Thank you for recognizing the critical need for affordable housing in the Jan. 3 editorial “Make housing affordable.” However, we think the statement, “In order to thrive, our community must accommodate young families, newcomers,” should be amended to include accommodating all households that cannot afford rent or homeownership in this region. Many households of various ages and residency status have stable jobs and steady incomes but spend too much of their income on rent, or cannot pursue owning a home, because wages are simply not keeping pace with housing costs.
Proud Ground and the Community Housing Resource Center are working together toward making homeownership possible for moderate-income households in Clark County. CHRC provides vital financial education and counseling that helps families rebuild their credit and meet other criteria to become mortgage-ready. Proud Ground, via funding from the Clark County Department of Community Services, provides affordable homeownership opportunities. The added bonus of Proud Ground’s program is that homes are permanently affordable, so many families will benefit from the county’s investment in these homes.
While it’s true that “the best solution of all, of course, would be for incomes to grow,” what our region needs right now is greater investment in affordable housing. As directors of Community Housing Resource Center and Proud Ground, respectively, we look forward to being part of the solution.
