Arlington County Housing Division Hosts "Housing 4 Hipsters" Happy Hour to Help Hipsters Find Housing Assistance
No, I am not making this up.
In the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., the Arlington County Housing Division is hosting in a happy hour called "Housing 4 Hipsters." This is a real event. That is actually happening. With the "4" in the title and everything.
The purpose? To help people of the hipster-American variety (presumably) discover ways to take advantage of the county's various housing assistance programs. Doug Myrick, an official with the Housing Division, tells Arlnow.com that the county is holding the event because, "We want people to understand there is housing assistance available across a wide range of incomes." Is it possible to take advantage of rent restrictions and/or housing subsidies ironically? Myrick also says that "when people see government assistance, they often think it must be for low income or they won't qualify." I can't imagine why anyone would assume that housing assistance would be limited to those with low-incomes. But at this point, I guess it's for everyone. Will hipsters still like housing assistance now that it's gone mainstream?
Or maybe the idea is to take insane, widely discredited housing policy ideas and make them retro-cool: The Housing Division website's event page—which exists because, as I cannot stress enough, this is an actual real thing—includes the following teaser: "Options include buying your first home with little as 1% down!" Because that's always worked out so well. Also, "There will be door prizes and complimentary refreshments." Apparently, it's not enough to merely subsidize housing for middle-class young professionals; we also have to bribe them into taking advantage of it.
At Forbes, Josh Barro sets expectations: "Phrases I expect will be heard at this event include 'it's an obscure housing assistance program; you've probably never heard of it' and "I liked the old FHA mortgage qualification guidelines better.'"
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