Guest Op-Ed : The Dilemma of Housing

By Robert Repucci,

More than 6,000 individuals and families in Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop are at risk of displacement from housing, due to rising rents and the lopsided economy that encourages economic development and growth for some, but not those on fixed and limited incomes.

The 2010 US Census Fact Finder five-year 2015 estimate, reports that there are a total of 39,419 households in Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop with 6,011 earning below $15,000 annually, consequently placing them “at risk” for homelessness.

According to a survey conducted by CAPIC in 2016, there are 372 out of 785 households sampled who are “at risk” for homelessness, due to spending in excess of 50 percent of their annual income on rent. CAPIC‘s client database reveals that there are 2,893 Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop households “at risk” for homelessness, based upon the HUD definition (annual income at or below 30 percent of the median income).

These are facts, not conjecture. The Dilemma…what is our responsibility as a community to address conditions that result in housing displacement and potential homelessness?

CAPIC as the designated anti-poverty agency commissioned by state and federal government to identify the root causes of poverty in Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop develops local strategies to help people become self-sufficient. We embrace this responsibility and continue to provide residents with critical services, however, the resources needed to address today’s housing displacement problem caused by rising rents requires determination and creative thinking by all sectors of the community.

Example, the City of Chelsea launched a unified, broad-based effort three years ago to combat substance use and identify barriers that keep isolated persons from accessing healthcare. Using the resources of the Provider community and with funding from the City of Chelsea, over 60 persons have maintained sobriety for over six-months. When we as a society and community focus on solving a problem, miraculous things happen, yet I do not see an organized effort to help people live and stay in the communities they call home. In fact, I do not even see dialogue that keeps the issue on the table for discussion, with the exception of our local Legislative Delegation that annually proposes special legislation to address preservation of housing.

Perhaps this problem of gentrification and its causes are too big to tackle…not so! Maybe there is a lack of desire…perhaps. Maybe it is just not seeing the impact that displacement from housing has on individuals and families who can no longer afford the cost of rising rents and taxes. I believe it comes down to our appetite as a society to help those who cannot help themselves.

I am calling upon our public, private sectors to recognize housing displacement as a priority and that those on the municipal level restrict the building of housing developments and create a Housing Trust Fund to help residents maintain existing tenancies and preserve existing housing for all. I challenge you to initiate a dialogue that targets analyzing the extent of the problem with core strategies that reduce displacement on homeowners and renters alike.

The first step, especially in this election year is to come out publicly and recognize the problem…then to pledge that current residents are the top priority and then launch a strategy that helps people who live in your community to stay in your community.

Robert Repucci, is the Executive Director of CAPIC located in Chelsea.

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