A recent article in the Shelburne News discusses the need for affordable housing in Shelburne and some of the progress that has been made toward a solution. Below is in excerpt of the article:
Shelburne’s numbers are only slightly different. In 2010, there were 3,085 housing units in Shelburne. Of that, 2,225 were owner-occupied and 655 renter-occupied. Pierce pointed to Vermont Housing Data’s data profiles, which show that during 2009-2013, 31.5 percent of Shelburne’s owner-occupied housing units were at or above 30 percent of household income. Of that number, 10.3 percent were actually at or above half of their household income. The picture for renters was even less pleasant. During that period, there were 667 rental units, with 36.4 percent paying at or above 30 percent of their household income. Of those, 24.1 percent saw half or more of their household income going toward rent. The issue goes beyond straining household budgets. George Leibowitz, Chair and Associate Professor at the University of Vermont Department of Social Work, points to the overlap between the issue of affordable housing and other issues such as homelessness, poverty and crime. Here a lack of affordable housing is pointed to as one of the forces in the state’s problem with homelessness, and the creation of more affordable housing availability is pointed to as one of the solutions. Leibowitz said the answer is not just to make cheap housing, they need to have a good support network and access to other services. Town Manager Joe Colangelo expressed a similar sentiment, pointing to the importance of good access to the public transit system as one important element in the location of good affordable housing.
To read the full article, click here.