Congrats to Kevin Lattimore, a local high school student on his affordable housing piece which appeared in yesterday's STrib. Keep up the good work Kevin, and you may end up a staff writer one day soon. However, I'd suggest the story could benefit from a more balanced view of the overall situation being discussed.
In today's stagnant economy, with so many laid off and underemployed, it's important that we not confuse an individuals, or family's, lack of income with a lack of housing. If Section 8 or some other rent certificate vouchers were available, many of these income-strapped folk's housing needs would likely be met. To overbuild the rental housing market with subsidized housing, and contemplate eventually driving down the cost of housing in the process, may prove foolhardy in the long run if it results in a less maintenance of, and the loss of most privately owned, lower-end rental units in the city. Such a scenario may in fact result in MORE homeless folks on the street in spite of all public efforts- while taxpayers hold the bag for public housing strategies that don't meet needs even after the money is spent! I'd also suggest that asking non-profit suppliers of affordable housing for suggestions on solving the 'affordable housing problem' is akin to asking the fox about needed improvements to hen house security. Michael Hohmann Linden Hills > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of > Shawn Lewis > Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 6:29 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Mpls] Affordable housing shortage acute in Minneapolis > > > Affordable housing shortage acute in Minneapolis > > Kevin Lattimore, junior, North H.S., Minneapolis > > Published July 14, 2003 > > Housing is easy enough to find in Minneapolis, > but finding affordable housing for > low-income families, now that's another > thing entirely... > ...According to Deb Landy of > Common Bond, Minnesota's largest provider > of affordable housing, there are about > 39,000 affordable housing units for the > 80,000 Minnesota families who need > them. > > Rental vacancies are rising, but that isn't > helping low-income families... said Ann Ruff, vice > president of development for Common Bond. > "It's going to take a lot to bring down the > rents," she said. > > Common Bond opened a 25-unit building for > families in December and 400 families applied. > As people lose jobs in a soft economy, more > people double up or live in substandard > housing, Ruff said. > > ...Poor children suffer greatly from a lack of > decent affordable housing, according to > "There's No Place Like Home," a recent report > by Housing America, a San Francisco-based > non-profit uniting pediatricians, clergymen, > and community-based organizations to press > for better housing for the > poor. > > http://www.startribune.com/stories/389/3981102.html > > There No Place Like Home > http://www.housingamerica.net > > Posted by Shawn Lewis, Field Neighborhood > TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
