Jackson Jambalaya

The Harpy claiming the 3 bedroom house really has 5 bedrooms arrives in 3 ... 2 ... 1.

While I am against Oxford House, Senator Longwitz's contention that the number of bedrooms is a material misrepresentation is a bit week. The letter seems petty.

I am sure the good Senator is now writing letters about the illegal egg operation...........good grief.

I hope the Senator will write a similar letter about the Oxford House on Forest Park. The Forest Park house is even smaller.

A bit "week"? "Your" an idiot. Senator Longwitz is representing his constituents as requested. Mmm Anna believes she is above the law and has no problem with little white lies if they will put cash in her pocket. Intentional misrepresentation of facts (lies) on applications for government money, no matter what amount, calls for prosecution… especially when it's a pattern. Hell yes, 12:20, she should also have her ass grilled for the eggs as well.

12:18 and 12:20
Remember this is an apparent misrepresentation for Federal Grant money (seed money for the house) administered by MDMH and supplied by a division of the Federal department, HHS. The federal government does not treat such matters lightly. Neither should MDMH.

Instead of facts, such as "the house has 5 bedrooms", I will just act like I know everything and say "It has to have 3 bedrooms since that's what it was listed as".

I have been to the house since Oxford House moved in, and it had 5 bedrooms. MDMH also visited and inspected it. GUESS WHAT?? 5 bedrooms.

Now I'll wait for the moron from 11:49 pm to ignore facts again.

I've been to the house also before before it was sold to Anna Stephens. Guess what? 3 bedrooms.

1:22. - yes moron it has 5 bedrooms when you count the living room and kitchen! Remember OH poster we have lived here for generations. We know each house in the neighborhood, who lives there, how long, how many kids they have, who they are related to in the neighborhood . Your dog won't hunt- need to get a new dog.

1:13 - if you are going to call someone an idiot you might want to learn proper English.

"You're" an idiot.....idiot.

It's like the neighbors have their own personal attorney in Will Longwitz.

when a three bedroom home is used for these purposes, converting the living room or den or dining room creates "five" bedrooms. once again on this blog, a fart in a whirlwind...

if this is the best shot to get rid of this nuisance, give up folks.

I would think this Oxford House or the home owners would sue Longwitz for material misrepresentation in his witchhunt or the blog owner for material misrepresentation in his.

First, according to various mapping programs, it is 1.5 miles to the intersection of Old Canton and Ridgewood roads... via the roads and it's 1.1 straight miles using a geo-mapping program.

Second, the blog owner states Longwitz alleges that the home owners made material misrepresentations, which is false. Rushes to judgement leads to rushed judgement

"week"?? Saying the house has more bedrooms than it does for the sole purpose of obtaining federal money is a little more than "week"....it is criminal. Think of it as fudging the numbers on your taxes to get a refund. Oh and Neal, I mean 1:22, hanging a sheet in the middle of the room doesn't count as 2 bedrooms, nor does turning the dining room or den into a bedroom. OH lied about the total number of rooms as well. The only reason they did so was to illegally obtain government money.

Understand that Neal is about to claim that his DORE junk science hustle can treat alcohol and drug addictions too! So if you see the OH residents outside doing mindless pacing back and forth between two spots on the ground you know there's a new flimflam cure.

The Harpy has arrived!

If you look carefully at the letter and the documents attached to the letter, it looks like there needs to be one correction to KF's description. The applicants are not the Stephens, although she is listed on the Application as the Landlord. The applicants are 4 guys with redacted last names with addresses it appears at other Oxford Houses (and listing also their problems), and thus it appears as as prospective tenants.

1:47
No, its like the neighbors have a very good Senator in Will Longwitz who is trying to find out information from the government efficiently they would have difficulty finding out on their own except through a drawn out open records process. Remember, the houses came into the neighborhood with no notice or information to the neighbors even though the houses are advertised for 7 which requires a use permit application and notice.

Maybe Oxford house could also become a child day care center. The recovering addicts need money also and you people who don't see a problem with it can take your kids and grandchildren there. Learning about chickens would be a bonus. Idiots

Go ahead and sue me.

Senator "Mr. Entitlement" Longwitz points out, possibly correctly but who knows, that there are violations of the application requirements for this group's receipt of the state/federal dollars.

Rules can be a bitch - but they are put there for all to follow if they want the benefits that go with the requirements.

