Unraveling the Mystery of ‘Affordable’ Housing

by admin on January 11, 2010

Affordable to whom?

That question lies at the heart of any discussion of affordable housing, but it can also transform a debate over issues like planning, development and community to an argument over definitions.

There is, of course, the government definition, which declares housing affordable if it consumes no more than a third of a family’s income. Then there are the varying definitions used by the many different so-called affordable housing programs, which typically use an area’s median income to determine eligibility. And of course there is the more basic definition: how much can a family truly pay to keep a roof over its head? Read More

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