Cooperative Housing Agreements: A Solution to The Homeless and Immigrant Crisis?

Today's guests, business woman and building owner Zoe Ma joins us to bring their perspective to a proposed solution to the homeless and immigrant crisis. What if the homeless were given free apartments for one year, to give themselves time to get employment, in exchange for an agreement to participate in counseling and job preparation session, and to share in the maintenance and upkeep of the building? Also included are specific guidelines for the peaceful interaction with other tenants as a requirement to remain. Could it work? Could private citizens organize this effort?Many building owners have vacant apartment units, even whole buildings, that are vacant and currently making them no money. Some are in need of repairs, but many are inhabitable just as is. At the same time there are hoards of people living on the street simply because they have no money and can't afford rent. They don't have enough for a security deposit. Some may have prison records and wouldn;t pass a background check. But they are human beings who should not be forced to sleep outside in the freezing cold. Some have children who are also living outside in the cold. Sure, there are a few temporary shelters, but how safe are these open spaces? Many homeless people feel it is safer to live outside while building owners hold on to empty apartments. Add to it the insanity of the migrants from Venezuela, dumped onto America's economically distressed cities, speaking Spanish in predominately English speaking neighborhoods, expected to come from a warm climate and survive in outdoor tents in the wintertime. Today we will explore the Cooperative Housing Agreement, a proposed solution to the homeless and immigrant crisis.