Times are tough all over

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Same goes with our public housing. I really think it is due to a change of the generations from one of those being greatly appreciative of the help provided and among whom they had great pride and a sense of selfworth and work and changing to one of a generation of entitlement, hand outs, and dependency on the system based on some stupid idea of imaginary wrongs to a narrow group of people.

Not all those wrongs are imaginary, Merc. Whether or not they're relevant is an argument to be had.

I don't know what it's like over there, but over here most of the social housing is now owned by not for profit companies rather than the state. It was sold off in the 80s and 90s. The reputation the estates sometimes have for anti-social behaviour, drugs and nightmare neighbours is partially a fair one. But the reputation is down to a minority of the tenants. It's amazing what absolute chaos a relatively small number of people can cause. In terms of unemployment, the reputation is again partially a fair one. But higher unemployment than the national trend still amounts to a minority of the community. What is problematic is the high percentage of unstable, unskilled, low-paid sink jobs. But even then, that isn't the whole story. Most people on 'council' estates are just like everyone here: trying to get by, making sure their families are fed and happy, hoping their kids will do well and attending parents evenings, making good and bad decisions and coping with the consequences. They just rent their house from a social landlord.