Adrienne Goolsby
Vice President, Habitat for Humanity International
A family shouldn’t have to spend more than 30 percent of their income on a home. Today, nearly 19 million U.S. households pay half or more of their income for a place to live.
At Habitat for Humanity, every day we see how families’ lives can improve when they have an affordable place to call home. When they no longer have to worry about their rent or mortgage payments spiking, they don’t live in constant fear of having to uproot their family. With greater financial stability and the foundation an affordable home can offer, they won’t have to choose between keeping a roof over their heads or food on the table.
Affordable housing shouldn’t be a luxury
The U.S. is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Rent and homeownership costs are skyrocketing, while wages are not. Everywhere you look — cities, suburbs, rural areas — the stability that a consistent home can offer remains out of reach for many families.
One in six families are being forced to choose between paying for housing and paying for groceries, life-saving medicine or transportation. We believe that everyone should have access to safe and affordable housing, and we know that more must be done to make that a reality in the United States. Now is the time to implement new ideas at the local, state and national levels to improve access to affordable homes. At Habitat, we are raising our voices, our expertise and our leadership to find and create policy solutions to offer Americans access to homeownership. But, we cannot do it alone.
Help is needed
For decades, volunteers have lent their hands at Habitat build sites. Now we’re asking for your voice. By calling your policymakers at the local, state and national level and telling them to support policies that will improve housing affordability, we can elevate housing affordability to a top concerns. Our collective voice can make a profound impact. Please get connected with your local Habitat for Humanity to learn how you can have an impact in your own community
