[Vision2020] Affordable Housing

[Joe Campbell]

In her recent letter to the editor, Shelley Bennett writes this about development:

"... in order to get companies to locate in Moscow, we also need affordable 
housing options and support services that make living here affordable. The 
actions of the current mayor and many members of the City Council have 
done everything they can over the course of the last few years to make sure 
we do not have affordable housing options."

I don't know much about affordable housing. What I do know, I learned from 
Aaron Ament, who is a City Council member, and Bob Stout, who served 
longer on City Council than Tom Lamar. Bob was in favor of affordable housing, 
it was a key issue in his campaign two years ago. Aaron, too, is in favor of 
affordable housing. I have little reason to believe that Lamar, or Linda Paul, 
or Evan Holmes would not be in favor of affordable housing.

I have two questions.

Is what Bennett says true? Has the council made affordable housing options worse?

Doesn't affordable housing begin at the point of development? 

I think so. I think that the developer has a lot more control over costs 
than any city council, especially if we're restricting government in the way 
that Jeff thinks we should. The difference in the cost of a single house with 
city fees vs. without them is negligible, I imagine.

But maybe there is something I'm missing.

Best, Joe