This blog is a discussion about affordable housing in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and suburbs.) It is hosted by MICAH, the Metropolitan Interfaith Coalition on Affordable Housing, a congregation-based community organization which works on affordable housing issues.
The title comes from part of MICAH's mission statement. MICAH envisions a metropolitan area where everyone, without exception, has a safe, decent and affordable home.
The initial conversation was started by a three-part series of articles on affordable housing by Saint Paul Pioneer Press author Bob Shaw.
Article One: The War Over Affordable Housing
Article Two: We suburbs
Article Three: The builders
Unpublished response by MICAH's Mark Stoll
Response from Housing Preservation Project's Tim Thompson
Anti-Affordable Housing letter from Mister Dude, Lakeville
Response to Dude's Letter by MICAH's Janet Urbanowicz
Sunday, July 13, 2008
MICAH Northeast Leader Janet Urbanowicz - Pioneer Press Letter to the Editor
On July 13th, the conversation about affordable housing started by these three articles in the Saint Paul Pioneer Press continued with this letter to the editor.
It was the lead letter in the letters to the editor column.
MICAH Northeast leader and White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church member Janet Urbanowicz was the author.
Affordable Housing: An American Problem
There's more than one questionable assumption in James Becker's proposal that low-income housing should be developed "in areas that are rife with foreclosed properties" — in other words, the inner cities ("Affordable housing: An opportunity," July 3). He feels this is where the low-income rabble belong, along with an entry-level, low-income police officer to provide "diversity and stability."
It's clearly inaccurate, and smacks of racism, to imply that all low-wage earners are shiftless, lazy and criminal. There are many single parents, wait staff, retail clerks, entry-level teachers and police officers who need affordable housing.
Foreclosures are happening everywhere, including suburbs like Lakeville, making them good places for affordable housing (by his logic).
Autumn Lubin, foreclosure specialist with Yellow Wood Consulting in Farmington, says that "no community is spared, regardless of its home values, income levels or racial composition. Foreclosure is not just a poor problem. It's an American problem." The same is true of affordable housing.
Janet Urbanowicz, St. Paul
It was the lead letter in the letters to the editor column.
MICAH Northeast leader and White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church member Janet Urbanowicz was the author.
Affordable Housing: An American Problem
There's more than one questionable assumption in James Becker's proposal that low-income housing should be developed "in areas that are rife with foreclosed properties" — in other words, the inner cities ("Affordable housing: An opportunity," July 3). He feels this is where the low-income rabble belong, along with an entry-level, low-income police officer to provide "diversity and stability."
It's clearly inaccurate, and smacks of racism, to imply that all low-wage earners are shiftless, lazy and criminal. There are many single parents, wait staff, retail clerks, entry-level teachers and police officers who need affordable housing.
Foreclosures are happening everywhere, including suburbs like Lakeville, making them good places for affordable housing (by his logic).
Autumn Lubin, foreclosure specialist with Yellow Wood Consulting in Farmington, says that "no community is spared, regardless of its home values, income levels or racial composition. Foreclosure is not just a poor problem. It's an American problem." The same is true of affordable housing.
Janet Urbanowicz, St. Paul
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