Same concept ought to apply to the 'honorable Senator's' requirements. Check out his campaign finance filing disclosure, required to be filed with the SOS by the eighth of May. Those filing "require" that the date, name, address, and employer of all contributors of over $200 be disclosed. Same basic requirements for expenditures.

But Senator Longwitz, because I guess he is entitled to a government position, felt like he didn't need to comply with all those pesky little details. He only listed the names and dates of his contributions and of his expenditures.

Oh well. Rules are just made for the 'unentitled' to follow. Thusly, someone should tell the Senator that the entitled Stephens shouldn't have to worry about the pesky details of MDMH just as he chooses to ignore the requirements of running for reelection to his 'position'.

The recovering addicts could teach the young boys DORE and then both of them could play better basketball.

1:41 the use of quotation marks around "your" showed a deliberate use of the incorrect homonym to make a point.

A point that sailed right over your pointed little head.

Hey 1:41, that's why I put it in quotes you knucklehead!

If you think that Longwitz is the only politico to cough up below information minimums on their campaign finance report then you are as green as they come. His campaign filing has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the Oxford House fiasco.

2:39
How else are we in Sherwood Forest supposed to raise questions of our government if not through our elected Senator, Sen. Will Longwitz? So far he's doing a fine job of it, which is to pose questions and get answers for us.

3:49's logic - all would-be politicians break the law - SO YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE!!! Business converted 3 BR home to 5 BR home and reported it as such - it's a gotdam fiasco!!

Appears greedy Neal and Anna are making posts... Another pitiful show of poor taste. It's commical. Can't wait to throw a party when they are fleeing to Mexico

I think Kingfish should be considered a national blog since so many readers from Maryland have chimed in. It is patently obvious. No one in their right mind would be in support of continuing Mississippi's tax-funded relationship with this scam. Those making an easy buck will fight tooth and nail to continue their stream of passive income.

May 14, 2015 at 4:05 PM = Binary thinker

Longwitz may very well pester these people to pull out, but I have read all of the source material in these posts and have yet to see where OH has clearly violated any laws. I've known Will since law school. A legal savant, he isn't, but at least he's doing his job. If there was a real case, there would be a lawsuit or an agency audit.

The problem is the City of Jackson, and others across the country apparently, have poor codes and an eroding real estate market making them prime locations for these enterprises - lawful enterprises that no one complains about until they move in next door.

If you don't want these houses next door, don't move to places with weak codes. If you don't want to see your house plummet in value to attract these enterprises, get out at the first sign of a downturn. I don't ride stocks down the drain (anymore) and won't watch my house crumble in value due to normal real estate life cycles.

Those of you who keep talking about people in Maryland are suffering from too much self esteem. You think the Oxford House bigwigs are worried about your sorry little asses? My research tells me that they've made a lot of money suing people who thought they could run them out of their neighborhoods, so residents of Jackson need to either accept your fate or get ready for you tax dollars to head elsewhere.

I will readily agree that many politicos, including certain repeat legislators, don't file accurate, timely or complete campaign finance reports. I know this because I spend a lot of time reading through them.

But - I expect legislators and other politicians to file an honest and complete report. The fact that some don't doesn't mean that I condone it. And I'm sorry to see that there are folks like you that do condone it - since "everybody else does it"!!

My comparison of the OH to finance reports and Longwitz has relevance. If it is 'wrong' to file an application for federal dollars that is incomplete or inaccurate - as Senator Longwitz says - why isn't it just as wrong for the Senator to file a form that is required as part of his job that is incomplete.

Let me be clear - I am against OH in every way possible. The process of the MDMH in approving it and allowing what is being done in OH's is wrong. I support the neighborhood and Senator Longwitz, and everybody else that is trying to get rid of it.

But - I also expect the same standard of applicants for my tax dollars through MDMH as I expect from my elected representatives. The fact that I was reading through finance reports at the same time I was reading this post on JJ made the hypocracy evident.

4:02 - Legislators are elected to legislate - granted many (at both the state and national level) have tried to convert their position into one of 'constituent services. Not picking on Longwitz for joining the same fray that other legislators do because it is now the "expected" role - just as you did. Frankly, fighting an agency is not the job of a legislator. Oversight of the agency is a role of a legislator before they decide to keep funding their operation.

There is no reason that a legislator should be able to get information from an agency that a private citizen cannot get. And with the same degree of effort. There is nothing in the legislator's job description that says they are a 'special class' of citizen.

