Like many of you, I’ve been waiting for the White House to release its much-anticipated infrastructure plan. A leaked version reportedly fails to mention affordable housing. That’s a shame. Hopefully, affordable housing will be included in the final proposal.
Many people think of infrastructure as roads and bridges, power lines, and sewer systems. One definition by the Merriam-Webster dictionary describes infrastructure as “the system of public works of a country, state, or region” as well as “the resources (such as personnel, buildings, or equipment) required for an activity.” Under that meaning, affordable housing is absolutely infrastructure. Without it, people who are the bedrock of our communities struggle. People are on the streets. Employers lose workers. The economy suffers.
Several years ago, there was a push to educate lawmakers about the many jobs created by the development and operation of low-income housing tax credit communities. Going a step further, the expanded message has to be that affordable housing is as essential as highways and schools.
Garth Rieman, interim executive director of the National Council of State Housing Agencies, recently said: “Building affordable housing generates economic growth. Every home built tomorrow or the next day immediately creates well-paying jobs and, over time, additional employment, investment, and economic growth in our communities. It would be a shame for the administration and Congress to miss this infrastructure bill opportunity to help support affordable housing.”
You can also ask many mayors and business leaders about the foundational role of affordable housing. Many of them recently joined forces to launch Mayors & CEOs for U.S. Housing Investment, a coalition to advance partnerships that tackle affordable housing and homelessness and actively oppose current funding cuts.By the time you read this, you will have likely heard more about an infrastructure plan and a new budget proposal. Whatever they say, housing is indeed infrastructure.
