Ther is a substantial shortfall of affordable rental housing that will not be turned around by short-term vacancies in existing structures. The shortfall figure of 14,776 units for individuals and households at or below 30% Metro Median Income (MMI) arrived at by the City's Affordable Housing Task Force 7/15/99 is widely understood as emblematic of a growing region- and state-wide shortfall well beyond the capacities of local resources. 500 concerned advocates for affordable housing attended a recent HousingMinnesota convention and heard Commissioner David Stanley of the Millenial Housing Commission of the U. S. Congress warn about the need for billions of dollars of new investment nationally.
R.T. and the new council will peck away at this crisis with local tools and seek alliances with larger bodies for larger-scale efforts. Wish them well and lend a hand! We'll all have affordable housing on the brain because events will force our collective address to this issue. It bodes ill in the short run that there is a substantial shortfall in the state's budget - and a substantial increase in un- and under-employment. There is a larger structural challenge coming in the approaching withdrawal of thousands of baby boomers from the working population. These are suburban and Greater Minnesota realities as well, not just action agenda concerns for the inner city crowd. We have an opportunity to work with our situation with strong housing advocates in our city hall. We need to lend our considerable energies to problem-solving about municipal agency restructuring, to pressing for appropriate levels of concern in the State Legislature and the Governor's Mansion, to understanding that when we find something that really works in our neighborhoods we are doing a good thing - setting an example for our suburban and out-state neighbors and embracing, not hiding, from civic responsibility. Fred Markus Horn Terrace Ward Ten __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Check out Yahoo! Shopping and Yahoo! Auctions for all of your unique holiday gifts! Buy at http://shopping.yahoo.com or bid at http://auctions.yahoo.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
