Flint is issuing a tax lien warning to thousands of residents, threatening that they could lose their homes if they don't pay their water bills. It's estimated that at least 8,000 homeowners in the Flint area have been put on notice that they are at risk of foreclosure.
When the water crisis occurred, the Michigan state legislature decided to give out subsidies to residents in the Flint area for their water bills. However, those subsidies have come to an end when they were cut off over a month ago back in February of this year. They were cut off after officials from the state declared that water in Flint is now safe for drinking and using as it allegedly meets the federal guidelines.
Flint officials had previously agreed to fund water bill subsidies for about two-thirds of residents in the area, they allegedly spent about $40 million over the course of one year, and they think this is a just refund for contaminated water service dating back several years to 2014.
According to the state, they've conducted a number of tests and they say that their April test showed the Flint water to be below the federal threshold for the 8th month in a row. But many people living in the area are still cautious and they aren't willing to rush toward believing officials on the matter just yet. After all, many of them still point the finger of blame at their officials for this problem occurring in the first place.
A number of families and other individuals are still using bottled water for a variety of their daily activities, those who do use the local water for showers say that they are trying to limit their exposure as much as they can.
It would be nice if the residents had some market competition available, so that they could opt for going for another water service; one that they maybe trusted more than the city at this time. But that option isn't available to them, they are forced to be a utility customer and they are forced to only get that water from one place.
They are left with the only option of having to pay for something that they don't trust is safe for them, with something that they believe is contaminated. It is no surprise that they wouldn't trust it considering that it has been previously shown to be contaminated and just recently played a big role in causing many people to get sick.
Even Flint officials continue to recommend that residents in the area opt for using filters on their faucets.
Tens of millions of dollars have been donated toward helping bring a solution to the water issue in Flint. As well as millions of dollars in donations in the way of bottled water to residents in the area. And the problem is still far from over as it could still take several more years before the pipes are properly fixed.
Flint has received at least $100 million dollars from the EPA and others in order to address this issue, but yet city officials there are coming after residents threatening to take their homes away for debts around $1,000? It's a shame that the city really thinks it is fair and wise to try and force people to pay for something that they don't trust and which has already caused them harm.
There is already a deep distrust that remains with many of the residents in the area and this action isn't going to make things any better between the people and city officials there.
Pics:
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Sources:
http://www.thefader.com/2017/05/03/report-city-of-flint-is-threatening-8000-homeowners-with-foreclosure-over-unpaid-water-bills
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/flint-water-crisis-thousands-face-losing-homes-taxes-bills-a7716311.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/05/state_says_eight_straight_test.html
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/05/mayor_calls_deq_officials_flin.html
https://www.fastcompany.com/40411295/the-flint-water-crisis-is-far-from-over-time-to-get-them-new-pipes
@doitvoluntarily/flint-water-crisis-deep-distrust-remains-of-government-and-water-supply
@doitvoluntarily/lead-poisoning-found-to-be-higher-among-children-in-california-than-flint
http://www.npr.org/2017/04/25/525516761/3-years-after-lead-crisis-flint-residents-still-need-water-filters
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/01/517932477/michigan-ends-water-subsidies-to-flint-despite-mayors-opposition