MY TURN: Homeless solutions sought
Kudos to Lynn Fleming for outlining the huge money pit that ignite cda has dug for taxpayers. Now, here is the rest of the story: Unless we want to see Spokane and Coeur d’Alene turn into Los Angeles and San Francisco, we need to find a way to address homelessness. Idaho state, county, cities and nonprofits need to figure out how to house workers, students and retirees at a reasonable price. Placing affordable housing down by the Spokane River is ridiculous. Surely cheaper land could be used. Attracting better-paying jobs does nothing for retirees. Maybe the state could open its big savings account to help lower-income citizens rather than giving tax breaks to the upper 2%.
Those of us who spent our working life in these northern counties probably worked for far lower wages than people who worked in other states. Therefore, local workers’ retirement pay is less than someone from out of state receives. These elderly locals, students and workers will be the first to become homeless. What really makes many retirees bitter is that we worked to save Tubbs Hill, supported all school and fire bonds and levies, supported the new jail years ago, supported the Centennial Trail, always shopped locally and volunteered for Art on the Green, the fair, the hospital, the libraries, the schools. And now local retirees who don’t own a home free and clear are being shut out of affordable housing along with workers and students who can’t afford high rents.
The issue of affordable rents and housing prices requires thinking way outside the box. First, we need to get realistic. What is affordable rent for retirees? I would say no more than $600-$800 a month and for some, not even that much. And an affordable house for most workers is no more than $200,000, if that. I would love to ask the landlords: Did you double or triple rents because you had to or just because you could? An idea from Spokane: Should we bring back rooming houses? My grandparents owned one. Residents have their own rooms but share a kitchen and a bathroom. This could give people shelter at least. That’s an out-of-the-box idea. Let’s hear some more, but please be realistic. The local Realtors congratulate themselves when they can offer a $350,000 home to retirees. Get real, please.
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Donna Harvey is a Hayden resident.