[Whitley]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Ed

Great answer. Means that you would need to have a roommate making that same amount to meet rent each month.

In a one bedroom apartment. Hope they get along.
Let us not forget inflation. The real inflation, including food and fuel. The system is broken. Sidenote, those few 20 somethings able to buy a home may not be able to get a mortgage these days. The local and regional banks are looking at a tough road ahead after Janet Yellen outright admitted that the U.S. government and Federal Reserve will readily protect and bailout any bank that are in their good graces and/or to protect their own interests, whiles the smaller community and regional banks will be allowed to fail with no support coming. It is difficult not to come across as a conspiracy theorist with so many real conspiracies out there.

[conman5652@aol.com]

Thank god the VA mortgage is available with zero down. Has help many families to homer ownership and in some cases cost of monthly payments less then renting

[David P]

The terminology here is getting mixed up . Affordable housing is a definition by the federal Gov't that allows people making a certain amount of household income based on the number of adults and children living in the space that are under 18. If they meet the requirements then they may be eligible for a subsidy. Not all low income housing qualifies for all subsidies. One major problem is that if a familly or living group increases their combined income above the maximum the owner or non profit that owns the building has to evict the family or the unit will not be eligible to receive a subsidy in the future. This forces people to not report income or just not try to improve themselves and it maintains family groups in a system of poverty.

Workforce housing is derived from the median household income in a defined area. Workforce housing would be considered what that group of people could afford if they used 30% of their take home to pay for housing. Many resort communities have a problem with workforce housing.

I was Mayor of a resort community in Washington State for 12 years. We transitioned from a logging, summer resort area to an aerospace tecnology community and faced a horrific housing shortage for most people not working in the aerospce industry. We watched large productive orchards in the county split up into mini ranches. The urban areas were mandated by the state to void all zoning requirments in regards to minimum lot size, and Auxilary dwelling units were allowed where ever they could be built.

From what I see here in the Villages, the developer is addressing the problem head on and is developing housing for the work force directly relating to the Villages. It would be nice to see companies like Microsoft and Boeing take the same interest in their repective areas of influence.

Originally Posted by Two Bills

Affordable housing is usually only affordable to the first purchaser, after that 'market price' comes into effect, unless of course there is some restriction on resale price.

Wouldn't square foot price to build determine affordability. The profit margin desired by the builder? Then take that square foot price and draw a circle outward around an zip code area, account for competion driving proce per square foot?

First time buyer is paying profit margin PLUS impact fees (known as bond in TV). Market impacting build price right? Not sure if first buyer really gets a great deal unless affordable housing caps pricing?

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by David P

The terminology here is getting mixed up .

One major problem is that if a familly or living group increases their combined income above the maximum the owner or non profit that owns the building has to evict the family or the unit will not be eligible to receive a subsidy in the future. This forces people to not report income or just not try to improve themselves and it maintains family groups in a system of poverty.

That is not always the case. It depends on whether you're talking about "affordable rentals" or "affordable homes" for purchase. What happens if a resident's income at some point, exceeds the eligibility window, is dependent on exactly what "program" is providing the subsidy and/or, whether it's a state or federal program.

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

This was going to be a post in another thread but it would have only indirectly been related to the topic at hand. And this particular topic is quickly becoming one that may have profound repercussions here in The Villages, what with ever-more service workers being needed in TV as it expands and more businesses sprout up.

Question: Just what IS “affordable housing”? Is there a sound, realistic definition for the term, or it it just another buzz phrase that sounds great when people rattle it off but has virtually no real meaning?

Well to begin with, most people (probably?) realize that language, words, and meanings are changing more rapidly than most can keep up with, and not just limited to us (seniors). Orwell termed this "new speak", and we've always had changes, but can't think of a period in my lifetime where it has accelerated to this extent, and been so connected to a political regime. Example, for most of history two sexes were recognized. Many others may have existed, but not recognized. Now, with recent discoveries, and the medical and surgical technology so advanced, a whole new vocabulary is necessary. Same with "affordable housing, it's a fluid term, so there is no "sound" definition IF by "sound", you mean a definitive meaning ! And then there is "affordable" to whom ? To a minimum wage worker, (?$800 a month is (probably) not affordable, to a retiree (?) perhaps $1200 would be affordable, and perhaps (?) to a computer software engineer, $3000 is quite affordable. In other words, the definition is a VERY fluid one.... as you probably already knew....LOL !

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

This was going to be a post in another thread but it would have only indirectly been related to the topic at hand. And this particular topic is quickly becoming one that may have profound repercussions here in The Villages, what with ever-more service workers being needed in TV as it expands and more businesses sprout up.

Question: Just what IS “affordable housing”? Is there a sound, realistic definition for the term, or it it just another buzz phrase that sounds great when people rattle it off but has virtually no real meaning?

I would define affordable housing as low-cost housing that can be purchased or rented by 2 family members both making the local area minimum wage. Hopefully, one or both would also be expecting a raise in the near future to a point above minimum wage. And they will have good job security in the future.
The problems arise when the better jobs and more numerous good jobs are in a "high-end" area that does not want its real estate value decreased by smaller cheaper homes WITHIN that area. The usual solution is to provide good inexpensive mass transportation capacity from the low-cost housing areas INTO the higher-cost areas.
.......There are ALSO often what I would call "lip service" solutions where within the higher-cost real estate areas the town provides an inadequate number of small "affordable" houses for the town's workers. This allows the people in the higher-cost areas to continue to feel good about themselves while pretending that they solved the worker's problems by reaching downward with a helping hand.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Yes, as it was in my generation, and the generation before. Young people just starting out don't get to live at the top of the food chain, today's generation seems to want to start out where their grandparents worked 40 years to get. I wasn't able buy a house until I was 28, and didn't buy a new house until I was 55. And Mommy and Daddy weren't likely to subsidize me. So I'll pass on tears for today's youth.

Today as it was for prior generations, the QUICKEST way for a young person to achieve a middle-class economic life is through MILITARY SERVICE. For those that can't make the military service standards, it might be nice to create a civilian version that could provide a future for those that have the ambition and determination needed to succeed. Plus the US has a lot of highways and bridges that need to be repaired. And maybe even farm jobs, some people do well with animals. Or veterinarian assistants
One problem is the US has gotten away from VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. Young children in school are faced with 2 alternatives.....one - go to college OR two........(there is none, except go hang out on a corner and get indoctrinated into a gang)