Affordable Housing
Some are saying Bonita Springs needs affordable housing so low-
me workers can
afford to live in our community. From their perspective, they are right, but are
there another perspectives.
Some will say it is moral issue, the way we respond speaks to our respect for our fellowman.
Still others will say to subsidize housing for low-
For example, if the building industry charges its customers $35/hour for unskilled labor. Contractors then go to the street market and hire labor for $10/hour. When we reach the point that the $10/hour labor can no longer afford to live in Bonita Springs, contractors will be forced to pay a living wage to attract labor. Will the price of new housing go up (perhaps) or will the profits of the builder go down (more likely)? Either way I don’t see that Government has an obligation to subsidize the building industry with taxpayer funded affordable housing.
Ok, but what about service workers for our hotels and restaurants? They don’t have the huge mark ups available in the building industry. Yes, the cost of a hotel room and a dinner will likely go up if we have to pay the maid and the dishwasher a living wage. Yes, your hamburger at McDonalds will cost more, but you have a clear choice. You can pay more for a hamburger or pay higher taxes to subsidize affordable housing for McDonalds work force.
Well, what about domestic help to clean our homes and cut our lawn? Yes, you will
clearly pay more for these services but again you have a choice. Pay a market price
for these services or pay higher taxes to subsidize a workforce of second-
Let’s not overlook the moral issue. When you do for someone what they should do for
themselves you destroy their self-
The choice is clear; we pay one-