The fact that they know 'how' to do it might make it easier for them. But I'll bet those in the neighborhood of OH have plenty of experience in dealing with agencies to 'know how' to get any information timely and have the dogmatic ability to get it timely.

5:05
Neither Longwitz nor anyone is trying to pester anyone. The neighbors are trying to find out through their Senator what is going on from MDMH after the absolute shock of the appearance without notice of a group home.

If you think that stronger City codes can do anything in the face of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) to stop OH, then I invite you to read the FHA, 42 USC 3604 and the cases behind it. Just search the words "Oxford House" and read the cases, or better yet just go to the OH website, look at the legal tab and read their summaries of their cases. Every town is vulnerable to group homes for "disabled" recovering drug addicts in the same way as long as MDMH chooses to apply for the federal grants and contract with OH to service them. Madison is no refuge. Neither is Ridgeland.

OH litigates with multiple jurisdictions every year. Look at their annual report online.

This will continue in MS with new houses, including the possibility of OH litigation with cities like Madison or Ridgeland or wherever their landlords want to land, until the MDMH decides not to do further business with OH.

Established OHs will seed new houses, on and on.

It sure is nice to see an elected politician actually attempt to help the majority of his constituents as opposed to being MIA like Dinosaur Denny. Guess those questioning Longwitz are supportive of Dinosaur since he has not even made a public comment on this subject. You can't lead from behind or from the underground like a fossil.

To be considered a bedroom, the room MUST have a closet....real estate 101.

6:05 - If Longwitz, or Denny, wants to help these particular constituents, whether they are a majority or not, they should pass legislation denying MDMH (or any other state agency) from applying for and distributing these federal dollars. Or change the requirements in MS for use of the funds to eliminate the part of the program that 'the majority of their constituents" find objectionable.

Not defending Denny, but it appears to me that he is not grandstanding over his activities by putting out press releases of his letters to MDMH. But then again, Denny is not involved in a reelection campaign.

Your x = y concept of thinking is really quite interesting - questioning Longwitz means supporting Denny? Certainly appears that what is at play here is that you just don't like Denny. Was that because of his failure to pass legislation last year, or the year before, to stop this? Oh, that's right. That would condemn Longwitz as well.

I'm not really questioning Longwitz, cause I saw him get this involved when there was a 'youth camp' for disadvantaged kids going into Madison. Although there, he was for it before he was against it - when it was going into his neighborhood.

Well my goodness the first set of lies Sen Longwitz tried didn't work now he's trying to fabricate something else. You people are such hypocrites. Such nasty people to be so perfect in every way. Guess none of you have been drunk in the OH yard and threatened them huh? Such upstanding examples for the community. Keep scratching up their vote senator oops I mean their money. But remember there are a lot of voters supporting the OH.

6:28 - or a piece of furniture (such as an amoire) that can serve as a closet. Doesn't have to be built it.

I've looked at the exhibits. How exactly is the misrepresentation? I see advertised as 3 bedrooms however I believe it's been converted to 5. And lol at you for the stupid remarks about the kitchen and living room. Have any of you haters even been over there to talk and meet these men? Shame on all of you.

Wow, the Godwin Group is working hard in these comments. Longwitz sure is getting his money's worth.

Definition of what constitutes a LEGAL bedroom may vary somewhat depending upon zoning and building ordinances, but the description typically includes:

*2 entrances - a latchable door and an escape window. Window must open to outside and be large enough for emergency exit. Door must not enter another bedroom.
* minimum 70 sqft. Not smaller than 7 ft in any direction.
* smoke detector in room.
* convenient access to full bath WITHOUT having to pass through a common area (i.e. foyer, living room, kitchen, etc).

Having a bed in a den, living room, dining room, storage room does not make it a LEGAL bedroom.

5:51, I invite you to explore the federal cases in the jurisdictions that have bested OH under the Act. The municipalities that have codes which require reasonable attributes be followed (eg, no closer than 900 feet of other residences) and can justify the rationale have won under the Act. They create barriers to entry without violating the rights of the disabled. These cases have been cited in comments to earlier posts.

Oh, and 5:51, price per square foot is one hell of a barrier to OH. Perhaps the most reliable. Ergo the comments on getting out when prices dip.

Senator, rest assured that these negative comments are not coming from your constituents. While you're not perfect, you're a whole lot better than about 99% of most of our jackass corrupt politicians. Thank you for what you do.

