Affordable Housing Relief Program
Affordable housing has been an issue for many people for a number of years. Today is no different. In a 2016 report issued by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, “In no state, metropolitan area, or county can a full-time worker earning the prevailing minimum wage afford a modest two bedroom apartment.” Obtaining housing can be difficult for the working class, but even more difficult for college students and people who are unemployed. Solving housing issues nationwide has proven to be too large of a task for any organization to handle. The possible solution should start locally. With the cooperation of universities, communities and cities, a program for affordable housing can be made more easily accessible for everyone in need. To begin implementing a plan for affordable housing, cities across the nation need to design a program that allows individuals in need to work for subsidized housing credits. A housing credit is nothing more than money earned for performing a job or task. That money is placed into an account that can only be used to pay for housing expenses associated with the program. To qualify for acceptance into the program, one must be considered homeless or currently on a waiting list for another housing program. They must also take a drug test. If a drug test is positive, that person will be placed in a rehab program offered by the city before officially being enrolled into the program. In this program the city would offer people in need of housing the ability to work in appointed city related jobs. Most of the jobs would be to improve the city, whether it be picking up litter or landscaping. In lieu of monetary compensation, the person would receive credits that they could use to stay in the city's designated housing. The housing could vary from city to city. Some may utilize foreclosed homes while others may construct a building or mobile home park. The city could also subsidize utilities. There would be transportation provided to those who needed it. The program would be designed to offer immediate temporary housing along with assistance in enrolling in available long term programs. Funding for this program would initially come from available city, state and/or federal funding. Ideally, operating costs for the program would be funded from the work that the participants of the program perform. The city would also pair with local communities and universities for assistance. In addition to the city's involvement, the cooperation of universities will be essential for the success of the housing program. …show more content…
Obtaining a higher education usually results in higher paying careers which leads to financial stability. Many university students are young adults who don't have much in respect of money. They are in the process of transitioning from their parent's homes to living on their own. The cost of living alone proves to be overwhelming for many young students. In an attempt to ease financial burdens, students often choose to find roommates to share the costs. When living with others there are always the possibilities of unexpected issues that require roommates to part ways. This has the potential of leaving the student homeless. When a student finds themselves in such a situation, their academic performances have the potential to rapidly decline. Most universities don't have a program for homeless students. They tend to fall through the cracks. As stated in the article, Homeless on Campus, Mary Gesing, a counselor at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa agrees. "Nothing formal exists for this population, and the number of homeless students on campus is not tracked." she says. Because of this statistical gap, programs are not devised to accommodate homeless students or address their needs. A proposed solution to this problem would be for universities to link up with the city-wide housing program. The university would have the ability to automatically enroll a student into the program. They would also offer several options for students to pay for the housing. The student could work on campus for housing credits or they could choose to have housing billed to their tuition. Finally, the cooperation of local communities will be imperative to the housing program's success. Without the community's involvement, the program will not sustain. Communities have the greatest number of people that can help others. Small businesses
Affordable housing has been an issue for many people for a number of years. Today is no different. In a 2016 report issued by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, “In no state, metropolitan area, or county can a full-time worker earning the prevailing minimum wage afford a modest two bedroom apartment.” Obtaining housing can be difficult for the working class, but even more difficult for college students and people who are unemployed. Solving housing issues nationwide has proven to be too large of a task for any organization to handle. The possible solution should start locally. With the cooperation of universities, communities and cities, a program for affordable housing can be made more easily accessible for everyone in need. To begin implementing a plan for affordable housing, cities across the nation need to design a program that allows individuals in need to work for subsidized housing credits. A housing credit is nothing more than money earned for performing a job or task. That money is placed into an account that can only be used to pay for housing expenses associated with the program. To qualify for acceptance into the program, one must be considered homeless or currently on a waiting list for another housing program. They must also take a drug test. If a drug test is positive, that person will be placed in a rehab program offered by the city before officially being enrolled into the program. In this program the city would offer people in need of housing the ability to work in appointed city related jobs. Most of the jobs would be to improve the city, whether it be picking up litter or landscaping. In lieu of monetary compensation, the person would receive credits that they could use to stay in the city's designated housing. The housing could vary from city to city. Some may utilize foreclosed homes while others may construct a building or mobile home park. The city could also subsidize utilities. There would be transportation provided to those who needed it. The program would be designed to offer immediate temporary housing along with assistance in enrolling in available long term programs. Funding for this program would initially come from available city, state and/or federal funding. Ideally, operating costs for the program would be funded from the work that the participants of the program perform. The city would also pair with local communities and universities for assistance. In addition to the city's involvement, the cooperation of universities will be essential for the success of the housing program. …show more content…
Obtaining a higher education usually results in higher paying careers which leads to financial stability. Many university students are young adults who don't have much in respect of money. They are in the process of transitioning from their parent's homes to living on their own. The cost of living alone proves to be overwhelming for many young students. In an attempt to ease financial burdens, students often choose to find roommates to share the costs. When living with others there are always the possibilities of unexpected issues that require roommates to part ways. This has the potential of leaving the student homeless. When a student finds themselves in such a situation, their academic performances have the potential to rapidly decline. Most universities don't have a program for homeless students. They tend to fall through the cracks. As stated in the article, Homeless on Campus, Mary Gesing, a counselor at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa agrees. "Nothing formal exists for this population, and the number of homeless students on campus is not tracked." she says. Because of this statistical gap, programs are not devised to accommodate homeless students or address their needs. A proposed solution to this problem would be for universities to link up with the city-wide housing program. The university would have the ability to automatically enroll a student into the program. They would also offer several options for students to pay for the housing. The student could work on campus for housing credits or they could choose to have housing billed to their tuition. Finally, the cooperation of local communities will be imperative to the housing program's success. Without the community's involvement, the program will not sustain. Communities have the greatest number of people that can help others. Small businesses