In our view Nov. 18: A Gift for Many

Times are tough for everyone, experts are saying about the local, state and national economies. And among the hardest-hit victims during economic downturns are charities and nonprofit groups that face a dual problem: The needs for their services are increasing, but many people who would love to help are experiencing a reduction in discretionary income.

In a perfect world, philanthropy would not be discretionary, but the real world is different. Even so, the charitable spirit of Clark County is a strong attribute in our collective personality. The willingness to give is in full bloom in buildings, services and events. As the holiday season approaches, we hope readers will maintain the spirit that defines our community.

Choosing a favorite charity can be as impossible as choosing your favorite child. One area that often is overlooked is affordable housing. Conventional wisdom tells us that grants and government programs cover much of the funding for low-income housing, but the truth is, charitable giving also plays a large role.

In Clark County, a few demographic trends have heightened the need for charitable support of affordable housing programs. Many people simply cannot find a place to live because one is not available. The current vacancy rate in rental housing in Clark County is less than 5 percent, which experts say is essentially a 100 percent occupancy. And with full occupancy, rents climb out of reach for many people and some landlords require higher credit scores and enforce more stringent application requirements.

Factor this accessibility challenge with a growing population, and you have what the county’s Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan defines as a shortage of almost 6,000 units for households living on less than 30 percent of the area median income.

Then comes the third compounding factor. The county in 2006 counted more than 1,300 homeless people.

When you make a donation to one of Clark County’s three Community Development Corporations, you’ll take comfort in both the power and depth of your gift. You can donate money, gift cards, bedding or other supplies, household items and canned foods and other dry goods. Visit the three Web sites below for contact information and other answers about donations:

n Affordable Community Environments (www.acecommunities.org) — ACE operates 115 rental housing units at three Orchards sites. Cascadia Village, which opened in 2004, was a pioneer in green technology for affording housing.

Charitable gifts are especially important to ACE as it approaches the construction of two projects next year, one in Fruit Valley and one in Washougal.

n YW Housing (www.ywhousing.org) — Housing and intensive services for women are the specialty of this program. More than 30 women and children receive transitional housing, permanent rental housing and rental assistance.

n Columbia Non-Profit Housing (www.columbianonprofithousing.org) — This program specializes in housing and first-time home-buyer loan assistance for seniors and people with special needs.

These Community Development Corporations are just three of the affordable housing programs in our community. Your gift to any of them could help women and children escaping domestic abuse, people with development disabilities, seniors hit unexpectedly hard by the economic slump, families with disabled children, immigrant families and families with working parents who make too little to afford market rents. It’s difficult to imagine your arms opening any wider than when gifts are made to such a diverse group of people.