7:07 Please list Mississippi residents that support OH other than Anna, Neal, and their parents. Most of us actually work for our money rather tell lies to get federal money in our pockets.

Hey Donna. If you close in a garage and turn it into a bedroom your house would be considered a 4 br instead of a 3br. Same goes for a den

I understand that Billy and Mollie Van Devender are mortified how their nephew Neal Stephens has embarrassed the entire family and they are laying low out of embarrassment. So sad how greed can destroy a family.

U.S. Code › Title 18 › Part I › Chapter 47 › § 1014
18 U.S. Code § 1014 - Loan and credit applications generally; renewals and discounts; crop insurance.

If I had the loan on this house, I might be going back through my files.

28.5 Million in recovery. Elections are anonymous just like the people in recovery! And that didn't even include their families and loved ones

7:07 I am from Mississippi and support OH

You would be surprised by the people in your own neighborhood who arlong term recovering addicts that support the OH and just want tell you because ya'll are worse than the white racist that didn't want black people living next door to them.

9:09,
To be considered a LEGAL bedroom, a conversion must meet codes.
Key word here is LEGAL.

Signed,
Not Donna

Let's get back on track here.
A point was made: Senator Longwitz didn't file an accurate campaign finance report with the SOS's office. This is a fact. I just went and viewed it personally.
A point was made by Senator Longwitz that the application made for the house had a wrong number of rooms (I can't verify it because I've never been in the house AND NEITHER HAS SENATOR LONGWITZ!). However, let's just assume it's true.

The point is-the great senator wants to point fingers and blame others, yet he's doing the same thing!!! HE. IS. A. HYPOCRITE. This is obvious to anyone who has an IQ greater than 60. No, I'm not a member of the Stephens family. Never met them. Wouldn't recognize them if they knocked on my door. No, I'm not from Maryland. Been there twice-not to visit an Oxford house. No, I don't live in an Oxford house. I'm just an average Joe Q Public member that reads between the lines here. You guys are ridiculous. Senator, you've been caught with your pants down. Being a hypocrite sucks...doesn't it?!?!?

@11:27

Discrediting the witness, are we?

Isn't that what they do to try to get murderers off- discredit the witness?

And my oh my, you just so happen to know just enough about campaign finance report rules to point his careless mistakes out. I wonder how you know these things?

Joe Q. Public doesn't pay attention to these things, but you, you did - and then, pointed it out on a blog trying to equate a campaign finance report to grant money for druggies and alchies.

The irony is not lost on me, but I digress.

5:25; Nobody (other than your wife) cares that you spend a lot of time reading campaign finance reports. That has no relevance to the OH scenario. You harping about the Senator's incomplete report is a distraction at best and bullshit at worst.

Your claim that because you think the senator's filing is incomplete we should all therefore ignore OH's attempt to defraud the government is a high-order fallacy.

11:27; You are twisting in the wind in a weak attempt to divert attention from the matter at hand.

Let's see; According to your convoluted logic we must throw out the speeding ticket issued last Wednesday by Officer Muldoon because it's a matter of record that Officer Muldoon was seen speeding across the spillway, himself, a few weeks ago.

The matter at hand is the fact Longwitz is grasping at straws trying to keep the non reported monies flowing by continuing to accuse OH of all these misrepresentations of the truth. Example: 1) OH isn't receiving the whole 1.1 million they are only one small part of the grant. 2) yes the house (ENside) was advertised as 3 bedroom, but it has since been converted to 5. 3) commenting on the character of the people in the house when he hasn't even bothered to meet them.

Druggies and alchies? Really? Be careful you stupidity is showing. (Again)

This application makes no sense to me.

$200 for furniture? ( 4 beds, 1 table with for chairs for meals at a minimum) and $75 for cleaning supplies? ( does this mean there's no carpet?)

I can't imagine how this works so the living conditions are minimally acceptable and there is any realistic expectation of adequate maintenance on the house and yard.

Are the men going to be able to provide sheets, towels, blankets, pillows, cooking and eating utensils ,yard maintenance tools,
waste baskets and kitchen trash can ?

Are there window coverings on every window? Bath mats?

The point is that someone who has been in prison or on the streets, are unlikely to be arriving with many personal items. Some of them may have never used a washing machine or known the difference between cleaning a wood floor or tile.

This is , in most cases , going to be a literal " start up".

I can't imagine how this is successful with zero supervision.

