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In 1998, the Ames-Story County Housing Assessment Study determined that 32.5 percent of all households in the City of Ames could not afford their housing costs, with this figure jumping to 48.3 for renters. An assessment of the affordability of housing is based on the national standard that housing costs should not exceed 30 percent of total income. This study also determined that there exists a severe "housing gap" in Ames, defined as the difference between housing for a given income level and the number of households at that income. For households with an annual income of less than $15,000, Ames had a shortage of 3,471 units, which was 93 percent of the total number of units needed. For households with income from $15,000 to $19,000, the gap was 1,141 units, or about 80 percent of the total need. Because about one-third of Ames households fall into these income categories, this constitutes a serious problem for our community. The Housing Needs Assessment went on to project the need for approximately 1,500 units of rental or single-family housing in the monthly payment range of $400 to $500 over the next ten years. The city and county planned to build 30 to 40 houses outside of Ames in the $80,000 to $100,000 range, and a few at prices below this range. While a start, these plans didn't address the need outlined in the housing needs assessment. To do that, homes in the $50,000 to $70,000 price range were needed. What the lack of affordable housing means to our community Aside from the costs incurred in the disruption of human lives, the housing gap in Ames has negative consequences for economic growth and community health. An average of 230 court-ordered evictions have occurred over the past five years, at substantial cost to social services and assistance organizations, to whom those displaced must turn to for help. Thousands of Ames employees live outside the community to avoid high housing costs, which negatively impacts economic growth in Ames. Officials of the Ames School District have estimated that about 50 students per year are lost due to families choosing to live outside of Ames. Because state funding for local school districts is based on a per-pupil formula, this drains needed funds from the District. Affordable housing initiatives have been on-going in Ames and Story County for several years. Recently several organizations have added to the affordable housing stock in the area. Story County Habitat for Humanity has built a number of houses and the Story County Community Land Trust now has five families living in affordable homes -- four of which came about because of a partnership with Habitat. Such volunteer efforts are laudable, but inadequate to the need. Public policy and government involvement must be forthcoming to address this need. In the 1940s and 50s, the federal government made substantial investments in education and housing through such programs as the G.I. Bill and a major federally funded housing program. Government policy must once again support the formation of wealth to help the next generation of people seeking admittance to the middle class. Economic and social policies which neglect the bulk of the people in a democracy are devastating in the short and long term. Our national stability depends on a strong and vibrant middle class. Let's make sure we do for the next generation what was done for families in the 1940s and 1950s. We must communicate our desire to have federal monies involved in rebuilding our schools and creating affordable housing for people of lower-incomes. Hopefully, if we speak out, these are actions our federal government will take. Please use some of your energy to help bring these initiatives about. Affordable
Housing Opportunities - CLT Affordable
Rental Housing Opportunities - SCHI Emergency
Housing in Story County - ERP
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