Advocacy
"Affordable housing" is often a difficult topic to discuss. While the concept is simple, the reality is not. In Massachusetts, one in seven households spend half or more of their income on housing. A family needs to earn $73,890 annually to afford fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the Bay State. It's just unreasonable.
With the rising cost of lumber and other building supplies, we need your help. Talk to area legislators. Advocate for Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.
At Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) our goals are to increase homeownership and housing affordability, create more housing at a time when we are facing an affordable housing shortage, help close the racial wealth gap that exists in our community, and provide home repair assistance to low-income families in order for them to live and age safely in their homes. GSHFH typically builds two to three houses over the course of a year in Hampden County. In the past year, we have been challenged by a number of issues, including:
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an expanding gap between wages and housing costs. Statewide, the numbers show wage increases and housing cost increases have tracked together from 2014-2019, but in our experience that is not the case in Hampden County.
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pandemic job losses. The population we serve is still recovering. Many are just now getting back on their feet, financially, and many will face the consequences of the economic upheaval for a few more years (increased debt, arrearages to clear, etc.). Without stable and steady income, low-income families are simply not in a position to qualify for homeownership, even with an affordable housing program like ours.
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rising materials and labor costs. All construction materials and subcontracted labor that is not donated, we need to purchase.
Without federal funding and grants, GSHFH would struggle to have enough funds for any home construction and home repair projects.
This is where we need your help. Familiarize yourself with the federal programs that matter to Greater Springfield Habitat and let your legislators know we need their support.
Click on the flyers to see more.
Or, educate yourself about the Western Massachusetts Housing Coalition's Housing Bond Bill Priorities. Or, reach out to President Biden and encourage his administration to negotiate a new, long-term softwood lumber agreement with Canada. To learn more, click on the links below.
The upcoming housing bond bill provides a critical opportunity to set priorities in allocating resources for investing in housing. This bill comes at a key moment when more housing development is needed across the Commonwealth, and creates an opportunity for significant, meaningful investment in addressing housing needs in western Massachusetts.
CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS
Rep Todd M. Smola (D-1st Hampden County: Palmer)
Todd.Smola@mahouse.gov
(617) 722-2100 state house
Rep Brian M. Ashe (D-2nd Hampden County: parts of East Longmeadow, all of Longmeadow, all of Hampden, parts of Monson, all of Springfield)
Brian.Ashe@mahouse.gov
(413) 754-4184 district office
(617) 722-2813 state house
Rep Nicholas Boldyga (R-3rd Hampden County: parts of Agawam, all of Blandford, all of Chester, all of Granville, all of Montgomery, all of Russell, all of Southwick, and all of Tolland)
Nicholas.Boldyga@mahouse.gov
(413) 569-3137 x103 district office
(617) 722-2810 state house
Rep Kelly Pease (R-4th Hampden County: all of Westfield)
Kelly.Pease@mahouse.gov
(413) 875-8787 district office
Rep Patricia Duffy (D-5th Hampden County: parts of Chicopee, all of Holyoke)
Patricia.Duffy@mahouse.gov
(617) 722-2130 state house
Rep Michael J. Finn (D-6th Hampden County: parts of Agawam, parts of Chicopee, all of West Springfield,
and parts of Westfield)
Michael.Finn@mahouse.gov
(413) 363-1965 district office
(617) 722-2011 state house
Rep Aaron L. Saunders (D-7th Hampden: all of Ludlow)
Aaron.Saunders@mahouse.gov
(617) 722-2000 x6311 state house
Rep Shirley B. Arriaga (D-8th Hampden County: parts of Chicopee)
Shirley.Arriaga@mahouse.gov
(617) 722-2000 x6303 state house
Rep Orlando Ramos (D-9th Hampden County: parts of Springfield)
Orlando.Ramos@mahouse.gov
(413) 271-7955 district office
(617) 722-2430 state house
Rep Carlos Gonzalez (D-10th Hampden County: parts of Springfield)
Carlos.Gonzalez@mahouse.gov
(617) 722-2230 state house
Rep Bud L. Williams (D-11th Hampden County: parts of Springfield)
Bud.Williams@mahouse.gov
(413) 316-4743 district office
(617) 722-2430 state house
Rep Angelo Puppolo, Jr (D-12th Hampden County: parts of East Longmeadow, all of Monson, parts of Springfield, all of Wilbraham)
Angelo.Puppolo@mahouse.gov
(413) 596-4333 district office
(617) 722-2006 state house
Sen Adam Gomez (D-Hampden County: all of Chicopee, parts of Springfield)
Adam.Gomez@masenate.gov
(617) 722-1660 state house
Sen Paul W. Mark (D-all of Southwick)
Paul.Mark@masenate.gov
(413) 464-5635 district office
(617) 722-1625 state house
Sen Jacob Oliveira (D-Hampden County: all of Chicopee, parts of Palmer, parts of Springfield, all of East Longmeadow, all of Hampden, all of Longmeadow, all of Ludlow, and all of Wilbraham)
Jacob.Oliveira@masenate.gov
(617) 722-1291 state house
Sen John Velis (D-Hampden County: Agawam, Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield, West Springfield)
John.Velis@masenate.gov
(617) 722-1415 state house
US Rep Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts)
(413) 785-0325 district office
(202) 225-5601 Washington, DC
US Sen Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts)
(413) 785-4610 district office
(617) 565-8519 Boston
(202) 224-2742 Washington, DC
US Sen Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts)
(413) 788-2690 district office
(617) 565-3170 Boston
(202) 224-4543 Washington, DC
Lt Gov Kim Driscoll (D)
(617) 725-4005 Boston
Gov Maura Healy (D)
(617) 725-4005 Boston
REACH OUT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN
The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced it's doubling the tariff on Canadian softwood lumber. Habitat affiliates have experienced a steady rise in lumber costs and this decision by the administration is likely to make this dynamic more challenging. While these higher tariffs on Canadian lumber are meant to protect U.S. lumber producers, it will have the unintended consequence of negatively impacting the bottom line of housing producers nationwide, including Habitat affiliates.
High lumber prices are adding thousands of dollars to the cost of building new single-family homes at a time when affordable housing developers are already contending with increased land and construction costs. This is unsustainable and could result in less homes being built, which will further exacerbate the housing affordability crisis.
Our ability to increase the affordable homeownership supply hinges on addressing high lumber and building material prices, so thank you for making your voice heard on this issue.
To reach out to President Biden and encourage his administration to negotiate a new, long-term softwood lumber agreement with Canada, go to https://bit.ly/3Eny3dw