Table of ContentsThe Affordable Housing ProblemRisks Caused by Lack of Affordable HousingConclusionReferencesMany social issues have become more evident with the ongoing pandemic. One of the problems is affordable housing. As with most social problems, addressing the root cause involves difficult choices that implicate other social problems. Making one problem better will make other problems worse for some people. The paper will examine the issue of affordable housing and what the root causes are. How certain entities approach affordable housing will be presented. Ultimately, it is local and national populations who must determine what sacrifices they make for others. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original EssayThe Affordable Housing ProblemAffordable housing can be defined as any type of housing in which an individual or family spends less than 30%. from his income to rent or house payments. According to the 2019 State of the Nation's Housing report, nearly 40 million American families do not have affordable housing. There are slightly more renters than owners in this situation. A local example of the affordability gap in Pinellas County is that the average rent in 2017 was $1,014. To afford an apartment, a single person would have to earn an hourly wage of $19.50. With a minimum wage below $9, low-income residents must work multiple jobs to afford a place. One cause of supply limitation is government regulation. Vogel gives an example of how parking regulations reduce the number of units on a lot. In Miami, a developer wanted to build eight apartments between two buildings. Parking needs were greater than the land itself. The developer had to work with other interested parties to reduce final construction requirements. Miami has done this in collaboration with properties located near public transportation. Another factor that has developed recently is how Airbnb affects affordability. Los Angeles residents had listed more than 11,000 units in 2014. There were about nine times as many regular hotel rooms. With the use of Airbnb, these units were not available for regular residential use. The reduced demand comes on top of higher prices charged for rent and owner purchase prices. With a limited supply of residences and low incomes, the problem of housing affordability is a major problem. Risks caused by the lack of affordable housing The lack of affordable housing presents many risks to society. The biggest risk is that with so much money going toward rent, other needs can be met. Hickey points out that families could significantly reduce their healthcare costs. This obviously leads to problems later and impacts societal health services for all. Other risk factors for those affected by housing affordability are lack of food and lack of retirement savings. As with health care, these problems can cause the rest of society to pay for what others cannot. Other risks include homelessness due to evictions, increased crime in low-income areas, and substandard housing stock. An example ofWeathers shows that tenants with affordable housing had to live in poor conditions. The management company did not follow up on maintenance. Various problems such as broken windows, cockroach infestations, mold and other negative factors were occurring. In the case of substandard housing, the money must be spent to fix the problems or, in the worst case, demolished. As previously stated, health issues are a factor, as are possible mental health issues. Whether children can learn well when stressed by poor housing is a major issue. So, the risks listed above are a start and provide a basis that the company can attempt to address. Figure 1 outlines some of the main forces opposing affordable housing. In reality, many other forces affect the situation, and societal compromises must be made. In the list of restrictive forces, overall resistance to increased density is an example of a tradeoff. Many people want more space between themselves and their neighbors. They may want more space for pets to roam with leases, have swimming pools, and have an entertainment area. From a personal point of view, more space is needed for neighbors who create noise. However, more space means less housing and higher housing costs in a given area. The holding power of low-income residents is the main reason for the problem. Affordable housing is intended to help low-income residents, but other solutions, such as better employment situations and better educational outcomes, are needed to solve the low-income problem. The local company must determine which is better. Airbnb's holding power creates less supply and is tied to government regulation. Governments are struggling to determine how to regulate the private use of a home for commercial purposes. Lee examines how Los Angeles tried to solve the problem. Affordable housing is increasingly recognized as meaning that everyone needs a place to live within their means. In the worst cases, many residents are left homeless or living with others in overcrowded conditions. One driving force is increased public funding. This funding can come from local and national sources. Domestic sources include vouchers in the form of “Section 8” funds. About 5 million people received these funds in 2015 to rent from private landlords. As previously noted, they are eight times more likely to need help. Much of the problem is lack of funds, which creates long waiting lists. Additional help may come from public housing. Metcalfe gives a list of several major cities: between one and three percent of all housing is public housing. The need for financing sources is therefore extremely important. Just like tolerating increased density, residents must understand the need to help those less fortunate with housing. Smart housing regulation by government is a necessity. As previously noted, Miami had parking requirements that made it difficult to build multi-unit buildings. By taking into account public transportation, the city government has relaxed this requirement. Orange County, Florida is relaxing some rules allowing as many affordable units (130) to be built in six months of 2020 as in the entire previous year. By taking more into account the favorable factors in an area, a