In the United States, the term affordable housing is used to refer housing that is within reach of everyone’s income. It includes housing of both types: rental and occupied by the owner. The united state government regards affordable the housing that costs at or below people’s 30 percent of income (Schwartz, 2014). The affordable housing is when people with a median household income comfortably buy the housing. Housing affordability is usually measured by comparing housing prices and income of an individual. The costs of housing have been increasing drastically and causing a massive crisis in affordable housing (Karki, 2015). The paper aims to focus on one of the public health problems which are the affordable housing mandates in the United States. The paper discusses the issue of affordable housing and the communities that are contributing to reducing the problem in society. The solution to providing equal distribution of modest house is the second focus of the paper followed by several important facts and resources that would make the problem more comfortable in dealing. Lastly, the paper involves the concept of including government officials and how that would be beneficial to approach the problem.
U.S. Homelessness Assistance Organizations: Although the United States is one among the wealthy countries it has been facing challenges when comes to providing homes for each citizen. The economy pressurizes more people each day to surrender their homes and live on streets and cars. There are many organizations that are known to work on this particular issue (Rahman, Turner, & Elbedour, 2015). The National Coalition for the Homeless is one such organization based on a network of people who have experienced homelessness or are currently homeless. They try their best to provide homes to such people and also protect their fundamental civil rights. They mainly seek ideas and inputs from the people who have been homeless firsthand (Winn et al., 2013). The Volunteers of America is an organization helping people facing the eviction. They assist with the transitional housing for the homeless people until permanent housing are found and also prevent people from becoming homeless. This organization has been aware of the fact that providing housing is not the only solution but also preventing people from becoming homeless is a concern (Brown et al., 2013). Catholic Charities USA, an organization with the belief that each person possesses the right to be safe, with housing within their budget as an essential to lead a fruitful life. The organization also aids the homeless as well as people having the probability to lose their home. They assist with shelter in crisis, mortgage payments, non-permanent, supportive, intermediate housing for the people in need. The mission of the StandUp for Kids is to put an end to the housing issue of youth homelessness. They individually work for the kids living on the street and young parents who find it hard to afford to house in the USA. The organization HELP U.S.A firmly believes that all people deserves to be safe and deserves stable housing. HELP U.S.A runs programs that are for the homeless prevention, programs that are for the emergency, transitional housing or permanent rental properties (Desmond, 2018). They mainly work to prevent people from becoming homeless since they believe that the issue can be solved if people are prevented from becoming homeless.
Along with all the organizations, there are local agencies based on volunteers, churches in approximately every town and city across America. The problem with the local bodies is the funding however they try their best to provide food, health checks, and clothing (Coontz, 2016).
A partner for change: The problem urban dwellers have been facing and grabbed attention is the affordable housing in America. There have been actions taken by the government, private organizations and non-profit organizations. However, there are a few ways that can contribute to bringing change and improve the lives of people. The first critical suggestion is the city should avoid relocating the people and trying to improve the existing areas of informal housing involving the communities in the process. The conventional approach in numerous places is to remove the poor residents and destroy their homes to make way for the development. This process would have an adverse effect on the population. This would lead to the formation of informal settlements. However, improving the same places and securing it would contribute to a well-functioning area where the neighbourhoods will define good cities and provide homes in the existing space. The investment in the housing production trust funds will help develop financial support for the ones dealing with the problem. The money can be used to build more buildings with accommodation suitable for the low-income and working-class residents. The Surveying of public land for building opportunities would help to add up space for the real estate. There should be an inspection of the areas that are used unnecessarily. Also, investigation of the land that will determine the capability of the number of floors a building should be done so to avoid extra expenditure. There can be a contribution from the people who are far from the housing problem by assisting the students, young workers by providing a room in their own house in low rents. In this process, the young people who do not need bigger homes can quickly adjust. Also, the old houses, mostly obsolete that the owners tend to leave after better job opportunity or marriages can be of great help to the ones who are homeless or has a possibility of becoming homeless. The owner does not use these houses as it grows old and away from the owner’s preferable location. Therefore, owning such a home becomes an opportunity in helping in resolving the problem of affordable housing.
Interaction with the media to seek help: Looking at the problem of affordable housing through the health equity lens, several factors can be focused. Solving the problem of affordable housing can bring many changes to the health-related aspect. The list of benefits has been provided below:
Given a chance to organize a meeting to brief officials in government about the social determinants of health inequities in the specified community, the preferred officials would be the president and the deputy secretary of housing and urban development of United States. Since the problem is not a micro level social problem, it demands considerable attention. The problem of affordable housing includes long-term health problem in macro level. Therefore, the officials who would be able to bring amendments promptly are the president and the deputy secretary of housing and urban area development.
Conclusion:
Although the problem of providing housing in the affordable price is only increasing with the growing population, the initiative is being undertaken by several organizations. Several organizations are working to produce innovative strategies to fight against the social issue. To eliminate the social problem is a big challenge for the organizations, however, the different approaches are being developed. Moreover, there needs to be an overall change in the humanity. It is after the people changed behaviour and awareness among the people about the health problems causing due to insufficient houses, the different policies and methods will accelerate the process.
References:
Austin, P. M., Gurran, N., & Whitehead, C. M. (2014). Planning and affordable housing in Australia, New Zealand and England: common culture; different mechanisms. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment, 29(3), 455-472.
Benner, C., & Karner, A. (2016). Low-wage jobs-housing fit: identifying locations of affordable housing shortages. Urban Geography, 37(6), 883-903.
Brown, R. T., Thomas, M. L., Cutler, D. F., & Hinderlie, M. (2013). Meeting the housing and care needs of older homeless adults: A permanent supportive housing program targeting homeless elders. Seniors housing & care journal, 21(1), 126.
Childers, B. (2017). Affordable Housing in Washington, DC: The Impact of Short-Term Rentals and Possible Solutions.Affordable Housing in Washington, DC: The Impact of Short-Term Rentals and Possible Solutions.
Coontz, S. (2016). The way we never were: American families and the nostalgia trap. Hachette UK.
Desmond, M. (2018). Heavy is the house: Rent burden among the American Urban Poor. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 42(1), 160-170.
Karki, T. K. (2015). Mandatory Versus Incentive-Based State Zoning Reform Policiesfor Affordable Housing in the United States: A Comparative Assessment. Housing Policy Debate, 25(2), 234-262.
Nguyen, M. T., Basolo, V., & Tiwari, A. (2013). Opposition to affordable housing in the USA: Debate framing and the responses of local actors. Housing, Theory and Society, 30(2), 107-130.
Ragin, L., & Palandjian, T. (2013). Social impact bonds: Using impact investment to expand effective social programs. Community Development Investment Review, 9(1), 63-67.
Rahman, M. A., Turner, J. F., & Elbedour, S. (2015, October). The US homeless student population: Homeless youth education, review of research classifications and typologies, and the US federal legislative response. In Child & Youth Care Forum (Vol. 44, No. 5, pp. 687-709). Springer US.
Schwartz, A. F. (2014). Housing policy in the United States. Routledge.
Winn, J. L., Shealy, S. E., Kropp, G. J., Felkins-Dohm, D., Gonzales-Nolas, C., & Francis, E. (2013). Housing assistance and case management: Improving access to substance use disorder treatment for homeless veterans. Psychological services, 10(2), 233.
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