Lately there have been several articles and letters concerning the lack of affordable housing in Addison County. As everyone who reads this newspaper is well aware, Vermont is suffering a serious housing crisis, especially for low-and moderate-income families. Given that it has been years in the making, it’s no surprise that solutions are, to put it mildly, extraordinarily challenging to achieve.

As I understand the issues, well-meaning but cumbersome regulatory processes, the spiraling costs for construction, a lack of capital and diminishing government funding are some of the major drivers of the current crisis. Additionally, investors looking for high profits from “churning” real estate and converting leased housing to short-term rentals have greatly exacerbated the housing problem in Vermont and throughout the country.

One ray of hope I’ve seen is the efforts not-for-profit organizations are making to address this situation in our county. We are fortunate to have Habitat for Humanity, John Graham Housing Services, HomeShare, HOPE and several other groups doing what they can in their respective areas.

I am especially impressed with the efforts of Addison Housing Works after I visited several housing projects the organization has completed. Their stewardship of manufactured housing communities, including taking on major infrastructure improvements that previous owners neglected, is a prime example. It is clear the organization has had a substantial, positive impact on the lives of the people who live in the properties AHW has built, maintains and manages.

Unfortunately, their waiting lists are long and there is so much more to be done if we are to make affordable housing available for all our hard-working residents.

I hope folks who have the means will consider donating time and/or money to help our friends and neighbors find lasting and affordable housing solutions.

Don Miller

Middlebury