You are putting 4 people who have a past history of not taking care of themselves in a living situation where they now have to also learn or re-learn to take care of a house and yard. Think of how just the materials used to " flip" a house have changed in terms of how you clean and maintain the floors and showers! Are the floors hardwood or laminate and can they tell the difference?

I agree with 11:27. The Senator wants everyone else to do things by the book and be perfect. However, it's ok for him to not. Senator: you are a fraud & a hypocrite. Thanks for pointing it out to all of us. The stupid a$$es {or I should say a$$ cause I think it's the same neighbor who keeps defending him-either Donna who the senator is paying or the attorneys who are more worried about their declining home values) who keep trying to cover for him are equally hypocritical. To all you egomaniacs-should have moved to madison years ago when your houses were worth something. You could still be represented by the "good" senator and Queen Mary.

So now we're condemning these men not only because they're addicts but because they might not know how to properly clean a hardwood floor. My, my, how wonderful it must be to live near so many gracious and open minded people. Question: How do you neighborhood vigilantes control the ones who are already there, or better still, the ones who might move into a rent house without having someone to check on them from time to time? Property rights my ass, that's MY home value that might erode if people in my neighborhood drink, right? Pathetic little lives...

So you think we've been on drugs or alcohol since birth? What ignorant remarks 7:04. I didnt drink until I was in my thirties. Just so happens I do know ho to clean. Surprise!!! I beg you go visit an OH. Believe it or not we know how to cook, clean, vacuum maintain repairs and maintain a yard. Haven't you even just driven by the home? How ridiculous to say such things. You should be ashamed. We haven't lived under a rock our whole lives. I mean really haven't used a washer? We made mistakes and we are now getting our lives back. me for example I was a professional living in a nice big house(paid for) nice car great family and just as ignorant as you about people in recovery. Then a major life event happened and I chose to deal with it wrong. Y'all are being so ridiculous. And our homes are as clean as yours if not cleaner. Again come by and meet us. Find out the truth before making such ignorant comments.

Well we don't get our furniture at Ritz store where a stool cost a grand. So our money stretches a bit farther. And we don't go down to the creek to beat our clothes to clean them. Get a life lady. Are you so uppity that you believe if people don't live like YOU they suddenly have no knowledge? We are well educated people who made mistakes in our lives. We didn't grow up in the jungle like Tarzan.

Isn't it time 7:31+7:38+7:52 to go assume your position sitting out in the carport?

If calling a living room & dining room bedrooms isn't a misrepresentation then my house has 12 bedrooms. What could be wrong with counting closets & pantry as bedrooms? Since the cat sometimes poops in the laundry closet that could add another bed/bath suite.

7:38 aka 7:52: At least vary your sentence structure and syntax a little bit when you post back to back like that.

7:38 and 7:52: you sure are vicious. You seem to validate people's concerns by your mean spirited comments. You simply cannot dispute that OH is recruiting criminals from jails and providing NO supervision or drug testing. They admit this so if you state otherwise, you are either lying or have been misled. Considering how pissed off you seem to be, I would say that the environment you are in is not very conducive to a healthy recovery. There are other entities that can help which provide much more support than OH. Seek them out.

9:25. My comments are not half as mean spirited as some of the ones against OH. I can state for certain that in the home I live in there isn't anyone fresh from jail, but if there was they have paid their debt and deserve a chance. I work I pay taxes. Secondly yes it does upset me to be judged and lied about by people who haven't even taken the time to find out how we really live. Thirdly I have been randomly drug tested more than once while living here. And I have been sober almost a year and a half thanks to my hard work and the healthy living environment of this OH.

Look at the list of applicants in the application eg,("alcohol/opiates; alcohol/meth") and tell me why we should not be concerned for our children? That is not mean spirited. It is a parent's legitimate concern.for their children. MDMH should stop supporting this.

9:25, I'm neither a proponent of OH nor a resident. However, I'd take 7:38 and 7:52 as neighbors well before you and your ilk. Nothing in those comments was mean spirited, but they simply defended meritless attacks on the residents. You're a miserable person who is trying to incite people in recovery. Those who are mad at OH who are attacking those residents in recovery are weak minded, shallow human beings of the lowest character. Who does that? Decent people don't do that. Fight OH all you want. You'll lose because you're intellectually incapable.

