By Lisa Carolin
As part of the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this year, the Chelsea Human Rights Commission sponsored a panel discussion about affordable housing.
The panel of regional representatives consisted of: Bri Carpenter from Avalon Housing; Andrew DeLeeuw from the Washtenaw County Administration office; Georgia Frost, from U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell’s office. Chelsea City Council member Tony Iannelli was the moderator, and questions came from both HRC members and the audience who attended the event at City Council Chambers.
The representatives spoke about the definition of affordable housing, agreeing that it’s based on the surrounding market rates. Equitable housing was defined as meeting people at whatever affordable means to them.
If someone pays more than 30 percent of their income toward a home, they are considered housing burdened. Housing and Urban Development does the calculations on median income for a given area, and Washtenaw County’s median income has gone up significantly faster than in other parts of Michigan.
Examples of two local affordable housing programs that Avalon Housing is involved with are the Sharon Ann apartments in Chelsea and Hilltop View in Dexter. Faith in Action provides services to both.
Resources available to people in Washtenaw County with immediate housing needs include Housing Access of Washtenaw County at 734-961-1999, and the United Way, which offers the “211” telephone number for anyone in need of resources.
Examples of barriers to equitable housing include zoning, such as spaces where density like high-rise buildings and complexes is not allowed. Walkability and public transportation can also be barriers. Often residents may recognize that affordable housing is an issue but would rather protect land for parks than dense housing. Another barrier referenced was the stigma that residents face who may need assistance to obtain a place to live.
The Rockwell Building in Chelsea was given as an example of the restoration of a blighted local building that is offering housing diversity with studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom apartments. The City of Chelsea has updated its zoning to allow accessory dwelling units, which means more affordable housing options, which translates into a bigger tax base for Chelsea.
When asked why the HRC decided to consider affordable housing as part of the MLK celebration, commission member Mary Keaton said, “The HRC decided to focus on MLK activities on affordable housing because a key component of Martin Luther King’s ideology was fair housing. He understood that fair housing was a critical piece of racial justice. In fact, the Fair Housing Act was introduced to congress in 1966 after pressure from King and other civil rights leaders and congress quickly passed the bill after King’s assassination in 1968.
The high cost of housing in Washtenaw County keeps many people from living in the communities where they work, decreasing the benefits that come with a diverse society. We at the HRC wanted a dialog that considered the implications for our society and the future.”
It was suggested that it would be beneficial if businesses paid living wages and had the resources to help employees struggling with housing by offering such options as housing stipends because people want to live where they work.
The full panel discussion can be watched at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Yt4o83afKDYuEniwCqu4RZUXcKP10xPm
