When we talk about affordable housing, one might be forgiven to assume that nothing can go wrong here. After all, it’s affordable housing, how can it be a bad thing for anyone, right? The thing is, given how the economy has been, the prices of the average home are skyrocketing. This has led to the younger generations worrying about what might be available to them in the future.
About half of the current population (49%, to be specific) are worried about the availability of affordable housing in their community. This number has only gone worse from when it was first called out in 2018. And this isn’t solely a problem for younger generations. Understandably, lower-income individuals share this sentiment, along with urban residents given how urban real estate has never really been cheap.
What’s telling about this statistic is how affordable housing has become a bigger priority for concerned individuals, even bigger than the usual community concerns. To be specific, approximately 22% of Americans find housing to be a more important problem than crime and about 35% believe it to be a bigger problem than drug addiction.
Race plays a role here as well. About 57% of racial minorities share the concern about affordable housing in their area. Meanwhile, only about 44% agree that the lack of affordable housing is a cause for concern. The majority of urban dwellers, on the other hand, generally agree that affordable housing is a cause for concern. This surprisingly remains the same throughout the different income levels but 66% of lower-income adults all worry about affordable housing in their city.
It should be noted though that the location in America plays a big part in this problem. For example, two-thirds of Americans living on the west coast see affordable housing to be a problem but only 49% of Americans in the northeast see this as a problem. In the south, 44% of southerners are concerned while only 33% are in the midwest.
This is the reason that shared housing is becoming a more popular option, not just for the youth but for seniors as well. This is considered a viable option as living in assisted-living facilities can often be expensive, making it difficult to maintain a certain lifestyle. In other countries though, the opposite is what happens, where senior care homes offer youth discounted housing in exchange for companionship for the elderly.
Thankfully, more and more shared living spaces are being opened in America. These spaces are available to share regardless of age. This helps people find options for accessible and affordable housing within their community. This comes with the bonus of developing a network of friends and associates within the living space.
This idea isn’t anything new. The National Shared Housing Resource Center currently lists 40 formal home-sharing services in the United States. These housing centers can even help match individuals that share an interest or are perceived to work well together to make the experience much more enjoyable for everybody.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, while things may seem difficult, taking a look at it from a different perspective can help. Yes, traditional housing options may be difficult to afford right now but new ways are being offered to have what we need at an affordable price. As they always say, change is something we can expect at any time. In this case, it’s how we as a society treat affordable housing.
If you’re looking for shared housing in Sacramento, then you’ve come to the right place. We here at Stayhaven Homes are dedicated to helping our clients by providing them with inclusive and affordable housing. We provide a wide variety of special needs housing options for adult men and women. For more information on what we can do for you, visit our website today!