Winston-Salem Journal Monday, April 30, 2007

In the richest country on earth, at least for now, decent, affordable housing shouldn’t be a problem. But it sure is. From Winston-Salem through our mountains, just as in the rest of the nation, too many people pay too much to live in sorry conditions. They can’t even rent a good place, much less think of ever buying one. That must change.

Many organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, are having success at turning that bleak picture around. There is, however, a long way to go. Whether among the pricey lofts in downtown Winston-Salem or among the lush new subdivisions in the mountains, there’s just not enough affordable housing.

Many excuses are offered. Developers can’t make the numbers work for affordable housing because of a variety of factors, including land prices. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development is cutting back on funding for local housing. The list goes on.

Yet the time for excuses is over, as some advocates are rightly saying. “Whatever you’re doing, you have to do more,” Abdul Rasheed, the founder of the North Carolina Community Development Initiative Inc., recently told a group of a local and state housing officials in Winston-Salem. “The problem isn’t getting smaller. It’s getting bigger.” (more…)