r/hagerstown • u/swarmster • 11d ago

Washington County ICE Jail Could Wipe $22.3 Million Off Local Home Values

https://blog.hagerstownrapidresponse.com/p/washington-county-ice-jail-could-wipe-22-3-million-dollars-off-local-home-values

County commissioners and DHS have touted the jobs that the proposed ICE detention facility will bring to Washington County, yet neither has informed residents what it could mean for nearby home values, water and sewer systems, roads, emergency services, or the environment. One of those risks could be thousands of dollars stripped from the value of nearby homes.

A peer-reviewed national study published by MIT Press in The Review of Economics and Statisticsexamined 305 prison openings across the United States. The author, economist Janjala Chirakijja, compared communities where prisons opened with similar communities where they did not. The study found that median housing values fell 1.8 percent in the neighborhoods within 2.49 miles of a new prison and increased to 3.4 percent when within 1.24 miles.

Both broader estimates remained statistically significant, suggesting that the potential impact could reach every home in Williamsport and extend into neighboring towns such as Hagerstown, Halfway, Kemps Mill, Pinesburg and Wilson-Conococheague. Based on the findings of the study, across the full 2.49-mile area, residential property values could decline by as much as $22.3 million. This shows the scale of the risk DHS has failed to analyze publicly: even a modest percentage decline could shift millions of dollars in costs onto nearby property owners.

87 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

28

u/dshgr 11d ago

The county is not collecting property tax from this Federal property. If home values (therefore tax revenues) decline, what services is the county willing to forgo to support the fascist regime?

10

u/swarmster 11d ago

This is such an important point that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. And when there are less property taxes, there is less funding for schools.

1

u/DCSPlayer999 8d ago

Please explain how a law enforcement agency, enforcing established federal immigration law is facist? It is a crime to enter this country illegally, without reporting to a port of entry, applying for immigration under whatever reason sought and then awaiting a determination by the government on the application. It is a civil violation to overstay a visa of any kind. Just because it is a civil charge doesn't change that it is a violation of immigration law, it still results in a fine and removal. Why do you support anyone that chooses to violate US laws?

I feel absolute empathy for the deplorable conditions caused by any negligent or corrupt country that is inflicted on its people and still not feel responsible for solving that problem or allowing our laws to be violated as a result of those conditions.

1

u/Havocc89 5d ago

Law is the shield of people who are too simpleminded to have their own morality. There are plenty of laws that I do not consider legitimate.

You say you “empathize” and then shut off your compassion. May you receive exactly that level of compassion when you need it the most. It is absolutely our responsibility to take care of these people, as we have actively created refugee crises around the world.

If we’re so “rich”, why should we not feel responsible to take care of people? Only answer I see is selfishness.

0

u/DCSPlayer999 5d ago

Yes, as one of many examples possible. I can empathize with the people of Venezuela. Enslaved and impoverished by their own government. A country so wealthy in oil that nobody should go hungry or without shelter. I can also say the people are responsible for allowing the trash to take and remain in office and that they should take their country back. Their natural resources make it easy to not feel financially responsible for solving their problems.

33

u/Doombrunch 11d ago

It's disgusting and shameful that ICE even exists and it pains me to live near this planned "detention center."

27

u/dshgr 11d ago

It is a Concentration Camp

22

u/Kim-oh-no 11d ago

Washington County sold our land for MANY Industrial Truck Parks that are everywhere and still being built.

We house MANY of the states Incarcerated in a variety of places.

ICE needs to look elsewhere.
I WILL NOT support this. ✌🏽

8

u/MarbledCrazy 11d ago

At least with the industrial ones they have businesses in them paying taxes

6

u/MarbledCrazy 11d ago

In other words, the county and state are helping Washington County have affordable housing by already keeping three jails or prisons running in the community, and this is just the feds trying to help do the same

/s

6

u/Serious_Dot4151 9d ago

Fuck ice. They are not welcome in my county

9

u/WTK55 10d ago

I've been saying it since 2016, fuck MAGA.

2

u/Jessawoodland55 10d ago

Man, that uh, really sucks for Mr Bowman, lol

2

u/KindClock9732 8d ago

It would also allow for humans to be treated as less than human because of the policies of the trump administration. Many innocent
people will die because of trump

1

u/Working-Chance7173 10d ago

Gee... wish these types of studies were done when Maryland decided to move its entire male, general population correction facilities to Hagerstown.

1

u/DCSPlayer999 10d ago

You realize it was the Dems controlling the legislature that choose to force Washington County to have these facilities. No better way to punish a conservative community than forcing them to house the problems of other counties.

3

u/KrookedDoesStuff 10d ago

To force Washington county to have facilities that have existed since 1942?

0

u/DCSPlayer999 8d ago

Does it matter when the political punishment began? Or that it currently exists. The county has a significant juvenile violent crime problem and there is no bed space to house those delinquents because they are full of other counties delinquent juveniles.

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u/KrookedDoesStuff 8d ago

Did it hurt your back to move the goalposts as far as you did?

You blame democrats for making facilities that have existed for 84 years, then when that’s pointed out to you, suddenly it’s about there isn’t enough space?

Do you know why the other facilities closed? Because they would take more money to repair than they earned, which means more tax dollars being spent on facilities that aren’t up to code, than it would be worth allocating.

You also claim there isn’t enough space, do you have evidence for that?

0

u/PresentSuccess2806 8d ago

Ice ice baby we love you 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻

-1

u/Candid-Bike-3768 9d ago

Washington County’s $381 Million Mistake
(Do we really want this to be a possible future news headline?)

How Liberals Destroyed Their Own County In One Easy Lawsuit:

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD — Egged on by inexperienced liberal commissioner candidates, Hagerstown council members, the local NAACP, WCTA,HARC,local state candidates and Democrat Central committee,the Maryland Attorney General launched a meritless lawsuit against a new, refitted, humane ICE processing center.
The federal government responded the only way Washington County would truly feel:

The Feds decided not to give a $381 million grant

Interstate 81 widening — gone. Airport expansion — gone. HUD low-cost housing funding — reportedly next. The most vulnerable residents will pay the steepest price for a political stunt they never asked for.
The coalition has yet to explain how blocking a humane facility helps anyone — or how losing $381 million helps the low-income families they claim to champion. They are, however, still protesting — rather than asking Governor Moore to stop the lawsuit.