Jobs for Katrina displaced people

[Kurt]

Here's a number with information on jobs in the De Funiak Springs area:

892-8668

Thanks for keeping up and following through - is your avatar a pic of Italy?

 

[Kimmifunn]

This is useful. I emailed phawkin@lsu.edu to say that I could teach a 3-credit course to undergrads or grad students in management skills (for business students and other professional schools in particular) in a 4.5 day period so travel could be limited. A textbook wouldn't be necessary because I have many materials to post online. This is another reason to create an online course that I've been thinking about for a while...

Oh good! I'm glad I could help. Let me know how it goes!

 

[SHELLY]

There were ALWAYS more than enough people in the area to fill all the jobs in Destin and SoWal--the problem is most are service jobs which don't pay a living wage.

Housing has become the major obstacle: Rental apartments are disappearing (going to condo conversions), trailer parks are being purchased for subdivisions, and single rental housing starts at $12-1400 per month. On top of that the cost of gasoline has doubled in the past year (making commuting no longer an option) and healthcare costs are through the roof.

Even if a person is willing to work two 39-hour per week (parttime) service jobs at $10.00 ph (before taxes) they simply couldn't survive. In a place that is viewed as paradise to many, it would be hell on earth to them.

 

[Uncle Timmy]

Although slightly off subject:

Kurt: The picture is on the trail between Vernazza and Monte Rosso, or is it Blue Mountain Beach? I can never remember. For those of you who were not on the trip when a gaggle of south Waltonians decended on Bella Italia, that is in the Cinque Terre region of north Italy.

Shelly: I could not agree with you more. Long term housing has become a HUGE issue here in the area. It is something that I am very interested in. Maybe we should start a new thread to discuss issues related to solutions to this problem. In reference to the Katrina displaced people, I had hoped that the efforts of those who are helping to find short term, and reasonable, housing for those folks could dovetail into our efforts to provide employment. I agree that this is not a long term solution.

 

[SHELLY]

Shelly: I could not agree with you more. Long term housing has become a HUGE issue here in the area. It is something that I am very interested in.Maybe we should start a new thread to discuss issues related to solutions to this problem.

The damage is pretty much done. Developers who pushed through legislation to rid communities of low-income housing to make way for upscale communities have pocketed their profits and couldn't care less about the labor situation. Low-income housing is not profitable and will be left in the hands of government to sort out. Developers have painted glorious pictures of upscale restaurants, shops and amenities in order to sell homesites, condos and developments. Building those things is easy--staffing them is not their concern. I suspect very few of the residents of upscale communities will go to work as waiters, clerks or pool service helpers.

As I see it, there are only three answers to this problem (since outsourcing these jobs to India isn't feasible):

(1) Raise the wages of service-level employees to where they can afford to purchase a house in the SoWal area. (Unfortunately, this may drive up the cost of a manicure to unacceptable levels.)

(2) Have the local government raise property taxes in the area and use the proceeds to build low-income projects to house service workers.

(3) Have developers include plans for barracks as part of their developments to house third-world migrant workers to service their areas (I understand SanDestin is doing this now. It's similar to the process used aboard cruise ships).

The local governments along the Panhandle have used the "Ready, Fire, Aim" process of handling development. The politicos are counting their remaining days in office, the developers are off in the corner counting their money and the local residents are now left to sort the mess out--good luck. Don't hold your breath waiting to hear, "Do want fries with that?" (In English, Spanish, or Tagalog.)

 

[Kurt]

New Orleans is home to some of the best Chefs, Professional Waiters,
Maitre 'Ds, Cooks and Support Staff, Hotel Professionals and Hospitality
Professionals from all walks of life. It is also home to highly
experienced technical, legal and engineering professionals. Wonderful
hard-working, unique people from all walks of life, NEED jobs!

It just makes sense... let's get together and help the folks of New
Orleans and the Gulf Coast who want and NEED work find it.

If you have jobs to offer our friends from New Orleans, please send them
to us - we have direct connections with virtually all the restaurants,
hotels and retail/attractions in New Orleans, and we will get the
information to them.

Please forward all relevant information to Wade Berry at
wberry@beachesofsouthwalton.com or Tiffany McCaskill at
tmccaskill@beachesofsouthwalton.com

 

[Kurt]

The damage is pretty much done. Developers who pushed through legislation to rid communities of low-income housing to make way for upscale communities have pocketed their profits and couldn't care less about the labor situation. Low-income housing is not profitable and will be left in the hands of government to sort out. Developers have painted glorious pictures of upscale restaurants, shops and amenities in order to sell homesites, condos and developments. Building those things is easy--staffing them is not their concern. I suspect very few of the residents of upscale communities will go to work as waiters, clerks or pool service helpers.

As I see it, there are only three answers to this problem (since outsourcing these jobs to India isn't feasible):

(1) Raise the wages of service-level employees to where they can afford to purchase a house in the SoWal area. (Unfortunately, this may drive up the cost of a manicure to unacceptable levels.)

(2) Have the local government raise property taxes in the area and use the proceeds to build low-income projects to house service workers.

(3) Have developers include plans for barracks as part of their developments to house third-world migrant workers to service their areas (I understand SanDestin is doing this now. It's similar to the process used aboard cruise ships).

The local governments along the Panhandle have used the "Ready, Fire, Aim" process of handling development. The politicos are counting their remaining days in office, the developers are off in the corner counting their money and the local residents are now left to sort the mess out--good luck. Don't hold your breath waiting to hear, "Do want fries with that?" (In English, Spanish, or Tagalog.)

Good post - some of 2) will be done. And 3) - St. Joe was required to provide some low income housing in WaterSound North in order to get approval.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Good post - some of 2) will be done. And 3) - St. Joe was required to provide some low income housing in WaterSound North in order to get approval.

The real question is what are they calling "low income housing?" Are they using the govt definition or St Joe's definition? Low income compared to six figure income is still pretty high. I cannot wait to see how that shakes out. My guess is that the low income housing will go to mid-level mgmt, which is needed, but I guarantee you that you won't see housekeepers and groundskeepers being able to afford it.

 

[SlowMovin]

According to economics, the shortage of workers will drive wages up to a point where it is worth it to workers to drive into the area from outlying places they can afford. That shortage will also begin to make property here somewhat less attractive and buyers will "discover" points east (Port St. Joe, the Big Bend, etc.) where prices are lower and you can still find a plumber for a reasonable fee. Eventually, housing prices here will reach an equilibrium point with the rest of the region. That does NOT mean they will EQUAL the rest of the region--some places will always be pricier than others--just that they will reach a point at which they cannot go higher because it is not worth paying that much to live in an area where you cannot hire service workers.

If you believe in classical economics, that is.