Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Affordable Housing vs Low Income Households

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Dec 30, 2019, at 11:58 AM, R Philip Dowds alt addr via Cohousing-L 
> <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org> wrote:

> I will say again:  We do NOT have an “affordable housing” problem.  What we 
> have is a serious income inequality problem.  Trying to create affordable 
> housing by cheapening the product — and cheapening it within the paradigm of 
> the stand-alone single family dwelling — simply leads us further into the 
> dead ends of the unsatisfactory (“mobile” homes) and the absurd (tiny 
> houses).  If we combined more multi-family zoning with the progressive tax 
> structure that served America so well in the ’50’s and ’60’s, the affordable 
> housing problem would pretty much solve itself.

Very good point, Philip. And nicely said. 

How would those who are trying to develop or find a place in cohousing use this 
understanding? For the cohousing movement, for the Association, it’s a good 
long term focus. Maybe even a good argument to be used on zoning boards? But 
what to do about the meeting with the bank next month?

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org