Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis

by David Levine, President/CEO

This week, the Opportunity Starts at Home Campaign issued this press release calling for a stronger federal response to the affordable housing crisis.  The strength of the Campaign is its multi-sector approach to the crisis.  

Drawing on advocates in the area of education, health, civil rights, food security, and poverty reduction, the Campaign regularly points out the ways housing is a “critical driver” in stable and enriched life outcomes.  As noted in the press release, “Stakeholders from these different sectors are increasingly recognizing the importance of affordable housing to their own priorities and goals.”

The Campaign’s recommendations include creating a larger supply of affordable housing and backstopping families with emergency financial support at times of housing crises.  I see in its recommendations our own mission and services.

Having just purchased our 69th unit of affordable housing ― a two-bedroom condo unit at Colchester Towne ― we continue to increase that supply of affordable, secure and permanent rental housing.  Through our homeless prevention services program, we are providing 15 to 20 households every month with one-time emergency assistance to solve their housing crisis. We  keep them from falling into homelessness.

The Campaign’s advocacy will help.  We know from long experience the benefits of housing.