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A Mirror article in last weekend's edition, "Homeless advocates urge more affordable housing," provided a snapshot of a complex problem that challenges not only Altoona but communities across the country.
However, the words "affordable housing" do not fully address the issue currently at hand in this and many other cities, larger and smaller. Probably the bigger, more relevant issue is how to effect a turnaround in the lives of the homeless so finding affordable housing will be less difficult.
Owners of rental properties can be excused for some of their reluctance regarding renting their units to certain individuals who they suspect to be incapable of properly respecting and caring for the units, in part because they have no permanent financial stake in the long-term condition of the residences.
Perhaps there needs to be a kind of "refresher course" for trying to help those individuals understand the issues and concerns dealing with housing that, for many, if not most, will not be permanent. But two other important needs must not be overlooked, as last weekend's article made clear by way of a quote from Pam Townsend, executive director of the H.O.P.E. Drop-In Center.
Townsend suggested that one way to encourage struggling or recently homeless tenants to take care of their homes might be to create a program similar to Habitat for Humanity, whereby some of those individuals generate "sweat equity" by helping to build the housing in which they ultimately will live.
"Give them purpose and value," Townsend said, while noting that many homeless people have skills such as carpentry and masonry -- skills necessary and important for helping to lessen the severity of the current affordable-housing shortage.
Part of this community's best interests is to tap those skills as comprehensively as possible.
Still, many landlords' reasonable reluctance is built on a sturdy foundation of bad experiences while renting units in the past, as alluded to in the weekend article by Brian Durbin, leader of the local group Hope for the Homeless.
In the article, Durbin provided the reminder that landlords' experiences with non-payment of rents following the end of COVID-19 rent subsidy programs has led to landlord shortages and skittishness among those who remain in the business regarding their own self-interest and overall financial interests.
A landlord cannot continue in the rental-units business for long when he or she is spending more to fix damage than the amount of the rent being collected. Meanwhile, the city has a responsibility to shut down apartment buildings and individual rental units not fit for habitation, despite the negative impact on the supply of affordable rental housing.
Thus, in this case, fixing one problem spawns another, more difficult one.
Durbin implied that while discussing with Mirror reporter William Kibler the steps the city is taking -- or trying to take -- to address effectively the housing shortage involving the homeless, now and going forward.
He referred to efforts to obtain ground for construction of units, or finding a building or buildings that could be converted into rental units -- and efforts to find development partners.
The city would like to obtain an entire block, he said.
The housing issue is difficult and complex and, like in many other places, there are many good landlords but some not-so-good and some bad ones.
One snapshot cannot capture the true scope of the challenge here.