9:58- extreme much? You are completely missing the point. The residents aren't being attacked. Rather, it's the OH format and house selection that is being attacked. Look at their own "traditions" which provide for no supervision, no mandatory rehab or attendance at aa meetings, no drug testing (if those residents are receiving drug tests, it's not from OH or MDMH), and they are actively recruiting from jails. The northside house isn't even in compliance with OH's own guidelines. Residents' concerns are valid and are only bolstered by the defensiveness of those associated with OH. If you are neither a proponent nor a resident, then please keep your ignorance on the subject to yourself.

10:49. You're mad, emotional and irrational. You simply repeat the same banalities that others have which will absolutely get you no where. You lost the fight before it even began.

"Fraud" is is intentionally misrepresenting something in order to gain something of value. You simply cannot dismiss fraud with Federal tax payer money. If you are prepared to excuse fraudulent federal loan applications, then you will excuse anything, and there is no point to your posting further.

Is no one in NE Jax capable of independent research? Y'all need to see if someone can hook you up with this internet thingy. The info is out there, folks. Quit drinking the Longwitz kool aid and check the facts.

These OH posters are a bunch of out-of-state assholes !

That's your copout for hearing the truth. Every single time 'people from Maryland" or "out-of-state assholes". You don't think the people living in the homes can't speak for themselves? OH does what it is supposed to do. Reentry into society. No we don't have someone standing over us telling us what to do. That's the whole point of being responsible for yourself. We want to be sober. We want to go to meeting. We want ri be drug tested. We want life. OH helps us do that. I've been in treatment. Treatment is great but when I was done I left with a bag of clothes and nothing else. Thanks to being in an OH I've got 2 jobs a car and am a voting tax paying citizen. I accomplished all this myself because I had a safe place to live

Interesting how the same pervasive selfishness that addicts demonstrate in their actions towards others, and how their actions affect the lives of their families, friends, and community is so clearly evident in the OH response on this blog. IT IS ALL ABOUT THEM. Their attempt to get sober trumps the rights of everyone else. Their sobriety journey is more important than any local zoning laws, neighborhood concerns, risk to the single family community, or the decline in property values associated with boarding houses in single family neighborhoods. Selfish behavior is the single character trait you will find in all addicts - and drunk, high or sober the selfishness comes through when dealing with others. At the core of this problem is that fact that OH and their participants believe their personal problems are more important than the rights of their neighbors or the community.

1:59 - I'm glad you have been successful in your recovery and no one wants those in treatment to be forced to live in an unsafe atmosphere. But its not like there are no other options. Surely, as one who has faced the demons of addiction, you can recognize the danger of relapse is very real and that many times additional serious mental illness accompanies addiction. Why are the rights of individuals who have made bad choices superior to the rights of families who have worked hard to maintain a safe and desirable neighborhood for their families? Why should my tax dollars subsidize the devaluing of my neighborhood? Is a person more or less likely to purchase my home with a group of unrelated addicted men living next door? Why is the federal gov't permitted to trample our zoning ordinance by defining independent, unsupervised, supposedly working adults as disabled?

I completely agree. I have never seen such selfish and arrogant people in my entire life. You call yourself "good Christians", but what do you really know? This senator is nobody. He is just doing the bidding of what these rich mean and pathetic neighborhood want him to. Period. Nothing else. he doesn't care about the people in this house trying to improve their lives, believe me. Longwitz is nobody's hero. These rich so-called "neighbors" are just pushing him out for him to do what they want him to do. Of course he's aggressive. They're demanding it. It makes me vomit. At least the other elected officials have the decency to let these houses work, from what I can tell.

It makes me vomit.

Get any on your shoes?

It's revolting to see the residents get shamed on this site. 2:47 and 2:49, the residents have rights under the Federal Fair Housing Act. The Supreme Court said so. Get over yourselves. You got a problem with that? Take it up with your congressmen to change the Act. Or, better yet, sell your damn house and move to another area of town. Hell, you'd improve MS if you'd take your hate filled households to another state altogether. Otherwise, keep your venom in your own shameful homes. Disgusting.

May 15, 2015 at 3:48 PM = Pounds truckloads of sand

I haven't been supportive of the way the OH has developed in the neighborhood, or how OH itself operates in general. But - the comments made on this site by a few have almost converted me! The generalization made about the residents - with no specific knowledge - followed by the personal attacks on them when they should "dare" to post themselves makes me agree that I would rather have them as my neighbor than some of the idiots attacking them.

