TENANTS ASSOCIATION RAFFLE ANNOUNCEMENT

 

The Tenants Association will be holding a raffle beginning Friday, June 29^th and running through July 14^th.  Winners will be announced on July 15^th.

Ø 1st prize - 19-inch color TV

 

Ø 2nd prize - one cup coffee maker and travel mug

 

Ø 3rd prize - $25 voucher to the food truck (if restaurant opens, we'll give away $25 cash)

 

Ticket are $1.00 each and the proceeds will benefit the food bank.  Please see your building advocates for tickets.  As usual, thank you for supporting your Tenants Association and your Community Food Bank.

 

UPCOMING ELECTION ON JUNE 20TH

There will be a primary election on June 20 to select a new State Senatorial candidate from District 14.  Due to redistricting, Senator Hashmi will no longer represent District 14.  Democratic candidates in the primary are Katie Gooch and Lamont Bagby.  Bagby is the incumbent.  

If you're wondering which voting districts you live in:

US Congressional District 4 

State Senate District 14

State House District 78

HOW ARE WE DOING?

The Tenants Association distributed surveys at the Tenants Association Meeting asking how we're doing.  The Association is six months old as of June 6th.

The surveys we received were outstanding, but we don't have enough to glean an accurate report.

Please see Steve Harrell, building advocate for Boxwood, to get a copy of the Survey.

Janet will be back June 10th and will make them available to the community then.

CAR REGISTRATIONS AT LIV

Legacy at Imperial Village has the overall responsibility of monitoring and enforcement of parking regulations.  Per their policy, all vehicles must have current registration, inspection and be drivable to remain on campus.  Vehicles in disrepair (e.g. flat tires or broken windows) will not be tolerated.  Violators will be towed at the owner's expense.  Handicap spaces are only for use by those with a current Handicap Parking Permit.

Forms are available at the front desk and from Tenants Association Advocates to record your auto information with Management.  The forms were made available at the Tenants Association Meeting on May 28th.  These forms should be filled out and returned to Whitney via the front desk.

If you are in the process of having your car repaired, please let Whitney know.  She will work with you.

LIV TENANTS ASSOCIATION POLICY ON TOLERANT ENVIRONMENT

There have been reports recently regarding aggressive behavior on campus.  The LIV Tenants Association's policy on this behavior is as follows:

THIS FACILITY IS A SAFE AND TOLERANT ENVIRONMENT.  AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

 

Examples of aggressive behavior include:

• ·       Physical assault
• ·       Verbal Abuse
• ·       Harassment
• ·       Sexual Assault
• ·       Threats
• ·       Bullying
•  

The Tenants Association has zero tolerance for all forms of aggression.  Incidents may result in recommendations to management for removal from this facility and/or prosecution.

The Tenants Association joins Management and Staff in enforcing consequences for aggressive behavior on Legacy at Imperial Village property.

 

 

YOUNG OR OLD, THE COMING SHORTFALL IN SOCIAL SECURITY SHOULD WORRY YOU

How Social Security's shortfall will impact Gen Z to seniors - The Washington Post 

I’m frequently told by young adults that they’re doubtful Social Security will have enough money to ever send them a monthly check.

 

“It won’t be around when I get old,” they say.

 

Older adults worry that the payments they are currently receiving will be cut because of a looming shortfall in the federal program.

 

Both generational groups are right to be troubled.

 

Social Security isn’t projected to be bankrupt, as you may falsely believe. But the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund (OASI), which pays retirement and survivor benefits, will be unable to issue full benefits starting in 2033, according to the latest trustee reports for the Social Security and Medicare trust funds.

Here’s what you should know about the financial state of Social Security and Medicare.

 

How is Social Security funded?

 

It’s important to understand that Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI), otherwise known as Social Security, benefits not just seniors but workers who develop disabilities and families in which a spouse or parent dies. Medicare provides health care for Americans 65 and older. Medicare is also available for some people younger than 65 with disabilities or end-stage renal disease.

Social Security is funded through a payroll tax. It’s part of the section on your pay stub that may be labeled as FICA, which stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. Employers and employees each pay 6.2 percent of wages up to the taxable maximum of $160,200 for 2023. If you’re self-employed, you pay the entire 12.4 percent OASDI tax rate.

