What are your thoughts about affordable housing goals?
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“The Housing for Every Delawarean Act” includes a requirement for municipalities to develop budget-friendly housing strategies, with a goal that 20% of their residences are considered “affordable.” Opponents of the bill say it raises significant concerns regarding local governments’ decision-making. What do you think about this legislation?
Is affordable housing considered Section 8, low-interest mortgage rates or property tax reduction? I would like the state to give examples of what affordable housing is! — Cindy Christiansen
Exactly. This bill doesn’t outline any specifics. — Mary Bell
If the taxpayers are footing the bill, they should get equity or a stake in the project, with returns on their investments. — Ronnie Johnny
I’m in total agreement with affordable, income-based housing with taxpayer backup. This means that those in the units must work at least 30 hours a week. There should be affordable housing for the working class — not Section 8 but a separate option for all those single parents with children or just working couples who are just starting out. We definitely have ignored our lower-income working class for too many years. — Nancy Retkowski Cushman
Affordable? All buyers want their homes to be affordable until the contracts are signed. We need to focus on organically raising wages through attracting great companies and jobs. Then and only then will affordability become a nonissue. — Mark Pugh
Government is the problem, has always been the problem and always will be the problem. Get government out of the way, and entrepreneurs will sell a product (a house) at a fair profit, in excess, if the demand is there. Artificial rules of government only create less of a product. Builders, developers and people who can make affordable housing will simply go elsewhere. Nobody can or will work for nothing and no profit. If the government steps in and does it with tax money, then you will have slums and tenement housing in short order. Just look at any major city or small town where the heavy hand of government puts in price controls and barriers. — Mike Van Orden
Affordable housing? Not in Delaware. If you want affordable housing, then you have to stop these developers from building half-million-dollar homes. The fact is, our politicians won’t push for this, since the same developers give money to said politicians. This is another housing bubble that will eventually pop. — Rick Kerchevall
There is no such thing as affordable housing. You either have government-subsidized or market value. It also helps to not have multiple high-cost car payments, massive credit card debt, etc. It reminds me of when I used to do some work in a trailer park, and there was one trailer with a BMW and a Hummer parked in the driveway. Some folks just need to realign and prioritize their finances. Sometimes, you have to get what you can afford and skip granite countertops. — Bob Hice
Municipalities have no business regulating what anyone can sell or rent a property for. Market demand should be the only factor. — Chuck Lee
“Affordable” means having a mortgage for 50 years instead of 30. Get the payments lower, so they are affordable. — Rachel Wood
Let’s ask this: Affordable to whom? Someone with a second home or an entrepreneur who can buy multiple homes to rent? Or the family making under $100,000? A Bel Air megamansion known as the “Crown Jewel of Los Angeles” is not affordable to a millionaire. So, the true question is, what is affordable? Figure that out, then work on the problem. — Jeff Grzeszczak
A lot of the cost of a house is in the fees the government charges for infrastructure, such as roads, sewers, libraries, police and fire. Land is wasted by requiring a 50-foot right-of-way for a 25-foot-wide street. The government needs to look at impact fees before it blames the “greedy developers.” — Don Laubach
How are people able to afford children, one or more, but not their house payments, either rent or mortgage? — Michael Campbell
