Splaine: The missing ingredient in 'affordable housing'

For Portsmouth, there is no solution to the need for affordable housing. Housing was a problem in 1950. People moved here and had families. More housing was built. Portsmouth will continue to grow. People will move here and have families. In 2050, more housing will be built. Same thing in 2075. Again in 2100. And beyond.

Change happens. That's a good thing. The alternative is stagnation.

I'm not going to get into the word salad of technical questions about what is or isn't defined as "affordable housing," or the supposed loan and banking industry standard that housing costs should be kept to under 30% of one's income. Or the debate of what is or isn't "workforce housing." All that makes some of us dizzy.

I want to focus on the missing ingredient that is too often set aside, and that is to consider, "What can I afford?"  You. Me. Them. That simple question refers to what each of us can afford to pay for a roof over our head, a floor under our feet, with walls, windows, and doors. 

The answer offers no set formula. No set price. Each of us has different needs, incomes and living situations, and at any stage of our lives that price tag changes. If we lose a job, get a better one, become sick, or if the economy goes into recession or hits an inflationary spiral, the price tag we can afford for housing will change.

Affordable housing for some people has virtually no limit. They're the ones who seem to welcome those million dollar condos popping up downtown, or the rather luxurious high-priced apartments being built in spots.

And there's no end to developers who provide those condos and apartments for that higher-income group.  Good for them if they can afford a mortgage of $10,000 monthly, or a rent of $4,000-plus every four weeks. Our economy benefits from people with money to spend if they spend it here.

We need them. They're welcome here.

But affordable housing for many of us depends on how much we can put aside each month so that we'll have enough left for our personal needs.  Needs like providing food for ourselves and our families. Getting furniture, a television or two, a computer, paying for Internet service.

Then there may be costs associated with owning, registering, licensing, insuring, maintaining, gassing up, and parking a car.  And having some dollars left for entertainment. Add heating and electricity costs. You get the picture. Life is expensive.

With more housing options, there's a better chance for people of varied incomes and needs to find something that's really affordable. That may be rooming houses, congregate housing, micro-housing, accessory dwelling units (ADUs).  Even dormitory-style one or two room, shared kitchen housing, and manufactured housing (some call it "mobile homes") that's just like other homes but with no holes in the ground. 

Why not all those options? It's called "diversity."

Portsmouth needs housing options for all of us, whether for our young and singles or even couples who are starting out, older or empty-nested, or who work in small businesses or are artists or musicians.

We need them. They're welcome here. 

People do want to be in Portsmouth. Where we choose to live is primarily about location, location, location, not necessarily the elegance and largeness of our residence.  The question is − How can developers provide that housing without public subsidy, and what would it look like?

A challenge for developers:  What kind of safe affordable housing of any kind and size can be built with market prices of around $800-$1,000 monthly at 2024 rates that allows reasonable profit margin for you? 

And how can city government create a streamlined permitting process that reduces costs to homeowners and developers for hiring lawyers or lobbyists to get to "yes" with city boards, technicians, and administrators?

How do we incentivize such housing, short of financial subsidy?  Portsmouth's good developers who are doing well in our community should be able to come up with blueprints and designs for really affordable housing for all of us.

Visionaries and architects might chip in with their innovative ideas too.

Today's thought:  Let's not surrender the soul of Portsmouth's neighborhoods to buildings that serve only the wealthy.

Next time: Young people predicting Portsmouth's future.

Variously since 1969, Jim Splaine was Portsmouth assistant mayor for 12 years, a city councilor for 18 years, a Police Commission and School Board member, as well as New Hampshire state senator for six years and representative for 24 years. He can be reached at jimsplaineportsmouth@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Splaine: The missing ingredient in 'affordable housing'