So, I have some staff people who are themselves looking for housing, and they are coming back and telling me new horror stories every day. The statistics are there to show things are bad . . . but in looking around, here’s what I found.
First of all, we have a 2% vacancy rate, the lowest is has been in, well, I can’t find the last time it was that low. It has steadily been dropping from 5 – 6%, 6 years ago and this last quarter was a new low. That means that tenants have a lot of competition when looking for housing. So much competition, that you have to call quickly if you see something and many landlords just stop answering their phones or don’t bother having their offices open.
Second, new laws passed at the state are making it hard to find housing. The requirement that you make three times the amount of rent has returned with a vengeance! There was a reason we passed the minimum income law in Madison – which the state revoked. And, if you have an arrest or conviction record, just forget it. It doesn’t even have to be related to housing, and landlords are denying for charges that are 10 years old. So much for local control.
Finally, affordable housing? One of the 100% affordable housing complexes has a one bedroom for $825. Yeah, they consider that affordable. Based on my facebook comments, no one is buying that! That’s what we get from WHEDA affordable housing (50 – 60% AMI) . And which sometimes has better rates than City “affordable housing” requirements, that often allow affordable housing to go up to 80% AMI. (AMI = Area Median income, which is relatively high in Dane County/Madison)
Anyways, here’s a little more of the housing picture when it comes to affordable housing . . . thinking about the statements heard about people staying at Occupy . . . why don’t they just participate in a program . . . well, lets look at what there is:
Public Housing
They have waiting lists of over a year unless you are 62 or older:
Effective 12/19/2011
Estimated wait times for Public Housing programs:
1-Bedroom Unit (Disabled Designations) = 12+ Months
1-Bedroom Unit (Age 62 or older Designations) = 3 – 6 Months
1-Bedroom Unit (Age 50-61, no disability) = 12+ Months1-Bedroom Unit (No Designation) = 3+ Years
2-Bedroom Unit = 12+ Months
3-Bedroom Unit = 12+ Months
4-Bedroom Unit = 3+Years
5-Bedroom Unit = 3+ Years
These estimated wait times are most accurate for applicants who provide documentation that they live, work, or go to school in the City of Madison. Applicants will be notified by mail when the CDA is ready to screen their application.
Waiting list applicants are required to report changes, in writing, of mailing address, phone number, gross monthly income, and family composition.
And yes, if you clicked on the link, that says that 1 person can make $45,000 a year and qualify for the housing.
Section 8
This program is the voucher program to rent in the market. The tenant pays about 30% of their income towards rent. Here’s their information about when you might get into that program.
Please note: Due to limited federal funding, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program waiting list is closed to new applicants. The last time the CDA opened for applications was in 2007 through a lottery process. It is not possible to apply for the program at this time and no date has been set for the next lottery. The CDA will conduct public advertising and outreach upon re-opening the Section 8 waiting list for new applicants. Please check back here periodically for updated information or call 608-267-4906 for any updates. (12/30/2011)
There are waiting lists everywhere, Housing Initiatives which is a Section 8 type program for homeless people who have mental health issues has a year to a year and a half waiting list with over 70 people on the waiting list. This is becoming the trend, some of the waiting lists are shorter than that, but, if you are homeless or moving around a lot, but they time you get to the top of the list, will they be able to find you?
Anyways, like I said in the beginning, its hard enough for state workers and reporters and TRC staff and people with jobs to find housing, imagine being homeless or having issues that are going to get you denied, then what do you do? What would you do? Occupy? What else is there?
Meanwhile, maybe the working people who can’t find housing will get the attention of elected officials and they will at least finally look at what is now a crisis. Hey, maybe they can form a committee, that doesn’t meet, to come up with a plan . . . or they could try facing it head on like Satya Rhodes-Conway did at the Board of Estimates the other night.
