Home Is The Key
In addition to April being affordable housing month, April is also Home Is The Key month here at Habitat - a time to shine a spotlight on the critical need for decent and affordable housing.
An affordable, quality home is critical to a family’s well-being — physically, mentally, economically, developmentally.
As home prices — for rental and ownership — continue to outpace wage growth in the United States, families often find themselves struggling in other major areas of their lives as basic needs are pitted against each other. Nutrition, education, transportation, child care, health care.
Among the economic benefits of increased access to quality, affordable housing are greater tax generation, creation of jobs, opportunities for economic development, increased job retention and productivity, and the ability to address inequality.
"Focusing on affordability should be among any community’s top priorities," says Meegan O'Neil, Executive Director. “We need to think about homes the way we think about water and streets. These aren’t nice to have — they’re essentials."
We also need to ensure that police officers, firefighters, teachers and nurses who work and serve in our city can afford to actually live in our city.
Bringing housing costs to an affordable level can make all the difference in the life — and future — of a family.
