Lack of Affordable Housing Impacts all of Newport County

I've been following activists marching for more affordable housing - "The Journey Home." They want the Legislature & the Governor to sign a bill from last year for a bond issue of $75-million to help build 1,500 units of affordable housing. We in this district know much about the lack of affordable housing and I know from very personal experience. Being the wife of a builder & real estate broker, I have seen housing costs increase by leaps & bounds (along with property taxes). It's a complex problem that is probably the most difficult one to solve.

What makes it so difficult is the enormous cost, lack of affordable, developable land (with water/sewers), and the time span involved in actually creating housing. "Smart growth" plans with flexible zoning are needed along with the plans that each town must file with the state to meet the mandated quota of 10% affordable housing. But this is just the beginning. Having a plan doesn't make it reality.

Newport & Middletown meet the quota. Tiverton & Little Compton never will - lack of water & sewers. Most towns in R.I. aren't even close to 10%. And who can blame them? Housing puts a strain on resources with local taxpayers footing the bill with little or not enough help from the State. And the true irony is that many empty apartments sit on Aquidneck Island. Empty due to high rents.

The State needs to offer communities incentives to try & meet their quotas. Perhaps even offer landlords in high value districts a break on their taxes to keep rents affordable.

My sister is in charge of affordable housing in Orlando. They were able to obtain hard-to-get HUD grants & begin to develop mixed housing which they sell affordably & also at market rates. Newport is doing this to a certain extent with "Newport Heights" - their new mixed public housing - both at market & affordable rates (rentals). We need more of this. The waiting list in Newport is at 5000. The new fire & lead paint laws have exacerbated affordable housing also.
Again, no easy answers, but this bond is a start. Employers won't come if workers can't afford to live here. This is also an area where regional planning could help. Mass. & Ct. are part of the solution - they are our suburbs. Of course, more federal help is essential. HUD suffers from lack-of-funding. I do believe that the Guv will end up supporting this one. Building is just plain good for the economy. It will also be interesting in keeping an eye on the Anchorage & the about-to-be-sold GMH housing project to - who knows? Last thing I heard is affordable condos - $175-$220,000.