Housing foreclosures under FHA program
Re: “‘I just can’t make it. The mortgage is too big. It’s so far behind now … ,” Aug. 24 news story.
I compliment The Denver Post for the excellent and informative article describing foreclosures due to government programs and the companion article about home sales falling. If only the article had also described the adjustable-rate mortgage problems, the problems of lending more than the home is worth and on stated (not verified) income, then maybe the total impact might be seen better in the results or taxes we now face. Hopefully similar factual information will follow in future coverage; good journalism Denver Post team.
Ed Brown, Westminster
…
When it comes to foreclosures, Colorado needs to stop trying to find blame, and start working towards solutions. There have been numerous articles and media reports on the statistics, the locations, and who is to blame for foreclosures. There are a lot of reasons why a normal middle-class family will face foreclosure. Among other reasons, health, employment, financial education, bad loan terms and a slow market push families into foreclosure every day. One of the best solutions to avoid foreclosure in many Colorado communities is to contact a non-profit HUD-approved housing counseling agency. These organizations employ professionally trained housing counselors. These counselors have a commanding knowledge of most mortgage companies’ policies and are armed with special techniques which are used to help Coloradans avoid foreclosure.
In addition to avoiding foreclosure, homeowners also need to avoid contact with foreclosure scam artists and the like, who knock on the door offering to sell hope but in the end only produce heartache and eviction.
Zachary Urban, Denver
The writer is director of housing counseling for Brothers Redevelopment Inc., a non-profit housing redeveloper.
Back to school: Why so many textbooks?
Earlier this week while I was helping my son load his backpack, I found I was ready to scream – first, because not everything fit; second, because it was hard to close the zipper; and third, because it was so heavy when we were done. Later, I discovered we even forgot something he needed for his first class. I was ready to scream again!
Middle school was the beginning of his backpack problems, and they are steadily getting worse. He tells me his legs are getting stronger because he carries so much on his back. Small compensation, in my eyes.
There are ways around this, because my son’s last two schools tried some things that seemed to help. His middle school had a second set of books in his math and science classes that stayed in the classroom. Each student had one at home also. His previous high school gave out books on CD- ROM for at least some of his classes.
I am ready to personally buy textbooks to have here at home. My son deserves better than carrying 40 pounds around on his back. He is not training to climb Mount Everest.
Linda Graff, Evergreen
JonBenét Ramsey case
Say what you will about the Boulder District Attorney’s Office’s handling of John Mark Karr’s arrest, but as I see it, there is now one less child predator on the streets. This obviously sick man is now safely in custody, and his international notoriety will prevent his ever being allowed access to vulnerable children again. I willingly consent to the use of my tax dollars for the cause if it has prevented this man from acting out any of his twisted, perverted fantasies.
Christine Sullivan, Lakewood
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My faith in the media didn’t get a lift from The Post’s editorial comment about DA Mary Lacy (“Ramsey DA wobbles back to square one,” Aug. 29). It wasn’t the DA who went crazy with the John Mark Karr story. It was the media, all media, all over the world. It’s time for the media to look inward and ask why they were so beguiled by an obviously disturbed individual.
Corinne Hunt, Denver
Rights (and salaries) of women in U.S. military
Re: “Women in combat,” Aug. 27 Open Forum.
In a reply to letter-writer Everitt W. Simpson’s question to us “ladies,” regarding post-traumatic stress disorder for women who have faced combat, is it worth it? Yes, and thank God for ex-congresswoman Pat Schroeder and the wonderful, “gentle ladies from NOW.” Yes, we want to be treated equal to our male comrades. I enlisted in the Air Force, and for the next 20 years fought to be treated as an equal.
The real issue for women in combat is all about an equal playing field for promotion and pay. If women are allowed in combat, they will have the same opportunity to receive promotion points for medals you can only get in the combat arena.
I went to night school (while in the military) for nine years and have four degrees. I did this as a single parent with no help from anyone except the welfare agencies. I was serving my country, working 12-hour shifts, going to night school and raising two wonderful sons, and for 17 of the 20 years that I was serving my country, I was on some sort of welfare.
In 1973, I was not allowed in to my first two choices for career fields, loadmaster and flight engineer. Those did not open for women until close to the 1990s. In 1989, I tried to apply for Officer Training School and was told since I was a single parent I did not qualify. Instead of letting me become an officer and stay 10 more years, serving my country and getting off welfare, I stayed five years and retired as early as I could. It was the Air Force’s loss.
Tech. Sgt. Jeanne Marie Bushur, Retired, U.S. Air Force, Denver
Health care in the U.S.
Re: “In search of affordable health care,” Aug. 27 Colorado Voices column.
At the very end of Gretchen Bergen’s write-up on health care, she repeats the great myth: “We live in a country with the best medical care in the world.” All measures of health care by the World Health Organization demonstrate the fallacy of that statement.
Edward J. P. Gallagher, Aurora
Musgrave on wilderness
The wilderness designation for Rocky Mountain National Park has been kept at a standstill once again. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave and Sen. Wayne Allard are completely out of touch on this, for they claim the designation would prohibit aerial firefighting, removal of diseased trees or building new picnic areas in the park.
Kyle Patterson, a park spokeswoman, said that all of these claims are wrong because rules are in place that allow aircraft to fly over wilderness areas in emergencies, and picnic areas can now be constructed in developed parts of the park. Musgrave also wants more study of economic impacts, but all communities involved have already approved the plan. This proposal was first made in 1974, and it is high time for RMNP to have the wilderness designation it deserves.
This is just one more reason why Angie Paccione will get my vote in November.
Tom Fleming, Fort Collins
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