Habitat is building more houses on the Cape. I have philosophical and practical disagreements with affordable housing generally. For one thing, everyone I’ve talked with about affordable housing refuses to acknowledge that other points of view are worth considering.
I have two problems and two issues with subsidized home ownership. One is that property taxes are based on resale value. That means that Habitat homeowners are receiving the same services as the rest of us, but paying 25% or less of the tax burden the rest of us bear. Property values are not increasing anywhere near fast enough to make this an equitable arrangment. In our case, our house would have to appreciate by about $1,500 a year for us to come out even with the two Habitat homes on our street. All I can say to that is, Hardee har har! We don’t live in Southport or Popponessett, sweetie!
The other problem is that there is no limit on the length of time that the same individuals can occupy the house. If there were a limit, say 10 years or whenever the homeowner’s circumstances change for the better, whichever is first, it would make sense to me. That way, affordable housing would be passed on to a new group of people.
The first issue is that those of us who aren’t LUCKY enough to get subsidized housing, or inherit a bundle from Mom, have made compromises on our lifestyles to afford where we live. Sure, I’d love to live in Wellesley, Truro or Wellfleet, but I can’t afford those towns. What about the concept of buying what you can afford? Oh, right, that idea went out with the housing crisis of 2008.
Finally, I think affordable housing in this county misses the point. Our community “leaders” have shoved tourism, with its lousy seasonal and minimum wage jobs, down our throats. Maybe if as much effort were put into developing the economy here to provide middle income jobs, subsidized housing wouldn’t be necessary.
That’s my soapbox for tonight.