This week we ran a five-part series on the issue of affordable housing. Frequently misunderstood as government housing, ‘affordable housing’ affects everybody, across all income brackets, and – in essence – means spending a sane and sustainable amount of your income on a place to live. In Wilmington, that’s becoming increasingly difficult to do.
These stories broke the problem down, from the facts and figures to personal stories to possible solutions. In case you missed it, here’s the whole series.
Part One
In the first part of our series, we looked at the problem and asked basic, but far from simple, question: can you afford to live in Wilmington?
Can Wilmington’s working class afford to live in the city?
Part Two
In the next part of our series, we looked at the factors pushing Wilmington workers out of the city, and examined how Wilmington’s situation stacks up against the nationwide issue.
High rents are pushing workers out of Wilmington, but that’s not their only problem
Part Three
The City of Wilmington encourages Mixed-Use Developments – projects like Mayfaire – because, in theory, by keeping housing, shopping and businesses together they cut down on traffic. But do these pre-planned neighborhoods really work? We found out.
Traffic and mixed use developments: Live and play at home, but not if you work there
Part Four
In the next part of our series, we took a more intimate look at housing, employment and traffic. After all, behind the figures and statistics are real people trying to make ends meet. We talked to one worker in the service industry to get an in-depth and personal look at what these issues look like in real life.
What do the people making your food think about the cost of living in Wilmington?
Part Five
By the end of our series, we hope we have painted a clearer picture of why ‘affordable housing’ matters to everyone — and what the issue really boils down to. Now it’s time to push past frustration and look for solutions.