they can change my oil, vacuum my carpet and do my laundry.
If you cannot afford a Mercedes don't buy one. If you cannot afford 10 or 20 children DON'T HAVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am just sooooooooo tired of losing 50% of my income to deadbeats via corrupt politicians.
Enjoy your reunion; it would be nice to have the moral support and camaraderie of a large family.
And all of them, apparently, like their daddy: unable to do a lick of work (like picking up the garbage out of the front yard or sweeping the kitchen floor).
Obviously, every chance he gets.
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Yeah but it takes two to tango. She should have made that old goat sleep on the roof. (I assume these...these...people [and I use the term loosely] are on welfare).
Chips off the ol' block, I'd say. Kids as young as 14 can usually find some way to earn money, and a guy with a heart ailment certainly could. The VP of the US has had heart problems for years, and he's not exactly on welfare.
A pool table? I work and have 1 kid and no pool table.
I don't have a problem with big families. I do have a problem with people who spit out kids just to spit them out and leave them to themselves. There is no valid excuse why they would trash the house. Some people need to learn to control themselves and their get.
This is a perfect place to brag about yer boy's resourcefulness!!
If I can keep a job anybody can!!!!
Yep!
The big misconception of liberals who condone these giveaway programs is that the value of the gift is constant.
There is nothing we get in life that has a constant value to all people.
The value changes according to our priorities and according to the amount of work we have to put out to get it.
If it costs very little, it has very little value.
According to the New York Times article from 2000, practically all of the furniture in the house, including, I assume, the pool table, are donations from local individuals.
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