‘Housing still unaffordable,’ says every measure we found – Here are five ways you can help

In the world of United Ways, there is a strong focus on building a healthy, strong community.  The challenge is to determine what the North Shore is missing and how to fix it.  Particularly helpful is the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s recent Health Rankings report. The study looks across the United States, county by county, at more than 60 measures of health. How do we stack up?

By many measures, Essex County is a healthy community.  But standing out is this fact: one in five residents face a severe housing problem. They are either: homeless; living in substandard housing; or are scrimping, saving, and otherwise going without to afford a decent place to live.  River House, a shelter in Beverly, confirms this every day when they turn away an average of four potential residents simply due to lack of space.

This fact is not new—it is a continuation of a long-term problem with housing affordability. In Massachusetts generally, The National Low Income Housing Coalition finds that Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $1,251 per month. To fit that into a budget, a family needs to bring home at least $50,000 each year—something simply not supported by many of the jobs available to our neighbors.

One way the North Shore United Way helps is by investing its donors’ support in Harborlight Community Partners—among other organizations—because of their strategic value in developing more affordable housing.  In addition to giving, here are five ways you can help make our community more accessible to everyone:

•    Are you interested in construction or have experience in trades?  North Shore CDC is sponsoring a Build Day for affordable housing this summer. They and their partners need your help. (MORE)
•    Are you handy? Harborlight Community Partners needs your help with regular property maintenance. (MORE)
•    Do you like to cook? River House shelters men of all ages and backgrounds and seeks people who can cook and share a meal and some community with their guests. (MORE)
•    Are you fun and hospitable? Love kids? Family Promise provides shelter to families in local churches. They seek people--whether affiliated with a congregation or not--to enjoy dinner with their families, play games, and/or stay overnight. (MORE)
•    Do you want to increase the amount of private dollars available to develop affordable housing? The North Shore United Way and any number of local organizations would welcome your help.

Find these opportunities and others with Habitat for Humanity, Horizons for Homeless Children, and much more on the North Shore United Way’s new Volunteer Hub. Visit volunteer.nsuw.org and search for an organization and volunteer opportunity that will be meaningful for you.  Contact the North Shore United Way at 978-922-3966 with questions. 

Thank you to all volunteers--your efforts help foster a healthy, strong North Shore where everyone can afford to live and thrive.
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Sarah Bartley is a project manager at the North Shore United Way, which invests almost $1M each year in projects that transform lives and improve communities now and for future generations.  NSUW is all about local impact by rigorously vetting and supporting dozens of causes that serve children, families, and seniors on the North Shore.  For more information about the programs funded by NSUW donors, visit nsuw.org. Find a volunteer opportunity at volunteer.nsuw.org.