(1) I live in NE Jackson
(2) I have never met the Stephens - had never even heard of them until this mess started
(3) I would prefer that any program designed for the purposes proclaimed by the fed dollars be managed in a manner that it wasn't all about the profits for the landlords and groups such as OH
(4) I hate grandstanding politicians
(5) I hate bigotry. And I have been accused of being an old, white bigot way too many times in my life by many that don't like my partisan politics and equates the two
(6) Having had to deal with recovering addicted family members -as have many folks in NE Jackson - I do recognize the possibilities expressed by the OH residents

My question: Why didn't these high priced lawyers and our noble Senator get so involved when the other Oxford Houses were established in NE Jackson last year and the year before? Understand that the lawyers didn't have them next door - but one was down the street. But to the Senator - why didn't you have the same concerns for those constituents that you are now expressing during your reelection year?

If the answer is that you didn't realize that there were other Oxford Houses in the neighborhood, doesn't that speak loudly that they aren't all bad?

People in the neighborhood want to protect your home values? Quit telling everyone in the world that your neighborhood has gone to hell because of recovering addicts moving in down the street. Do you realize how many of these things there are in 39211? I haven't seen a drop in property value where the neighbors have kept their mouths shut. You all are your own worst enemies.

8:42; That's a ridiculous definition of a bedroom. Very damned few bedrooms have two entrances. None of mine do. Come to think of it, I've never lived in a house with a bedroom having two entrances.

4:41 - It's not like the halfway houses will remain secret if no one discusses it. Who buys a house without inquiring about the next door neighbors? No one. People want to know who lives next door for any number of reasons; older folks that may not want to be around kids, young families hoping for playmates for their kids, singles looking to socialize, or to make a judgment about the stability of their investment.

First of all our rights are equal to yours no better no less. Second OH has been in Jackson since 7/2013 and neighborhoods they are in have not decreased in value. Thirdly in all this time no one has been hurt. Also I wouldn't call us the selfish ones. We are just defending ourselves from the bigotry and hate put upon us.

For God's sake! I am from Clinton and have no dog in this hunt, except to see what the house looks like, and imagining it being in MY neighborhood.

I drove by there at 3:02 this afternoon. This house is SMALL, and if it is a 5 bedroom, then there is snow in hell. There is NO WAY this ruse was pulled off without cheating. Period. Drive by there. Look for yourself.

Shame on the owners and SHAME on our government that would allow a LIE to hold water, if scrutinized honestly.

It must be raining snow balls!!

5:06
I appreciate your comment which is correct, except EVERYONE has a dog in this hunt. There are portions of Clinton, Ridgeland and Madison that allow rental housing. Wherever people are allowed to rent, and the price per sq. ft. is not too high, an OH might come to roost, backed by the special class protections of the FHA. So most everyone has, or will soon have, this issue for their families and children in R1 neighborhoods.

@ 5:32....that's only a year and a half.

So it's small. These guys need extra roommates to have more money for expenses after the rent is paid, and it's easier to stay sober when five other guys are watching over you. If you snobs are really worried about your safety and property values, show even a sliver of evidence that one of the other Mississippi Oxford Houses has caused any safety or property value problems. The real problem is that a few people are pissed off at an arrogant couple who ran this in on them without asking permission first, and an even more arrogant corporate guy who doesn't give a rat's ass how they feel about it. I feel for you, but if arrogance was against the law your Senator would have been put away a long time ago.

4:48,
The two entrances are:
(1)a door/not just a doorway, and (2)a window.

A window is considered an emergency entrance/exit--such as in case of a fire. it must open (no solid plate glass window) to the outside/not another room and it must be large enough for a person to get through.

I hope this more clearly explains the 'two entrances' requirement.

I firmly believe that whomever wrote "5" bedrooms on the loan application for the OH East Northside house intentionally gave false information. Also of importance in this matter is that whomever gave approval for this loan did not do due diligence verifying given information. Not good.

Okay, all you who are so worked up over whether there was a lie about how many bedrooms on the application, does it bother you at all that Longwitz lied about "many" of the residents being sex offenders when there hasn't been a single one? Leave these guys alone and let them get on with their lives.

OK, pool is closed. I just got this comment, and its not the first one in this thread cussing me out either. I've got better things to do tonight than let several five year olds go back and forth and then start cussing me out when they can't get their way.

"FUCK YOU xxx for the absolutely legit comments you aren't allowing."

To you who wrote that: Go fuck your own damn self. Good night.