 

The current rate for Medicare is 1.45 percent for an employee and 1.45 percent for the employer, or a total of 2.9 percent. There’s an additional 0.9 percent tax applied to some high-earners. Unlike the OASDI tax, there is no limit on the amount of income subject to Medicare taxes.

 

“The money you pay in taxes is not held in a personal account for you to use when you get benefits,” the Social Security Administration explains. “Today’s workers help pay for current retirees’ and other beneficiaries’ benefits.”

Will Social Security run out of money?

 If no actions are taken by Congress, yes, Social Security and Medicare face a significant funding shortfall.

 

“Social Security’s total cost is projected to be higher than its total income in 2023 and all later years,” the trustees’ report said.

 

Each year, the trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds issue reports on the current and projected financial status of the two programs. The 2023 reviews repeated a concern from previous years: There is more money going out than coming in.

 

The imbalance, the trustees explained, comes down to baby boomers. They are retiring at a much faster rate than the number of covered workers contributing to the program.

 

But there will be a fix — imagine the pandemonium if beneficiaries saw a 23 percent reduction in their monthly Social Security payments. Things would get ugly, fast.

I can picture busloads of seniors descending on the Capitol demanding their money.

 

“Because Social Security faces no imminent crisis, policymakers have time to carefully craft a financing package that minimizes cuts to the program’s modest but critical benefits,” the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities wrote in a blog post ahead of the release of the trustees’ report.

 

How will seniors be affected?

At the end of 2022, the OASDI program was providing benefit payments to 51 million retired workers and dependents of retired workers, 6 million survivors of deceased workers, and 9 million disabled workers and dependents of disabled workers.

 Because of a cost-of-living increase of 8.7 percent in January, the Social Security Administration estimated that the average monthly Social Security benefits payment would be $1,827, up from $1,681.

 

Without intervention, the OASI Trust Fund will have only enough continuing tax income to pay out 77 percent of scheduled payments. Starting in 2031, Medicare’s hospital insurance will be able to pay 89 percent of the scheduled benefits for hospital services. The Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund is projected to be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits through at least 2097.  However, I suspect Congress will step in before any benefits are reduced. But the uncertainty could still make for some scary years ahead.

Will Social Security be around when I’m ready to retire?

 I have no doubt Social Security is here to stay. Without it, millions of seniors would fall below the poverty line.

 

The poverty rate for people 65 and older increased from 9.3 percent from 2012 to 2016 to 9.6 percent from 2017 to 2021, according to the Census Bureau.

Last year, 55 percent of retirees said they rely on Social Security as a "major” source of income, according to a Gallup poll. There will be a fix. The question is how financially painful it will be.

A number of options have been discussed to solve Social Security’s problem, including increasing the age at which the full retirement benefit can be collected. The full benefit age is 66 years and 2 months for those born in 1955. It increases gradually to 67 for those born in 1960 or later.

 

One idea is to increase the full retirement age to 70. Such a move is predicated on people working longer. But what if that’s not possible? Congress would do well to consider what happened in France, where protests erupted over plans to raise the retirement age to 64 from the current 62 before people can retire with a full pension.

 

Another possible solution might involve increasing the income cap for OASDI or eliminating it.

 

Understandably, you may be concerned about the solvency of Social Security. But while we wait for a resolution, don’t let fear drive you to a decision that may not be in your best interest long-term.

 

Many people can’t afford to delay taking Social Security. But if you can, keep in mind the longer you wait to start Social Security, the more you collect each month. If you claim early at 62, there’s a reduction of as much as 30 percent. Every year you delay beyond your full retirement age up to 70, you get an 8 percent increase in your benefit.

 

UPDATE ON TRASH REMOVAL

I received this email from Mr. Wilkins Friday, June 2, 2023.

In case you're getting blown up, I hired a new trash person today.  They'll be starting this evening around 6 and working until approximately 9.  I've asked them to work Saturday and Sunday as well, so we should be ahead of it for the weekend and not come in Monday to a wreck.  Hiring is fun!!!!!  :)

 

If we don't talk I hope you have a good weekend.

