Local Leaders on Housing Challenges
"Everyone loses when a community doesn’t have homes for the people it needs. Children can’t live in the towns they grew up in. Businesses leave because they can’t find workers. Town services suffer—and become more expensive—because volunteers can’t live in town. And local merchants don’t have the foot traffic to stay in business. Having affordable, safe, secure
housing options means that everyone wins!"
David Fink, Policy Director, Partnership for Strong Communities
"We are losing the future of our community. The lack of reasonably priced housing options means that young families can’t afford housing here and school enrollment is declining."
Patricia Mechare, Canaan CT First Selectman
"Our young families, our parents, and the people who work in our local businesses, schools and hospitals—we’re losing them all. Affordable housing supports balance and diversity in our rural towns."
Alan Inglis, M.D., Great Barrington, MA
"Our towns suffer when people who could contribute to the town can’t afford to stay here or live here. Even with the decline in the housing market, the price of housing is out of reach for most people who live and work here."
Gordon Ridgway, Cornwall, CT, First Selectman
"We spend our summer vacations seeking and enjoying diversity. We should be able to find diversity in our own hometowns like many of us had when
we were kids. A balance of income groups makes sense economically and socially. Providing affordable housing options is the right thing to do."
Roger Akeley, Commissioner of Planning and Development, Dutchess County, NY
"Having decent quality housing that is available and affordable to people who work in town everyday is key to sustaining a vibrant community and attracting new employers."
David Sherman, Town Supervisor, North East, NY
Local & regional housing organizations
For more information, contact Jocelyn Ayer, of HousingUs, at 413.229.0370 x105 or jayer@housingus.org
