Housing Facts: Looking at the Numbers, Part 2

Since the first installment of this article in November 2023, the math remains that 200,000 housing units are needed statewide. Another way to see it is 200,000 units divided by 351 communities is 570 units per community. The big inner cities simply do not have the land.

The Small Property Owners Association (SPOA) has many small mom and pop owners. We are housing providers. We should not be vilified. Small owners collectively provide better than half of the affordable housing statewide – and nationally.

To produce more housing units, I would like to suggest:

• Facilitating Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). This will allow bigger homes to be modified into smaller rental units; some of the codes should be modified (such as ceiling height being lowered a couple of inches, which would allow some attics and basements to become rentals)

• Working with the owners of illegal units to make them legal (many of which are rented well under market prices). For many of those residents, this is all they can afford

I would also like to see our leaders hold a housing creation summit with equal representation from all stakeholders and with the objective to create more housing for far lower prices. This meeting should include all sides in housing without any one group barely represented. The mission should be housing creation on a large scale. A lot of people have to pitch in, as the taking of private property is unconstitutional. We all need to contribute to solve the problem. The federal government is not going to send huge checks to solve this issue, given the rising national debt. Just look at the top line in this link: usdebtclock.org

by Allen Hebert