Affordable housing done RIGHT!

When I tell people I do not like public housing and I wish that government-funded programs to house the poor would end, people think I'm either cruel or selfish or both.  And I think that anyone who believes that government can help the affordable housing crisis by building or funding housing is thinking with some other part of their body than their brain.

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' "  --  Ronald Reagan

This story from the Portland Tribune is dynamite!  This is one of the best pieces that summarize what builders are up against when trying to build housing for those who need it the most.  Not surprising is the fact that the Public Housing and publicly-funded housing programs have built up an industry around them that makes these programs more of a jobs program for contractors and people who deal with low income aid.  

High cost of 'affordable'

Created on Thursday, 06 February 2014 06:00 | Written by Peter Korn | 

by: TRIBUNE PHOTO: JAIME VALDEZ - Public funding of low-income housing makes building efficiently impossible, say John Murphy, president of Portland Habilitation Center Northwest, and low-income housing builder Rob Justus, here touring their Snowberry Apartments.

Current government subsidized and regulated housing programs for the poor may be politically correct, but they are morally corrupt.  By spending exorbitant amounts on subsidized housing ($200 per unit and up!), fewer people can be helped.  It's just math.  Like so many other things, if government gets out of the way, miracles can happen!  

Caveat:  If I read this correctly, a professor at UP recommends lowering building codes for low income housing in order to make it cheaper to build.  Without knowing exactly what he is talking about, I believe that all housing should follow standard building codes just like standard housing - no more, no less.  

And finally, kudos to Ron Justus and John Murphy for making this project, the Snowberry Apartments, happen.  And thanks too, to Peter Korn for picking up the story and telling the TRUTH about "affordable housing."