Affordable Housing in a Nutshell

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) says that housing is affordable to a low-income family as long as the cost of rent or mortgage payments plus utilities does add up to more than 30% of the family's income before taxes.

Today, over 27 million low-income households pay more than 30% of their incomes on housing. Half of those pay over 50%. Imagine for a second spending fully half of your income - before taxes - on rent. That doesn't leave much for anything else.

I first became involved with affordable housing through a group at BC called the Appalachia Volunteers. They send around 650 students on Spring Break service trips every year, many of them going to work for Habitat for Humanity affiliates in the Appalachia region. Sophomore year, I went to Huntington, West Virginia and had an amazing experience. Our first task on Monday was shoveling a mound of dirt out from the center of the foundation. Our final task on Friday was putting the roof boards on the house. With 12 kids, and between 5-10 regular volunteers (retirees who spend their free time building houses pro bono), the progress was remarkable.

While I wasn't able to find a similar thing to do when I was in London last year, I was able to lead an Appalachia trip back to Huntington this past Spring Break in March. It was great to see everyone from two years before. I also got to work on a different part of the house, this time installing tile floors and all the cabinets and appliances in the kitchen, as well as helping on the siding of the house, installing the front porch and back deck, and destroying a roof with about 30 layers of roof tiles on it. It was fun.

Most importantly the second time around, I got to meet the future house owners, Perry and Cleta. I think Perry worked nights at WalMart (though I can't remember for sure), but they adopted a boy with cerebral palsy, and their biological son just moved out of the house so they wouldn't have to support him anymore. They were extremely nice and extra-appreciative that we were there helping, and it was really heartwarming when they asked us to sign a tin star that's going to be placed on one of the walls.

Working for this cause has helped me recognize that owning a house isn't just about putting a roof over your head. It gives people dignity. It's a home - where parents come to relax after work, and where children feel safe when they're scared. A house is where a family's collective memories are shared, and years later, relived. Owning a home is part of the American Dream.

Being a part of Bike and Build is exciting because we're helping Americans live the American Dream. Having 30 million Americans pay 30 or 50% of your income on housing, leaving next to nothing left for food, let alone leisure activities, is shameful for the richest country in the world.

But there is hope, and it's because of organizations like the Huntington Area Habitat for Humanity in West Virginia. You can be a part of these solutions by donating (in my name of course) online.

This cause means a lot to me. I'm excited to bike, but I'm also really excited to build.