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OpINion
Affordable Housing Shortage
Trilby Lenfant, Mandeville
A common sight in the St. Tammany landscape these days is the myriad of “Help Wanted” signs posted in the windows of so many businesses. While it may seem odd that the parish would be facing such a labor issue in light of the growth of our population post-Katrina, it is indicative of an emerging and increasingly important economic development issue—a shrinking supply of workforce housing. If our parish is to retain and grow our economic strength, we must address this pressing need. The St. Tammany Parish Housing Partnership is organizing a coalition of representatives from across the parish, representing both private and public interests, with the intention of providing a community forum for discussion and implementation of affordable and workforce housing solutions.
A recent study by Greg Rigamer of GCR & Associates for STPHP documents the widening gap between St. Tammany workers and local housing prices. The vast majority of wage earners in our strongest industries are financially unable to enter the current housing market in St. Tammany Parish. Education and public safety, two of the most valued components of the quality of life we are striving to protect on the northshore, are threatened if we cannot provide housing opportunities for workers in these job sectors. As our parish continues to grow, so does the need to maintain the level of services we have become so accustomed to in these areas. Employers across the parish, including our healthcare industry, are having difficulty attracting employees, in large part because of our lack of workforce housing. Employers are less likely to stay in or relocate to communities that cannot provide adequate affordable housing for their workers. Traffic problems are compounded by the increasing distance between where people work and where they can afford to live. We will continue to see urban sprawl as our workers are forced to move farther out into more affordable areas. The problem of workforce housing not only impacts those who are in need of such housing—it also impacts the broader community. A market failure in housing will undermine the economic vitality and growth forecast for St. Tammany Parish.
The St. Tammany Parish Housing Partnership hopes to bring this economic development issue to the forefront of discussion and raise awareness of the severity of the problem. Its importance cannot be overstated, but its solutions are complex. We hope to initiate a broad and comprehensive process to formulate meaningful solutions. We will need the support and involvement of the business community, government, non-profit organizations and the residents of our parish. The level of interest shown at [a recent] STPHP public meeting to present the findings of the GCR & Associates report [indicates] that St. Tammany Parish is poised to be a leader in the region as we face this challenge.
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