AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Last week, GlobeSt.com asked readership about affordablehousing in your communities. Only 14% of respondents said theirneighborhood has embraced it, while 43% of respondents said NIMBYis their way of life, and 43% chose to say that education hadhelped, but their neighborhood is not there yet. Cecka Rose Greenis communications director for Florida Housing Finance Corp., anon-profit organization created by the state Legislature toincrease affordable housing opportunities for Floridians andeducate the public about its benefits. Green offers her thoughts onlast week's poll:

"The choice of answers [to this poll question] definitelyreflect the attitudes that are still out there, and that is theattitude of "not in my backyard." We know that we need affordablehousing, but we're not quite there yet. Housing in our nation isone of those things that's a part of the American dream. Everyoneshould understand that affordable housing is a right everyoneshould have, not matter what income level or circumstances areinvolved.