 

Steve

 

 Steven H. Wilkins

Regional Director of Operations

Legacy at Imperial Village

NEW LANDLORD/TENANT LAWS GOING INTO EFFECT JULY 1, 2023

Here are four of the new laws going into effect July 1, 2023:

Increase in Rent

Landlords must give at least a 60-day notice for rent increases.  A landlord who owns more than four rental units must provide a written notice of changes in rent during the time of the lease at least 60 days before the end of the current rental agreement term, according to HB 1702.

 

Tenant may terminate lease if the unit is not habitable in the beginning.

•      The tenant must provide a notice to the landlord within 7 days of the start of the lease, and the landlord must return any rent or deposit paid within 15 business days of the notice. If the landlord refuses, the tenant has the right to take it to the court. This act, HB 1635, also allows the prevailing party to recover reasonable attorney fees.

•      A tenant has the right to terminate the lease if he/she finds that the house or apartment has issues that a fire hazard or a threat to one's life, health, or safety upon moving in. These may include infestation of pests or rodents, lack of heat, lack of hot or cold running water, a lack of electricity or properly operating sewage facilities, and the like.

Charges for damages to property

•      If the damages of the property exceed the tenant's security deposit, tenants now have 30 days to pay back the cost of repair, up from 15 days previously. The landlord must provide the tenant with an itemized list of damages and cost of repair. This bill, HB 1542, expires on June 30, 2024.

Payment for delinquent taxes

•      HB 2110 allows a landlord more time to pay delinquent taxes to the locality, extending the maximum duration of an installment agreement from 60 to 72 months

HERE'S HOW MUCH RENT COSTS ON AVERAGE IN RVA

Here's how much rent costs on average in Richmond, Virginia (wric.com)

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Apartments.com has recently released new data on the average cost of rent in Richmond.  As of May 2023, the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city is $1,370, a $67 decrease from the previous year. The data from Apartments.com also noted the average size of a studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartment 

across the city.

Apartment Type	Average Square Feet	Average Rent
Studio	379 sq. ft.	$1,126/ month
One Bedroom	696 sq. ft.	$1,370/ month
Two Bedroom	1,052 sq. ft.	$1,752/ month
Three Bedroom	1,048 sq. ft.	$1,941/ month

Average monthly rent in Richmond, Va. as of May 2023, according to Apartments.com

Richmond rent has decreased by 4.96% in the past year, which averages $67 less per month than in 2022, according to the Apartments.com data, collected by CoStar Group researchers.

As a general rule of thumb, renters are advised to allocate approximately 30% of their net income to rent.

• Yearly Income X .3 = Yearly Rent Amount
• Yearly Rent Amount ÷ 12 = Monthly Rent Amount

Using these formulas, a Richmond resident would need to make around $46,000 to live comfortably in a one-bedroom apartment in the city. Of course, the 30% can be deviated from depending on individual lifestyles and other expenses. For instance, if you have other expenses like childcare, student loans or a car payment, you may want to look for housing at a slightly lower net income percentage.  According to the July 1, 2022, U.S. Census, the median household income in Richmond was estimated to be $54,795, and the per capita income was $37,132. In addition, 19.8% of the city’s population was estimated to be in poverty.  Federal Poverty Level (FPL):

Family Size            2023 Income Numbers

Individuals                $14,580

Family of 2                $19,720

The Editor's rent increased by $36, which is a 3.5% increase.  Add to that, 4.96 decrease in rent in the area.  That equals 8.46% increase in rent.  COLA increase was 8.7% for 2023.  

Landlords 1 - Old people 0.

NOTE:  Editor pays 80% of income for rent.  This includes utilities.  Pays extra for internet, storage bin, and parking space.

APOLOGIES

 The Editor of this blog apologizes for the gap in publishing articles.  The past couple of months have been hectic.  We promise to do better.

CATO Institute on SNAP Nutrition

What is worse?  Poor eating or no eating?  This editor lost 24 pounds in one year on SNAP.

