Affordable housing may be pushed to the back burner of the Bay State’s agenda, according to the new budget drafted by House budget-writers. Legislators proposed cutting a $20-million, four-year affordable housing trust fund, although the state budget is 6 percent more than the previous year’s. This fund has helped build and renovate about 1,200 affordable and public housing units last year alone. This move is not in the best interest of the state.
Although several cities, including Boston, are experiencing a housing crisis, some may argue that the trust fund is too costly an expenditure for the state’s tight budget. Though the city has not seen a total eradication of its housing problems, the trust fund has made tremendous progress. State legislators must remember that a housing crunch takes time to fix — several years will need to pass before the state should expect to see any real change.
Federal, state and city money funded housing projects in the Bay State last year and Massachusetts cannot slack on its end of the bargain. This problem affects communities throughout the state, and the state Legislature should take responsibility for initiating housing projects and allotting money to fund these projects.
This budget cut would also affect the quality of life for Bay State residents and the state’s economy. Housing brings people a sense of security. When people no longer have to live the daily anxiety about where they are going to live or how they are going to afford rent or mortgages, they can focus on improving other aspects of their lives, including education or work.
State legislators should recognize these trickle down effects of housing and consider how their proposal would affect low-income families.
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