Advocacy
What HFH-MC advocates for:
- To further the building and/or rehabilitation of simple, decent, and affordable homes for very low-income families in Montgomery County
- To seek just policies that promote affordable housing development and preservation of existing affordable housing
Why is affordable housing necessary in Montgomery County?
- While Montgomery County is one of the most affluent, fastest-growing communities in the nation, thousands of its residents are living in poverty..
- According to Montgomery County’s Self Sufficiency Standard from 2008, a family of two adults, one preschooler, and one school age child needs to make at $73,026 annually to live in Montgomery County without any public or private assistance. On average HFH-MC families make $40,500 annually.
- Without the zero-interest rate loans and low purchase prices that Habitat for Humanity provides, most program participants could not afford homeownership.
What are the benefits of affordable housing in Montgomery County?
Research shows that there are numerous benefits provided by homeownership:
- Stimulate the physical and economic revitalization of neighborhoods. Affordable housing contributes to the rebirth and stabilization of neighborhoods that have experienced a high incidence of foreclosures.
- Lower community crime rates. Good stable housing increases the quality of life for individuals and neighborhoods. Better quality of living leads to stronger citizens and families.
- Unleash the potential of children. Owning a home leads to higher quality home environment, improved test scores, and reduced behavioral problems
Be Informed
Learn more about affordable housing…..
7 Misconceptions About Affordable Housing
(from the Washington Area Housing Partnership)
1. Affordable housing is public housing
The term “affordable housing” refers to all types of housing—whether owned or rented—that is affordable to households of various income levels. The affordabililty concept originates with the federal government guideline that individuals or families should not spend more than 30 percent of their income for housing, including mortgage payments, rent, and utilities. There are many examples in this region of affordable housing that is owned and managed by the private sector. These projects were possible because of specifically designated low-interest loans or other public financing approaches.
By contrast, “public housing” is created and frequently managed by the government to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.
2. Affordable housing requires huge government subsidies
Affordable housing takes many forms. “Committed” affordable units may be wholly owned by nonprofits; guaranteed by agreement with the federal, state, or county government to remain affordable to low-and moderate-income households for a specific period of time; or subsidized by the government.
“Market” affordable units (MARKS) receive no county assistance and are not committed to remain affordable. They are considered affordable based on the ability of the tenants of various income levels to pay no more than 30 percent of their income on rent.
3. People who need affordable housing don’t work and collect welfare
Most affordable housing programs serve families earning less than 60 percent of the region’s median income. The median income for a family of four in the Washington Metropolitan area is $99,000, and so eligible families earn less than $60,000 a year. Based on mean and median incomes in the Washington Metropolitan Area for the following occupations, many workers who form the backbone of our communities would qualify: Counselors, Social Workers, Firefighters, Teachers, Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics, and more.
4. Affordable housing development brings down the area’s property values and attracts drug dealers and criminals
The overwhelming evidence points to factors such as the condition of a particular property and the overall prosperity of an area as the key drivers of property values. The MIT Center for Real Estate conducted seven case studies on mixed income, high-density rental developments in the Boston metropolitan area and proved there was no significant effect over time in the prices of nearby single family homes. In fact, affordable housing development in many areas enhances the community be reclaiming run-down or abandoned property.
5. The density of affordable housing causes traffic and overcrowding on transit
As with any type of development, the development of affordable housing properties increases population density; however, its impact on traffic and transit can be minimized when development is concentrated near transit centers, commercial hubs, and workplaces. In fact, traffic congestion and transit overcrowding is often caused by the lack of affordable housing, which spurs “leap frog” development further and further from urban centers where lower income households can trade convenience and access for lower cost.
6. There’s no significant shortage of affordable housing in my community
Even in the face of an economic downturn, real estate values in the Washington Metropolitan Area have doubled in the last five years, creating a shortage of 70,000 housing units for moderate income workers and their families. This shortage is projected to rise to nearly 400,000 by 2010.
7. A shortage of affordable housing doesn’t affect me
Everybody’s affected when working people—including public employees such as teachers, firefighters, and police, and private sector workers such as hospital technicians, store clerks, and young professionals—can’t afford to live where they work. In addition to the workers who serve the community, many longtime residents—such as retirees and college graduates hoping to return to their home towns—are priced out of the housing market. This creates instability and weakens the fabric of a community, robbing it of the commitment and connections that longtime residents contribute. And when workers live far away from their jobs, traffic congestion and pollution caused by long commutes gets worse.
Take Action Now!
While our mission is to promote and provide affordable housing within Montgomery County, we also seek to influence policies that promote affordable housing development and preservation of existing affordable housing throughout the nation.
Please follow the links below to direct you to our national website where you can sign up to join the national advocacy network, as well as, sign a letter to your elected representatives asking them to support affordable housing initiatives.
Contact Your Elected Officials
Protect Habitat Homes and Neighborhoods
Tell Congress to pass the SLUM Assistance Act!
Ask Congress: Don’t cut funds for the Serve America Act!
ASK CONGRESS: SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION
Participate in Habitat for Humanity Advocacy Events in Montgomery County!
Act! Speak! Build! Week- Check back for information Act! Speak! Build Week! 2010
Women Build Week- Check back for information on Women Build Week 2010
Check out our Advocacy Postcards!
Next time you stop by the Habitat office please fill out one of our Advocacy postcards, we will send them on your behalf to a local elected official, to spread the news about affordable housing in Montgomery County.
For more information about HFH-MC's advocacy campaign please conatct, Adrienne Lyon Advocacy Intern at adrienne.lyon@habitat-mc.org
