Novato Advance Wednesday, September 27, 1989

 

Needed are creative and cooperative solutions

 

By DWAYNE HUNN

Assistant Executive Director-Novato Ecumenical Housing

 

Novato Ecumenical Housing (NEH) hopes that more citizens become aware of and work for “creative and cooperative” solu­tions on issues which can improve Novato’s quality of life. Two of these is­sues are: providing more affordable hous­ing and establishing a single parent tran­sitional apartment resources/services (STARS).

1. PROVIDING MORE AFFOR­DABLE HOUSING.

Long ago, federal subsides to provide affordable housing disappeared. Conse­quently,: citizens must become more aware of ways to create affordable housing funds, political leaders must be courageous and decisive enough to seek out these funds, and schools and community leaders must become forward-looking enough to educate their con­stituencies on such programs.

Redevelopment Agency financing is one of those creative means which can generate substantial affordable housing funds. During the Hamilton election, however, the citizens did not have time to become sufficiently informed as to how valuable Redevelopment Agency financ­ing could be to assist young people who someday may want to own in the town in which they were raised.  When the calendar page turns to the year 2000, the average sales price of a Maria home is projected to exceed $600,000. It is easier to work on “crea­tive and cooperative” solutions now than it will be 11 years from now.

As a non-profit developer and lender, NEH is often delayed and stymied by in­decision and lack of creativity from political leaders; Neighborhood forces often oppose community projects which could provide housing for starting families, single parents, teachers, police officers and other professionals who are unable to purchase in Novato. The result is more expensive homes that few can af­ford to purchase.

One of the means by which NEH ad­dresses the “awareness” issue is through its Reuben Kaehler Scholarship Fund Essay Competition and its related educa­tional presentations in local high schools.

Tax deductible contributions to the Ruben Kaehlcr fund can help expand this program.

 

2. ESTABLISHING A SINGLE PARENT TRANSITIONAL APART­MENT RESOURCES/SERVICES (STARS).

NEH’S goal is to acquire approximate­ly 10 apartments which can be used by single parents who, along with their young children, are experiencing emo­tional and financial stress due to a recent divorce or separation. Tax deductible contributions to NorthBay Single Parents for Independence (NSPI) can help promote this program and its ancillary Novato-based child care, education, heal­th and job information services.