SNAP: A Nutrition Failure | Cato at Liberty Blog

 (Chart on the CATO website)

APRIL 11, 2023 11:00AM

SNAP: A Nutrition Failure

By Chris Edwards

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Spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has doubled since 2019 to $127 billion in 2023. Such spending increases are raising federal budget deficits to unsustainable levels. Policymakers need to cut, and one place to start is programs that do not work as promised. With SNAP, the N is for nutrition, but SNAP households have less nutritious diets than other households.

The SNAP page at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says, “SNAP provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food.” This USDA document promotes, “Increasing SNAP Benefits to Support Healthy Eating Patterns at All Life Stages,” and it mentions “nutrition” 199 times. A study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says, “SNAP helped about 42 million low‐​income Americans afford a nutritious diet.”

However, SNAP households tend not to “purchase healthy food,” nor do they have “healthy eating patterns” or “nutritious diets.” A 2016 USDA study found that 23 percent of SNAP spending is on what can be called junk food.

More evidence comes from a 2018 USDA study. This chart from the study shows that nutritious foods make up a substantially smaller share of food acquired by SNAP households

The chart is based on a detailed USDA survey and analysis of Healthy Eating Index components for three groups: SNAP households, non‐​SNAP lower‐​income households, and non‐​SNAP higher‐​income households. The income level separating the two non‐​SNAP groups is 185 percent of FPG (federal poverty guidelines).

The analysis found that SNAP households receive about the same overall calories as other households, but:

Compared to lower income nonparticipants, SNAP‐​participating households acquired 31 percent fewer total vegetables, 40 percent fewer dark green vegetables and beans, 24 percent fewer whole fruits, 20 percent fewer whole grains, and 27 percent fewer seafood and plant proteins for every 1,000 calories acquired. They also acquired almost 6 percent (33.05/31.09) more empty calories as a share of total calories.

SNAP households bought less healthy foods than other lower‐​income households. The USDA study concludes, “Compared to the SNAP‐​nonparticipating subgroups, SNAP‐​participating households purchased foods of lower quality overall.” The study only examined correlations, not causations, but the results are similar to other studies: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data “also show that diet quality among SNAP participants is lower than among nonparticipants.”

Advocates often say that SNAP households have poor diets because they do not have nearby access to healthy foods. But the 2018 USDA results do not support that theory: “Further, on all of our measures of nutritional quality, SNAP‐​participating households with low household‐​level access to food stores did not differ from SNAP‐​participating households with better access.”

Policy Implications

The USDA says that “Poor nutrition is a leading cause of illness in the United States, associated with more than half a million deaths per year.” Yet the USDA’s largest food program, SNAP or food stamps, delivers poor nutrition. This is a major policy failure, especially since SNAP costs taxpayers an enormous $127 billion a year.

SNAP is part of the Farm Bill scheduled to be reauthorized this year, and so policymakers should explore ways to cut the program. One option is to replace the $127 billion program with a “Fruits and Vegetables Program,” which would cost $20 to $30 billion a year (see data note below). Nutritionists disagree about some foods, but they all agree that fruits and vegetables are essential. Taxpayers would save about $100 billion a year replacing SNAP with an F&V program.

Another option is to devolve SNAP to the states and let them decide how to reform the program. State policymakers are better placed to decide on the level of benefits and foods to support. The states alongside the private sector have more flexibility to find efficient solutions.

Unfortunately, SNAP’s nutrition failure has so far only prompted the usual response to federal failure—add more programs! Congress has added SNAP‐​Ed and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program to promote healthy food choices. These add‐​on programs cost taxpayers about $550 million a year. Last year, the Biden administration issued a “National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health,” which proposed new subsidies and regulations to induce SNAP recipients and others to eat healthy.

But rather than building the federal food bureaucracy larger, policymakers should replace SNAP with a smaller Fruits and Vegetables Program or devolve it to the states for more innovative policy solutions.

For more on SNAP, see here and here.

Data Note: the 2016 USDA study found that fruits and vegetables were 14 percent of SNAP benefits, which would be about $18 billion in 2023. Replacing SNAP with a Fruits and Vegetables Program would likely increase consumption of those healthy items, perhaps to $20-$30 billion a year.