The Lynchpin to Choice

I’m a housing and community development nut. People often ask me how one decides that a career in “housing” is for them. This is usually followed up by a question on exactly what a career in “housing” means and what defines comunity development.

Housing is the lynchpin to creating livable, viable communities. Housing is interconnected with public education, access to goods and services, and proximity to employment. The availability of fair, decent, and safe housing is paramount to any family being able to succeed–whether that family owns or rents.

The funding of our public education system in cities and towns across the country is largely tied to the taxes derived from homeowners. Housing influences what kind of education and access to activities our children will be afforded.

The type of housing and demand for certain housing options influences the types of goods and services afforded to a community. The cost of housing is, both directly and indirectly, tied to the price of fuel. The closer housing is to centers of work the more it becomes unaffordable for all but the most affluent to afford.

All of these factors that are influenced by housing determine one of the most precious luxuries. Choice. 

Affordability largely determines what your choices will be in deciding to where to send your children to school, where you will be able to work, whether you can take public transportation or will have to drive everywhere.  Housing can determine your class, the viability of your neighborhood, the viability of an investment in a home, the likliehood that your community will grow.

As your ability to choose housing is compromised, so likely is your ability to climb the economic ladder.

The field of ‘housing’ shows that there are both completely market driven and government regulated solutions to expand options for various economic strata–to open up greater access to economic sustainability. Here, I hope to share my own observations on housing and housing related issues and share the thoughts of others both in and outside of the field.

Welcome to my Krib.