COLUMN: Nothing new here

Regarding Kim Cooper’s column of April 17, which was nothing more than a regurgitation of HUD’s rants as to how ex-convicts’ records should be assessed by potential rental property owners…There is no original thought put forth by Cooper. He restates HUD’s guidelines stating that African Americans and Hispanics are arrested, convicted and incarcerated at rates disproportionate to their share of the general population. What Cooper leaves out is that these two groups also commit the same disproportionate amount of crime. Check the crime rates of major cities throughout the United States. It wasn’t too many years ago the head of HUD whose first name was Sam and was referred to as Silent Sam was dismissed for corrupt practices.

Property owners who own and manage rental units should have every right to be able to know if their prospective renters have arrest records or are ex-cons. I even know of one real estate agent who sells homes that become half-way houses for rich spoiled youth that are kicked out of their families’ homes. Folks, just imagine the possible reduction in property values in those neighborhoods right here in Kootenai County. In conclusion, I believe that after all these years, political correctness is finally dying out.

MICHAEL J. MURPHY

Hayden