The
following is written by the League of Women Voters in Harford County.
WILL YOU BE AFFECTED BECAUSE THESE WORKERS
CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE
IN
HARFORD COUNTY?
TEACHERS
MECHANICS
SECURITY PERSONNEL
NURSES
CHILD
CARE PROVIDERS
EMERGENCY
RESPONDERS
SECRETARIES
THE PROBLEM:
In 2006, the
most affordable housing area in Harford County was Edgewood. The median1 price of a
home in Edgewood was $173,700 and required a yearly income of $54,366, or $27.18 per
hour 2.
In Aberdeen, the next most affordable area, a
median priced home cost $201,100. This required a yearly income of $62,942, or $31.47
per hour.
What
about renting? It costs $950 per month for a 2-bedroom apartment at the fair
market rate in Harford County. To afford this, a person needs a
yearly income of $38,000, or $19.00 per hour.
Median
hourly wages3 (2006) for:
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Special Ed inclusionary
aide
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$ 8.50
|
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Child care provider
|
7.75
|
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Security (police/sheriff)
|
22.57
|
|
Nurse’s aide
|
12.56
|
|
Senior childcare staff
|
10.75
|
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Lab technician
|
19.91
|
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Receptionist
|
10.89
|
|
Carpenter
|
18.04
|
|
Stock clerks
|
15.66
|
|
Bookkeepers
|
13.89
|
|
Clerks
|
9.19
|
|
Fork-truck operator
|
14.37
|
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Mechanic
|
14.92
|
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Laborers
|
13.00
|
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Secretaries
|
12.19
|
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Teaching Assistant
|
$18,000/year
|
|
Teacher (1st year)
|
$38,964/year
|
|
Teacher (5th year)
|
$43,852/year
|
We need these
workers in Harford County BUT they cannot afford to live here.
1.
Median
means half the houses cost more and half cost less.
2.
40
hours per week and 50 weeks per yr
- Sources: MD Dept. of Community Services’
Consolidated Plan – 2008 - 2012 (housing prices); MD
Dept. of Business & Economic Development (hourly
wages); HCPS (teacher salaries and Special Ed aide hourly wage)
POSSIBLE
SOLUTIONS::
•
Require
a certain percentage of workforce housing in large market-rate developments, or
charge “in-lieu-of” fees paid to a trust fund for offsite workforce housing
•
Provide
various incentives to developers of workforce housing
•
Create
zoning or subdivision codes to encourage mixed-use buildings that combine
commercial and residential uses
•
Include
a fee in the transfer tax to be set aside to encourage development of
moderately-priced housing
•
Subsidize
“live where you work” loans for targeted workers
•
Involve
community groups and neighborhoods in the development of workforce housing
appropriate to their community.
•
Expand
public transportation and locate workforce housing within walking distance thus
reducing non-housing expenses of the residents
•
Provide
incentives to renovate older housing stock for workforce housing
•
Other
ideas?????
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
•
Develop
and support creative solutions
•
Participate
in the ongoing rewrite of Harford’s Zoning Code and
Subdivision regulations
•
Contact
County Executive David Craig AND the County Council members. Let them
know this is important to you and what ideas you support.
•
Attend
and speak out at public meetings in your community. Your voice is
important.
•
Vote
for candidates at all levels – county, state and national – who pay attention
and offer solutions
Contact
Information:
David R. Craig, County Executive
220 South Main Street
Bel Air, MD 21014
410-638-3350
CountyExecutive@harfordcountymd.gov
Billy Boniface, Council President
212 South Bond Street
Bel Air, MD 21014
410-638-3525
wkboniface@harfordcountymd.gov
Dion Guthrie, District A Councilman
410-638-3521
dfguthrie@harfordcountymd.gov
Veronica Chenowith, District B Councilwoman
410-638-3520
vlchenowith@harfordcountymd.gov
James McMahan, Jr. District C Councilman
410-638-3523
jvmcmahan@harfordcountymd.gov
Chad R. Shrodes, District D Councilman
410-638-3524
cshrodes@harfordcountymd.gov
Richard C. Slutzky, District E Councilman
410-638-3522
rcslutzky@harfordcountymd.gov
Mary Ann Lisanti, District F Councilwoman
410-638-3526
malisanti@harfordcountymd.gov
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The League of Women Voters
of the United
States, the League of Women Voters of Maryland, and the League of Women
Voters in Harford County support affordable rental and self-owned housing for our workforce
population.
Studies have shown that
workforce housing is increasingly unavailable in Harford County. We bring this information to
the public to encourage awareness and action to remedy this problem.
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THE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IN HARFORD COUNTY
The League of Women
Voters, a non-partisan political organization of men and women, encourages
informed and active participation in government, works to increase
understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy
through education and advocacy.
Memberships are welcomed and encouraged.
|
www.harford.lwvmd.org
Info@harford.lwvmd.org
Eileen Coffee, President 410-272-1815