City's Affordable Housing Leaves Needs Unmet

A column from HHH member Liz Clasen, published in the Charlotte Observer 3/11:

I sat at a table with three colleagues at the Urban Ministry Center, totally stumped. We were trying to find housing for a woman with health problems and a challenging personality.
Her issues were serious enough that emergency shelters were not an option, but not so severe that she was eligible for an institution. It was the first of the month and she had just received her government check for disability. With a $637 check in her hand, she wanted housing. We had none to offer.
Here are the facts: A study commissioned by the city estimates there will be a need for 12,530 affordable rental units in 2010. Roughly two-thirds of the need is for households that earn less than $8,000 a year. That's $667 per month.
Largest gap neglected
These are people struggling with disability, mental illness and unemployment. Using the federal government's definition of affordability, these households can only afford to pay $200 each month toward rent. For some reason, however, these people are not the focus of the city's affordable housing efforts.Through affordable housing bonds, voters have given the city $45 million towards the Housing Trust Fund. The city allocates low-interest loans and grants to developers and non-profits to create affordable housing. While that money has created several beautiful new projects, they are not addressing the largest and most essential gap. Almost none of the money went towards creating new housing for those who earn less than $8,000.
Instead, when speaking of affordable housing, our city leaders like to talk about "workforce" housing: affordable housing for teachers' aides and policemen, for day-care workers and blue-collar workers, for all the Johnson & Wales students. While these groups are certainly deserving of quality housing, they are not the individuals who can only put $200 towards rent.
Whether or not we believe someone is morally worthy of a house should not determine our affordable housing policy. Our policy should aim to meet the actual unmet need: those who earn less than $8,000 per year.
The wrong people helped
The city has provided affordable housing money for those who earn up to $51,000 per year. Not to reveal too much information, but I fall into the city's definition of need! Currently, I live in the historic Elizabeth neighborhood in a quaint two-bedroom duplex in a rent lower than some of the city-funded affordable housing units.
The market is providing housing for my colleagues at the Urban Ministry Center. It is those who come through the soup kitchen line that our affordable housing bond dollars should help. Our limited city funds must provide housing for those the free market will never serve.
The Charlotte Housing Authority is the obvious choice to meet the housing needs of those in deep poverty, but that agency cannot do it alone. Currently, the waiting lists for Section 8 and public housing are closed. The city must aggressively seek out new partners to close the affordable housing gap. The failure to provide housing will cost us even more.
As far as the woman with her $637 check, she went to the hospital. When she is released, she will likely use her check for a weekly motel. Hopefully it will last until the end of the month. As far as how she will manage next month, I'm still stumped.