JAMAICA — Re: “Why too many households can't afford the housing that's available” [Voices, Nov. 30]:
Yes, 30 percent of income as the maximum you can afford for housing costs is the long-established guideline. So, if you make $3,000 per month ($20 per hour), your monthly housing budget would be $900.
Everyone knows how little house or apartment $900 will get you. “Affordable housing” does not exist for many people because their income is too small.
I am renovating an attic. I bought the wood from a local sawmill and most of the rest of the materials (insulation, wiring, etc.) from Home Depot.
Inflation has made the cost of materials very expensive. And a carpenter or electrician will not cut his labor rate because the homeowner has low income. Simply stated, the cost of new construction is expensive.
The cost of building maintenance and repair is expensive. It make no difference if you are a homeowner or a landlord; everyone has to pay the same costs (real estate taxes being one of the biggest).
So, how do we cope with all of this?
Windham County has no money to subsidize rents or house payments, so that $900 per month will make a $300,000 house in Vernon affordable for someone making $20 per hour.
The only practical solution is for households to get larger: More people need to earn money and share the same space as well as other things too, such as cars, heat, Internet, and cable TV.
If this is the wrong approach, then would someone out there please point me in the right direction?